Abstract: A solar heat collector is described in which a filamentary heat absorber is disposed within a housing having opaque, heat-insulated sides and bottom and a plurality of partially evacuated tubular members substantially transparent to incident solar radiation mounted on the top thereof. Means are provided for supplying fluid flow to the housing and removing fluid flow from the housing to provide for the transfer of heat energy from the filaments in the absorber to the fluid flow. Light entering the housing through the transparent members enters the filamentary heat absorber, is internally reflected and absorbed. That portion of the light passing through the filamentary heat absorber strikes a reflecting layer, which redirects heat and light back into the filamentary heat absorber.