Abstract: This invention relates to the process of collecting heat and removing heat from a heat pipe for solar energy applications. More specifically, this invention is a solar energy system that elegantly couples a heat pipe and a single header heat transfer assembly that has the capability of interchangeable operational designs using solar collector panel, solar vacuum tube, or integrated solar thermal and photovoltaic array configurations. The header assembly is structurally and thermally connected to the heat pipe by a heat pipe receiver which surrounds the condenser end of the heat pipe and plugs into the interior of the header assembly.