Evacuated tube collectors or solar thermal flat plate? This is a very common question in the solar thermal industry. Eccentrically enough, several people weigh-in, and take different sides. As a Red Sox vs Yankees kind of rivalry, it is an intense debate. In the end, it relies on the job you are working on – the roof, the climate, your budget, and the kind of systems you are using all need to be considered to make the solar evacuated tubes vs. flat plate decision.