Described herein are apparatuses, systems, and methods for a solar car. The exterior of the solar car is comprised of smoothly curved and continuous photovoltaic cells. The exterior car parts, e.g., roof, doors, hood, trunk and so forth, may include integrated photovoltaic cells, all manufactured in the shape of the corresponding car parts. The photovoltaic cells are meta-encapsulated in an edgeless manner, and may utilize superconducting anodes. A first encapsulate may be polychlorotrifluoroethylene, an extreme water barrier. A second encapsulate, e.g., silicone, may be a water barrier and shock absorber. A third encapsulate may be UV stabilized polycarbonate or low iron glass. A street legal solar car may be constructed upon an electric car chassis. A competition solar car has one or more hyper-efficient electric motors, that may utilize superconducting wire in their armatures. Superconducting wire may also be used in the vehicle chassis.

Described herein are apparatuses, systems, and methods for a solar car. The exterior of the solar car is comprised of smoothly curved and continuous photovoltaic cells. The exterior car parts, e.g., roof, doors, hood, trunk and so forth, may include integrated photovoltaic cells, all manufactured in the shape of the corresponding car parts. The photovoltaic cells are meta-encapsulated in an edgeless manner, and may utilize superconducting anodes. A first encapsulate may be polychlorotrifluoroethylene, an extreme water barrier. A second encapsulate, e.g., silicone, may be a water barrier and shock absorber. A third encapsulate may be UV stabilized polycarbonate or low iron glass. A street legal solar car may be constructed upon an electric car chassis. A competition solar car has one or more hyper-efficient electric motors, that may utilize superconducting wire in their armatures. Superconducting wire may also be used in the vehicle chassis.

A vehicle includes a prime mover, such as an internal combustion engine, driving a transmission shaft, a kinetic energy recuperation system, including an electric machine fitted on the transmission shaft and a supercapacitor for recovering the braking energy delivered by the electric machine, at least one solar panel, that is connected to the electric machine and to the supercapacitor, and a controller that is configured to direct the energy captured by the solar panel(s) either to the electric machine or to the supercapacitor as a function of the torque demand on transmission shaft.

A fluid turbine system is provided for harnessing light radiant energy, thermal energy and/or kinetic energy of a vehicle. At least one fluid tube is coupled with a body portion of the vehicle. At least a portion of the at least one fluid tube is positioned proximal to the vehicle's roof, the trunk and/or hood. The at least one fluid tube contains a fluid configured to expand in response to receiving light radiant energy or thermal energy. At least one fluid turbine is coupled with the at least one fluid tube and has blades configured to be rotated by the fluid. A generator converts kinetic energy from the rotation of the blades of the at least one fluid turbine to electrical energy stored in the battery. Valves and/or pumps may control the fluid flow for enhancing generation of electrical energy using light radiant energy, thermal energy and/or kinetic energy.

A fluid turbine system is provided for harnessing light radiant energy, thermal energy and/or kinetic energy of a vehicle. At least one fluid tube is coupled with a body portion of the vehicle. At least a portion of the at least one fluid tube is positioned proximal to the vehicle's roof, the trunk and/or hood. The at least one fluid tube contains a fluid configured to expand in response to receiving light radiant energy or thermal energy. At least one fluid turbine is coupled with the at least one fluid tube and has blades configured to be rotated by the fluid. A generator converts kinetic energy from the rotation of the blades of the at least one fluid turbine to electrical energy stored in the battery. Valves and/or pumps may control the fluid flow for enhancing generation of electrical energy using light radiant energy, thermal energy and/or kinetic energy.

The present disclosure provides a solar cell device for mounting over a movable object, which includes a housing and a solar panel. The housing is disposed on an outer surface of the movable object. The solar panel is disposed inside the housing. The housing is provided with an openable cover, configured to allow the solar panel to expose to an external environment to thereby generate electricity if opened and to shield the solar panel from the external environment if closed. Herein the movable object can be a vehicle, a train, a ship or an airplane.

A system is disclosed for an electrical generator system for a vehicle. The system includes a wind turbine, an electrical generator mechanically connected to the wind turbine and configured to connect to an electrical energy storage device that is configured to store electrical energy on-board the vehicle, and a rigid, conical .[.housing, forming.]. .Iadd.wind channeling funnel that includes .Iaddend.an interior chamber, the .[.housing.]. .Iadd.funnel .Iaddend.having an inlet end and an outlet end, .[.the inlet end having a larger diameter than the outlet end, and the conical housing configured to direct.]. .Iadd.that directs .Iaddend.wind flow into the wind turbine.

The object is to simplify systems in a solar thermal power generation plant and thereby provide a solar thermal power generation system achieving reduction in the construction cost and the power generation cost. The solar thermal power generation system comprises: a solar heat collection device which collects solar heat and thereby heats up molten salt as a primary heat medium; a solar heat accumulation/radiation device including a low-temperature tank which stores molten salt to be supplied to the solar heat collection device, a high-temperature tank which stores high-temperature molten salt heated by the solar heat collection device, and a secondary heat medium heater which heats up a secondary heat medium by using the high-temperature molten salt supplied from the high-temperature tank as a heating medium; and a compressor/high-temperature turbine power generation device including a compressor which generates compressed air as the secondary heat medium by compressing air taken in from the atmosphere to a prescribed pressure and a high-temperature air turbine which drives a generator by taking in the compressed air heated by the secondary heat medium heater.

The invention relates to electrically operated vehicle with power supply system having wind based charging unit with load isolation. The power supply nit has one or more energy storage device with an inverter for supplying AC loads. Two such power supply units are used in an electric vehicle application for supplying the drive load. The power supply units when operated through an intermediate section and an output combiner, supplies to the load with complete isolation from the recharging unit of the system. Due to which, the energy storage devices serves for large distance range.

A vehicle includes a cargo bed, first open electrical circuit, and tonneau cover. The cargo bed has first and second sides extending upward. The first open electrical circuit has a battery and extends from a first electrical receptacle defined by the first side to a second electrical receptacle defined by the second side. The tonneau cover has a photovoltaic panel. The tonneau cover also has first and second electrical connectors that engage the first and second receptacles, respectively, to connect the photovoltaic panel to and close the first open circuit.