The disclosed technology includes an on-demand water heater which uses an electric heat source to heat the water. The on-demand water heater can have a low fluid capacity heating chamber which has an inlet and an outlet, an electric heat source for heating the water, and a controller to control the electric heat source and maintain the temperature of the water at a predetermined temperature setting. The on-demand water heater can be powered by a direct current power source. The on-demand water heater can also utilize a solar thermal system to provide additional heat to the water.

The disclosed technology includes an on-demand water heater which uses an electric heat source to heat the water. The on-demand water heater can have a low fluid capacity heating chamber which has an inlet and an outlet, an electric heat source for heating the water, and a controller to control the electric heat source and maintain the temperature of the water at a predetermined temperature setting. The on-demand water heater can be powered by a direct current power source. The on-demand water heater can also utilize a solar thermal system to provide additional heat to the water.

Method of operating a thermal energy system coupled to a building energy system which selectively provides heating and/or cooling to a building, the method comprising the steps of; (a) providing a thermal energy system comprising a heat pump system having an output side and an input side, a heat energy working fluid loop extending into the building, the output side being coupled to a building by the heat energy working fluid loop to provide heating to the building from the thermal energy system, a cooling demand working fluid loop extending into the building, a first geothermal system in which a working fluid is circulated and a second geothermal system in which a working fluid is circulated; (b) selectively thermally connecting the first geothermal system to the input side of the heat pump system, or to the heat energy working fluid loop to provide heating to the building; and (c) selectively thermally connecting the second geothermal system to the input side of the heat pump system, or to the cooling demand working fluid loop to provide cooling to the building.

A system for providing electrical power includes a high temperature heat source, an ambient temperature heat sink, an ORC generator, a solar thermal collector, and an SDES device. The ORC generator includes a generator working fluid with a boiling temperature greater than an ambient temperature of the ambient temperature heat sink, and the generator working fluid receives heat from the high temperature heat source and exhausts heat to the ambient temperature heat sink. The solar thermal collector is in thermal communication with the high temperature heat source to heat the high temperature heat source. The solar thermal collector includes a photovoltaic (PV) module, and the solar thermal collector is configured to convert a first portion of sunlight to thermal energy and a second portion of the sunlight to electrical energy. The SDES device receives electrical energy from one of the ORC generator and the PV module.

A solar power system, a solar power method and a solar thermal hydraulic motor is provided that is simple and cost-effective, that is able to function at low temperatures and low temperature differentials. The solar power system comprises: a plurality of pressure vessels configured to receive working fluid; a solar collector, configured to heat the working fluid in at least one of the pressure vessels to thereby cause the working fluid to expand in the pressure vessel without changing phase; and a mechanical work element, configured to perform work from expansion of the working fluid in the pressure vessels. At least some of the plurality of pressure vessels are selectively couplable to each other to enable transfer residual energy from one pressure vessel after it has been used to perform work to another pressure vessel to assist in performing work.

A mounting device including a base having an open bottom, a longitudinal axis, and a linear guide on the base. The linear guide guides support hardware in linear movement along the longitudinal axis. An internal cavity is under the base for containing a sealant against and in cooperation with a roof when the mounting device is secured to the roof. An opening is though the base is for receiving a fastener when the mounting device is secured to the roof. The opening is in communication with the internal cavity. The linear guide extends beyond the internal cavity.

A mounting device including a base having an open bottom, a longitudinal axis, and a linear guide on the base. The linear guide guides support hardware in linear movement along the longitudinal axis. An internal cavity is under the base for containing a sealant against and in cooperation with a roof when the mounting device is secured to the roof. An opening is though the base is for receiving a fastener when the mounting device is secured to the roof. The opening is in communication with the internal cavity. The linear guide extends beyond the internal cavity.

Disclosed are methods and functional elements for enhanced thermal management of predominantly enclosed spaces. In particular, the invention enables the construction of buildings with reduced power requirements for heating and/or air-conditioning systems since under certain conditions less energy for heating or cooling is required to maintain, within certain boundaries, desirable temperatures inside such buildings, habitats, or other enclosed spaces.

In some instances the invention is in part based on dynamically changing functional elements with variable properties, or effective properties, in terms of their electromagnetic radiative behavior and/or their thermal energy storage properties, or the spatial distribution of the stored thermal energy, which permits the application of methods and algorithms to control the overall thermal behavior of the entire structure in such a way that desired levels of inside temperature can be reached with reduced consumption of external energy (typically electricity, gas, oil, or coal).

In some instances no conventional heating of cooling is required at all, whereas in other instances the expenditure of external energy for conventional heating or cooling is reduced. In some instances the invention enables the reduction of the time to reach desired temperatures inside such buildings, habitats, or other predominantly enclosed spaces.

Disclosed are methods and functional elements for enhanced thermal management of predominantly enclosed spaces. In particular, the invention enables the construction of buildings with reduced power requirements for heating and/or air-conditioning systems since under certain conditions less energy for heating or cooling is required to maintain, within certain boundaries, desirable temperatures inside such buildings, habitats, or other enclosed spaces.

In some instances the invention is in part based on dynamically changing functional elements with variable properties, or effective properties, in terms of their electromagnetic radiative behavior and/or their thermal energy storage properties, or the spatial distribution of the stored thermal energy, which permits the application of methods and algorithms to control the overall thermal behavior of the entire structure in such a way that desired levels of inside temperature can be reached with reduced consumption of external energy (typically electricity, gas, oil, or coal).

In some instances no conventional heating of cooling is required at all, whereas in other instances the expenditure of external energy for conventional heating or cooling is reduced. In some instances the invention enables the reduction of the time to reach desired temperatures inside such buildings, habitats, or other predominantly enclosed spaces.

A solar aided coal-fired power generation system participating in primary frequency regulation and a control method thereof propose a system configuration with two regulation schemes by coupling medium-low-temperature solar collectors and a coal-fired generation unit. The two regulation schemes are a high-pressure feedwater bypass scheme and a low-pressure condensate bypass scheme. The present invention formulates a primary frequency regulation control logic, so as to efficiently and accurately participate in the primary frequency regulation, thereby keeping the power grid frequency rapidly stable. The present invention also formulates a working fluid outlet temperature control logic for the solar aided coal-fired thermal system, which adjusts a heat exchange working fluid flow of the solar collectors to ensure that the temperature in each section is stable during the primary frequency regulation. The present invention uses operation matching of the turbine system and the solar collectors to improve effectiveness of the primary frequency regulation. With rational utilization of different temperature zones of different heat collectors, irreversibility is reduced, and economic efficiency of various thermal system adjustment schemes is further improved. As a result, operation flexibility of the transient process of a supplementary power generation unit can be greatly improved.