A growth chamber for improving growing conditions of a growing plant which include a growing grape vine, grape vine replant or other agricultural crop plant. The growth chamber includes a solar concentrator for collecting and concentrating solar energy, a light transmitter in optical communication with the solar concentrator, for directing the collected solar energy toward the growing plant, an inner wall comprising a perimeter positioned between the solar concentrator and the growing grape vine or grape vine replant, the inner wall further comprising a reflective inner surface for directing collected solar energy toward the growing plant, and a protective inner surface configured for placement around the growing plant, the protective inner surface defining a protected zone surrounding the growing plant, the protective inner surface extending downward from the light transmitter and comprising a rigid outer wall for protecting the protected zone from one or more growth limiting factors selected from the group consisting of: wind damage; heat damage; cold damage; frost damage; herbicide damage; and animal damage; and/or for reducing evapo-transpiration by growing plant positioned in the protected zone.

A system for heating a work fluid and for air circulation comprises a plurality of collectors fitted top-to-top in one or more columns, such that air ducts of the modules constitute a single duct along a column, wherein the solar collector comprises: one solar radiation planar absorber with one anterior face exposed to solar radiation and another posterior face affixed to the work fluid piping; one duct for exchanging heat with the planar absorber via the air duct which has its air inlet and outlet on opposite tops of the solar collector. The system can additionally comprise a descendent air duct to collect air from the upper part of the building and to supply air to the lower side of one or more columns of the facade.

A photovoltaic thermal collector is provided with: glasses disposed on both a sunlight receiving surface side and an opposite surface side thereto; a hot-water producing portion and a power generating portion. An olefinic rubber sealing member (A) is disposed on at least one surface side of a power generating element of the power generating portion, and an olefinic rubber sheet (B) including carbon black is disposed on an opposite surface side thereto. In addition, a resin pipe as a channel of the hot-water producing portion is made of cross-linked polyethylene or polybutene; the resin pipe is sandwiched in the olefinic rubber sheet (B); and the olefinic rubber sheet (B) is further disposed in a side portion of the resin pipe and in a gap between one resin pipe and another resin pipe.

A solar energy system for use with tufted geosynthetics on sloping ground without the use of a traditional racking system. A frame attaches to the tufted geosynthetic cover to provide a flap and a solar panel secures to the flap directly or through a polymeric layer that attaches to the frame positioned between the flap and the tufted geosynthetic land cover with the solar panel adhesively attached to the polymeric layer. The solar panel being attached to the tufted geosynthetic land cover generates energy upon exposure to light. A method of securing a solar panel to a tufted geosynthetic land cover system for generation of energy is disclosed.

Methods and systems stowing one or more photovoltaic (PV) modules based on a weather event forecasts are provided. In one embodiment, a method may include receiving a weather event forecast, such as a snow event forecast, for a location of a tracking system that includes a plurality of PV modules, determining that the weather event forecast for the location of the tracking system exceeds a threshold level of severity, and automatically positioning the plurality of PV modules at the location of the tracking system into a stow configuration. In some embodiments, the method may further require receiving confirmation of the weather event from a sensor at the location of the tracking system before positioning the PV modules in the stow configuration.

Methods and systems stowing one or more photovoltaic (PV) modules based on a weather event forecasts are provided. In one embodiment, a method may include receiving a weather event forecast, such as a snow event forecast, for a location of a tracking system that includes a plurality of PV modules, determining that the weather event forecast for the location of the tracking system exceeds a threshold level of severity, and automatically positioning the plurality of PV modules at the location of the tracking system into a stow configuration. In some embodiments, the method may further require receiving confirmation of the weather event from a sensor at the location of the tracking system before positioning the PV modules in the stow configuration.

A portable solar powered pool heater comprising a housing, a hose, a controller, a solar panel and at least one leg having a first position for supporting the housing above a surface, and a second position disposed inside of the housing. This heater can include a hinge, wherein the leg comprises a leg that is coupled to the housing via the hinge. In one embodiment the leg comprises a telescoping leg having a first leg, and a second leg wherein said second leg is telescoping inside of the first leg.

A self-contained energy supply facility can supply an automotive hydrogen fuel that has been produced by utilizing solar energy, and can also supply electrical energy for an electric vehicle that has been produced by utilizing solar energy. The self-contained energy supply facility is characterized in that a concentrator panel for solar energy that includes a solar tracker is installed on a roof or the like within the energy supply facility, the concentrator panel separately concentrates infrared light whereby the solar energy can be easily converted into heat, and visible light whereby the solar energy can be easily converted into electricity, the infrared light is removed in the form of heat, introduced into a medium-temperature steam electrolyzer to produce hydrogen, the hydrogen is supplied to a hydrogen-fueled vehicle that uses hydrogen as a fuel through an automotive hydrogen fuel supply unit, and the visible light is converted into electricity using a concentrator cell of the concentrator panel, and supplied to an electric vehicle.

A solar-assisted heat storage device, including at least one molecular sieve heat storage bed and a heat storage water tank. The molecular sieve heat storage bed includes a cylindrical housing and a plurality of heat storage pipes disposed in the housing. The heat storage pipe includes metal pipes having meshes and an adsorbent layer adhered to the surface of the metal pipes. The adsorbent layer includes a molecular sieve adsorbent material adapted to match with water to form a working pair for heat exchange. Two ends of the housing are both configured with sealing valves and respectively connected to an air inlet and an air outlet of an air preheater. One end of the housing is configured with a water inlet connecting to a water outlet of the heat storage water tank, and the other end of the housing is configured with a water outlet.

Broadband reflectors include a UV-reflective multilayer optical film and a VIS/IR-reflective layer. In various embodiments, the VIS/IR reflective layer may be a reflective metal layer or a multilayer optical film. Concentrated solar power systems and methods of harnessing solar energy using the broadband reflectors and optionally comprising a celestial tracking mechanism are also disclosed.