A multiple part bracket can be constructed to provide an electrical power connection and a mechanical attachment. The multiple part bracket includes an upper portion and a lower portion of the bracket constructed to be assembled together on an arm of a solar tracker in the field. The lower portion is adaptable in shape and dimensions to attach onto solar trackers from two or more different manufacturers in order to mechanically capture a solar panel module on the arm and to retain the solar panel module in place on the arm of the solar tracker. The multiple part bracket can be used with an autonomous ground vehicle with a robotic arm in order to autonomously install the multiple part bracket onto a solar tracker with the robotic arm.

A multiple part bracket can be constructed to provide an electrical power connection and a mechanical attachment. The multiple part bracket includes an upper portion and a lower portion of the bracket constructed to be assembled together on an arm of a solar tracker in the field. The lower portion is adaptable in shape and dimensions to attach onto solar trackers from two or more different manufacturers in order to mechanically capture a solar panel module on the arm and to retain the solar panel module in place on the arm of the solar tracker. The multiple part bracket can be used with an autonomous ground vehicle with a robotic arm in order to autonomously install the multiple part bracket onto a solar tracker with the robotic arm.

Disclosed are systems for directing energy according to holographic projection. Configurations of waveguide arrays are disclosed for improved efficiency and resolution of propagated energy through tessellation of shaped energy waveguides.

Disclosed are systems and methods for manufacturing energy relays for energy directing systems inducing Ordered Energy Localization effects. Ordered Energy Localization relay material distribution criteria are disclosed. Transverse planar as well as multi-dimensional ordered material configurations are discussed. Methods and systems are disclosed for forming non-random patterns of energy relay materials with energy localization properties.

An autonomous solar module installation platform can be used for solar module installation onto a solar tracker. The autonomous solar module installation platform can include an autonomous ground vehicle and a robotic arm for the solar module installation onto the solar tracker. The autonomous ground vehicle can autonomously drive itself to the solar tracker using a global positioning system and align itself with the solar tracker using at least a vision system in order to place one or more solar modules onto the solar tracker.

A fluidic solar actuation system comprising a plurality of fluidic solar actuators that each include a first fluidic inflatable actuator, and a second fluidic inflatable actuator. The system also includes a fluidic routing system configured to covey a fluid originating from a fluid source to: the respective first fluidic inflatable actuators of the plurality of fluidic solar actuators, the first fluidic inflatable actuators ganged so as to be fluidically connected such that the first fluidic inflatable actuators are configured to be inflated together and separate from the second fluidic inflatable actuators, and the respective second fluidic inflatable actuators of the plurality of fluidic solar actuators, the second fluidic inflatable actuators ganged so as to be fluidically connected such that the second fluidic inflatable actuators are configured to be inflated together and separate from the first fluidic inflatable actuators.

A solar heat collection device for a near-zero energy consumption community, including a heat collection frame, a heat collector, a center of gravity adjusting frame and a self-adaptive angle adjusting assembly, wherein the heat collector is rotatably disposed on the heat collection frame through the self-adaptive angle adjusting assembly; the center of gravity adjusting frame is fixed on one side of the bottom of the heat collector; the self-adaptive angle adjusting assembly includes a fixing cylinder, an angle adjusting cylinder, an inner cylinder and a damping adjusting assembly; the inner cylinder is coaxially fixed inside the angle adjusting cylinder; two ends of the angle adjusting cylinder are respectively coaxially and rotatably connected with the fixing cylinder; and the damping adjusting assembly is arranged between the angle adjusting cylinder and the fixing cylinder.

An A-Frame solar panel array system is configured to produce a high amount of electrical power for a given amount of ground space with a plurality of solar panels on both a forward beam and a plurality of solar panels on a trailing beam in an elevated position above the ground. This elevated positioning enables more solar panels to be configured over a given amount of ground area. The solar panels are spaced along the trailing and forward beams with a vertical offset between the trailing and forward beams to enable sunlight to pass therethrough to enable exposure to sunlight, through the forward beam array of solar panels onto the trailing beam array of solar panels. A solar panel actuator is configured to rotate the solar panels for increasing solar panel exposure throughout the year. The solar panels may only be configured to rotate trailing/forward.

A gas receiver configured to heat a working fluid is disclosed. The receiver comprises an aperture, a light absorber, and a pre-heater interposed between the aperture and light absorber. The pre-heater is transparent to visible light and opaque to infrared. The pre-heater in the preferred embodiment comprises quartz in the form of a plurality of quartz plates or quartz tubes, for example, that are oriented substantially parallel to one another. The quartz plates are separated from one another by a gap to permit air to pass into the receiver cavity, while the quartz tubes are hollow to permit air to pass therethrough. The quartz plates or tubes are configured to transmit visible light from the aperture to the light absorber, and to absorb infrared radiation passing from the light absorber toward the aperture. Since the quartz structures absorb infrared, they serve to capture blackbody radiation emitted from the absorber and use that energy to pre-heat air before it passes into the absorber.

A gas receiver configured to heat a working fluid is disclosed. The receiver comprises an aperture, a light absorber, and a pre-heater interposed between the aperture and light absorber. The pre-heater is transparent to visible light and opaque to infrared. The pre-heater in the preferred embodiment comprises quartz in the form of a plurality of quartz plates or quartz tubes, for example, that are oriented substantially parallel to one another. The quartz plates are separated from one another by a gap to permit air to pass into the receiver cavity, while the quartz tubes are hollow to permit air to pass therethrough. The quartz plates or tubes are configured to transmit visible light from the aperture to the light absorber, and to absorb infrared radiation passing from the light absorber toward the aperture. Since the quartz structures absorb infrared, they serve to capture blackbody radiation emitted from the absorber and use that energy to pre-heat air before it passes into the absorber.