An autonomous ground vehicle for agricultural plant and soil management operations. According to some embodiments, autonomous ground vehicle includes: one or more camera units configured to generate images, an energy storage unit, a solar panel unit, a solar panel control mechanism, a first mechanical arm having a first end effector, an electronic memory storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions; one or more processors in electronic communication with the electronic memory storage medium, configured to execute the computer-executable instructions stored in an electronic memory storage medium for implementing a method of for agricultural plant and soil management operations.

An autonomous ground vehicle for agricultural plant and soil management operations. According to some embodiments, autonomous ground vehicle includes: one or more camera units configured to generate images, an energy storage unit, a solar panel unit, a solar panel control mechanism, a first mechanical arm having a first end effector, an electronic memory storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions; one or more processors in electronic communication with the electronic memory storage medium, configured to execute the computer-executable instructions stored in an electronic memory storage medium for implementing a method of for agricultural plant and soil management operations.

A photovoltaic chip is designed to receive light energy from a light box arranged above it. The light can be sunlight guided by optical-fibers. For ease of replacement the photovoltaic chips can be supported in a carrier which is movably housed in a block. The blocks are housed on racks and are movable for ease of repair and replacement.

A pressure-driven solar photovoltaic panel automatic tracking device includes a photovoltaic panel, a rotating shaft, a rotating wheel, a transmission component, a first counterweight, a second counterweight, a bellow tube, and a gas supply mechanism; the photovoltaic panel is fixed to the rotating shaft, the rotating wheel is fixed to the rotating shaft, the rotating wheel is provided with the transmission component, and both ends of the transmission component are respectively connected to the first counterweight and the second counterweight; the first counterweight is connected to the bellow tube, and the bellow tube is connected to the gas supply mechanism; and the bellow tube is expanded and contracted by controlling the gas supply mechanism, so that the first counterweight moves in the vertical direction, thereby driving the rotating wheel to rotate, so as to realize the automatic tracking of the sunlight by the photovoltaic panel.

Disclosed are systems and methods for manufacturing energy relays for energy directing systems. Methods and devices are disclosed for forming random and non-random patterns of energy relay materials with energy localization properties. Methods and devices are disclosed for forming energy relays of different shapes.

A machine for rotary driving screw anchors into underlying ground and related. The machine has a mast with a rotary driver and a mandrel driver oriented on a common axis. The mandrel driver passes a mandrel through the rotary driver and the screw anchor to allow the mandrel to be actuated ahead of the screw anchor while the rotary driver drives the screw anchor into the ground. Alternatively, the mandrel driver may also drive a hammering drill through the screw anchor to clear a path ahead of it through subsurface rocks.

The present disclosure is directed to multi-stage falling particle receivers and methods of falling particle heating. As the particles fall through the receiver, the particles are periodically collected and released by flow retarding devices. The periodic catch-and-release of the particles falling through the receiver reduces particle flow dispersion, increases particle opacity and solar absorption, and reduces erosion and damage to surfaces caused by direct particle impingement.

The present disclosure is directed to multi-stage falling particle receivers and methods of falling particle heating. As the particles fall through the receiver, the particles are periodically collected and released by flow retarding devices. The periodic catch-and-release of the particles falling through the receiver reduces particle flow dispersion, increases particle opacity and solar absorption, and reduces erosion and damage to surfaces caused by direct particle impingement.

Systems and methods that provide trackers and tracking assemblies having node managers, such as smart node managers are described herein. Aspects of the disclosure are directed to an autonomous energy distribution network including a plurality of solar tracker devices configured to receive solar energy and transform the solar energy into electrical energy, where each of the solar tracker devices is directly connected to a node in a power distribution grid. The network also includes a node manager configured to receive status information from the solar trackers, where the status information includes information regarding the state of the node to which each of the solar tracker device are directly connected.

A mounting assembly for a photovoltaic (PV) module, and systems including such mounting assemblies, are described. In an example, the mounting assembly includes a top support and a bottom support having respective mounting walls, and holes through the mounting walls. A pin assembly may extend through the holes in the mounting walls to constrain the supports, for example, relative to a torque member of a solar-tracking PV system. The pin assembly may include end collars to engage and distribute loading from the torque member.