Modular photovoltaic (PV) panel, system, and method of mounting. The system including a mounting flashing configured to mounted to a mounting surface and a folding PV panel. The folding PV panel including: a first subpanel including first PV cells, wherein the first subpanel extends along a first lateral plane and comprises a plurality of mounting hooks extending laterally from and affixed to a backside of the first subpanel, the mounting hooks configured to couple to the mounting flashing; a second subpanel including second PV cells, wherein the second subpanel extends along a second lateral plane, wherein the second subpanel comprises a front edge support configured to hold a front edge of the second subpanel away from the mounting surface; and a hinge assembly rotationally coupling the first subpanel and the second subpanel to allow an angle between the first lateral plane and the second lateral plane to change.

A system for mounting a service component to a building structure has a plurality of elongate feet, and a plurality of connectors that each interconnect a respective one of the feet with the service component. Each foot is configured to affix to a surface of the building structure and then to resist disengagement from that surface. The connectors each interconnect a respective one of the feet with the service component, and secure the relative position of the respective foot and the service component. An elongate beam can be connected or connectable to the service component, such that in the installed system the beam is to be positioned to extend obliquely across the feet.

A deployable device includes a supporting structure, a mandrel able to move in rotation with respect to the supporting structure about a first axis Z, a membrane able to pass from a rolled-up configuration rolled up around the mandrel about the first axis Z to a deployed configuration deployed along a second axis X substantially perpendicular to the first axis Z. The device comprises two fittings secured to the mandrel at their centre, arranged one on either side of the membrane and comprising first stubs on their periphery, a casing extending between the two fittings, the casing comprising second stubs of a shape complementing the shape of the first stubs, the casing being able to pass from a rolled-up configuration at least partially enveloping the membrane in the rolled-up configuration to a deployed configuration at least partially superposed on the membrane in the deployed configuration.

A deployable solar photovoltaic power generation system includes an array of photo voltaic panels mounted to expandable truss. In response to environmental input data, the array of photovoltaic panels can be deployed or stowed.

A transportation network for providing propellant in space can include optical mining vehicles that concentrate solar energy to spall captured asteroids, capture released volatiles, and store them in reservoirs as propellants. The network can also have orbital transfer vehicles that use solar thermal rocket modules that focus solar energy on heat exchangers to force propellant through nozzles, as well as separable aeromaneuvering tanker modules with reusable heatshields and storage tanks. The network can have propellant depots positioned between Earth and a transport destination. The depots can mechanically couple to accept propellant delivery and to supply it to visiting space vehicles.

The present disclosure relates to a parabolic trough concentrator to harness the sun's energy. The parabolic trough concentrator 5 comprises a trough concentrator structure 6, two semi-rigid reflecting sheets 50, a receiver 60, a support stand 80 and a telescopic mechanism 90. The parabolic trough concentrator 5 is designed to have a large reflecting surface area when it is in its extended state, and have a very compact footprint when it is disassembled, folded and collapsed to its retracted state.

The present disclosure relates to a parabolic trough concentrator to harness the sun's energy. The parabolic trough concentrator 5 comprises a trough concentrator structure 6, two semi-rigid reflecting sheets 50, a receiver 60, a support stand 80 and a telescopic mechanism 90. The parabolic trough concentrator 5 is designed to have a large reflecting surface area when it is in its extended state, and have a very compact footprint when it is disassembled, folded and collapsed to its retracted state.

The invention relates to a product for heating comprising at least one heating unit (2), which comprises a base material layer with an emission reducing structure on top of said an energy converting structure, combined together to form a selective absorber layer on at least one of the sides of the base material layer, at least one insulation layer (4, 5, 6, 7) of transparent flexible material located on the heating unit (2), which heating unit and the at least one insulation layer on the heating unit (2) of the product (1) are attached to each other air-tightly on the sides such that between at least some of the layers at least one closed air pocket (10, 11) is formed, characterized in that the content to be heated by the product is located below to the base material of the heating unit of the product (1), that temperature of the content of the product (1) will be 90 C.-160 C., as result of the placing the product (1) exposed to radiation of selected wavelengths, and that the energy converting structure in the selective absorber layer has an absorption factor (aS) of a minimum of 0.9 and the emission reducing structure has an emission factor (E) of a maximum of 0.1 and that ratio between the absorption factor (aS) and the emission factor (E) is equal or higher than 9 and that when the selective absorber is exposed to wavelengths ranging from 350 nm to 4000 nm, the energy converting structure converts the wavelengths to thermal energy ranging from 4000 nm to 40.000 nm and the emission of thermal energy is reduced by the emission reducing structure and the contained energy is being used for heating the content of the product (1).

The invention relates to a product for heating comprising at least one heating unit (2), which comprises a base material layer with an emission reducing structure on top of said an energy converting structure, combined together to form a selective absorber layer on at least one of the sides of the base material layer, at least one insulation layer (4, 5, 6, 7) of transparent flexible material located on the heating unit (2), which heating unit and the at least one insulation layer on the heating unit (2) of the product (1) are attached to each other air-tightly on the sides such that between at least some of the layers at least one closed air pocket (10, 11) is formed, characterized in that the content to be heated by the product is located below to the base material of the heating unit of the product (1), that temperature of the content of the product (1) will be 90 C.-160 C., as result of the placing the product (1) exposed to radiation of selected wavelengths, and that the energy converting structure in the selective absorber layer has an absorption factor (aS) of a minimum of 0.9 and the emission reducing structure has an emission factor (E) of a maximum of 0.1 and that ratio between the absorption factor (aS) and the emission factor (E) is equal or higher than 9 and that when the selective absorber is exposed to wavelengths ranging from 350 nm to 4000 nm, the energy converting structure converts the wavelengths to thermal energy ranging from 4000 nm to 40.000 nm and the emission of thermal energy is reduced by the emission reducing structure and the contained energy is being used for heating the content of the product (1).

The present invention typically features integrative configurability for transportation/storage, and disintegrative configurability for operation. Two half-cases are coupled to obtain a case. A case is uncoupled to obtain two half-cases. Each half-case houses a solar panel (pivotably connected to the half-case) and a U-bar (pivotably connected to the solar panel). The solar panel is pivoted away from the half-case's interior to the angle-of-inclination desired for collecting solar energy. The U-bar is pivoted away from the solar panel's back to securely fit into one of plural parallel slots provided across the half-case's interior, the U-bar thereby holding the solar panel in place at the desired angle-of-inclination. The half-cases are laid flat individually to collect solar energy. A half-case is compacted by pivoting the U-bar proximate the solar panel's back and pivoting the solar panel proximate the half-case's interior. Two complementary half-cases, each compacted, are (re)attached to form a portable case.