A system and mechanism that redirects sunlight towards a target destination. The system has an array of double prismatic discs that are controlled by a control module that includes a light detecting module. The system is modular and will work for any elevation and azimuth of direct sunlight. The system will further provide one or more remote functionalities. The system can be used to provide collimated solar side or top illumination for indoor spaces, directly or in combination with reflectors. The system may be combined with a hybrid solar lighting (HSL) panel to provide indoor illumination through optical fiber cables. The system may be combined with a concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) panel or with a concentrated solar thermal (CST) panel to produce electricity or heat respectively. The system replaces the solar tracker typically used in these applications, which enables the assembly to be integrated in buildings and vehicles without altering their aesthetics.

A light guide apparatus that can redirect light impinging on the apparatus over a wide range of incident angles and can concentrate light without using a tracking system and methods for fabrication.

The invention describes an energy-efficient method for simultaneous generation of carbon fibers and electricity by means of bundled sunlight for the CO2-neutral production of pressure- and tensile-stable building materials, which are able to bind anthropogenic carbon, in case the carbon fibers are produced from vegetable oils. Through the oil generation by photosynthesis, carbon dioxide is being split off and carbon is being bound in the oil, as well as oxygen is being released.

Due to the fact that the production energy has a purely regenerative character, it is ensured that in the short-term not only carbon neutrality can not be introduced, but carbon is permanently withdrawn from the climate system of atmosphere and ocean.

The energy efficiency is based on the principle to heat the carbon fiber to be produced directly up with bundled sunlight, which is made possible by the fact that the original PAN fiber becomes dark during the oxidation and pyrolysis process and finally becomes an almost ideal black body.

The resulting heat is used subsequently or simultaneously to the material production of the fiber for the production of electricity, which corresponds to the classical combined heat and power principle, in order to additionally increase the efficiency in carbon fiber production already increased by this process, by delivery of energy in form of high valuable electricity.

The fibers are used on demand in combination with mineral material as a substitute for CO2intensive construction materials such as steel concrete, steel and aluminum.

After use the carbon fibers are separated from the stone by peeling and stored away without large energy expenditure in underground or above-ground camps without difficulty, whereby the carbon bound in the carbon fiber remains permanently bound.

Thus, the economy is becoming the driving force behind advancing decarbonization with a negative algebraic sign.

The method is for conveying solar power from a sun. A solar concentrator conveys and concentrates solar power as rays into a cable. The solar concentrator has a tapering device disposed at a bottom thereof. The cable has a first curved glass loop section, a second curved glass loop section and a curved section. The curved glass section is connected to a storage unit wherein the light is converted into heat. The first loop section is rotated relative to the second loop section at a first gap and the second section is rotated relative to the curved section at a second gap so that the concentrator can follow the path of the sun during the day.

A system for receiving, transferring, and storing solar thermal energy. The system includes a concentrating solar energy collector, a transfer conduit, a thermal storage material, and an insulated container. The insulated container contains the thermal storage material, and the transfer conduit is configured to transfer solar energy collected by the solar energy collector to the thermal storage material through a wall of the insulated container.

A design for a micro-lens (i.e., a lens on the scale of micrometers) incorporates existing nanofabrication techniques and can be incorporated into High Concentrating Photovoltaic (HCPV), solar thermal collectors, and traditional flat PV systems. Using the theory of wave optics, the design is able to achieve a high numerical aperture, i.e., it can receive light over a wider range of angles. The design also reduces the distance the focal point shifts as the light source shifts; this eliminates the need for a tracking system in CPV and PV applications. Reducing the lens size also facilitates smaller, lightweight CPV systems, which makes CPV attractive for additional applications. Finally, these concentrators reduce the exchanging area of a typical flat solar thermal system where heat is received, which improves the overall system's efficiency and allows its use also during rigid winter time.

The invention provides an improved method and apparatus, in general, for a use of a sheaf of unclad waveguide beam-makers to provide for a multi-stage forcedly-conveying waveguide effect of waveguide fibers in combination with the self-focusing waveguide effect of parabolic antennas, on the one hand, to absorb the ambient radiation, and in particular, for sunlight rays energy absorption to detect and transform the energy into either warmth, or electrical power, or mechanical thrust, and, on the other hand, to transmit the wave-energy through a homogeneous poorly-permeable medium.

An electromagnetic radiation collecting and directing apparatus is described herein. The electromagnetic radiation collecting and directing apparatus facilitates directing light from an exterior of a structure to an interior of a structure. The directed light is then distributed as necessary within the structure for heating, illumination, or is stored for use at a later time.

A light guide apparatus that can redirect light impinging on the apparatus over a wide range of incident angles and can concentrate light without using a tracking system and methods for fabrication.

Photovoltaic systems and methods for optimizing the harvesting of solar energy are disclosed. A photovoltaic (PV) system includes: a solar panel module. The solar panel module comprises: a plurality of solar cell arrays, wherein each array comprises a grouping of solar cells; and a tubular panel. The plurality of solar cell arrays are arranged along an inside surface of the panel. At least an upper portion of the panel slopes inward such that the panel has a substantially funnel-shaped geometry. The solar cell arrays are arranged in a C-ring pattern. A first solar cell array is separated from a second solar cell array by a predetermined distance. The area between the solar cell arrays is coated with a reflective material to facilitate optimal reflection of incident sunlight back to the solar cells. Recycling of incident light is facilitated within the tube. The light can be intermittently or continuously recycled.