Provided is a consumer to industrial scale renewable energy based quintuple-generation systems and energy storage facility. The present invention has both mobile and stationary embodiments. The present invention includes energy recovery, energy production, energy processing, pyrolysis, byproduct process utilization systems, separation process systems and handling and storage systems, as well as an open architecture for integration and development of additional processes, systems and applications. The system of the present invention primarily uses adaptive metrics, biometrics and thermal imaging sensory analysis (including additional input sensors for analysis) for monitoring and control with the utilization of an integrated artificial intelligence and automation control system, thus providing a balanced, environmentally-friendly ecosystem.

An articulating solar energy and wind power harvesting apparatus optimizes harnessing of solar energy and wind power by rotatably and pivotally articulating a solar thermal collector plate to track the sun, and air foils to follow the changing direction of the wind. The air foils also directionally funnel wind to cool a heat exchange system and the solar thermal collector plate. The solar thermal collector plate captures solar radiation for conversion to electricity. A solar lens directs the solar radiation towards the solar thermal collector plate. Air foils are disposed in a radial, spaced-apart relationship around the solar thermal collector plate, pivoting up to 90 to optimize capture of wind. The solar thermal collector plate and the air foils are controllably articulated up to 360 about a vertical plane, and up to 180 about a horizontal plane to optimize capture of solar radiation and wind.

Inventive concentrated solar power systems using solar receivers, and related devices and methods, are generally described. Low pressure solar receivers are provided that function to convert solar radiation energy to thermal energy of a working fluid, e.g., a working fluid of a power generation or thermal storage system. In some embodiments, low pressure solar receivers are provided herein that are useful in conjunction with gas turbine based power generation systems.

The present disclosure describes a heater of heat storage agent and a Brayton solar thermal power unit with heat storage. The Brayton solar thermal power unit with heat storage may include: a heat storage agent flow adjusting module, a solar energy collecting module, a heater of heat storage agent, a heat exchange module, a thermal power generating module a heat storage agent transporting module. The heat storage agent flow adjusting module may be connected with the heat storage agent transporting module and the heater. The heater may be connected with the solar power collecting module, and the heat exchange module. The heat exchange module may be connected with the thermal power generating module and the heat storage agent transporting module. The present disclosure can significantly increase maximum power capacity of Brayton solar thermal power unit to megawatt level, improve operation efficiency, and avoid discontinuity and instability of solar power generation.

The invention provides a solar/air turbine generator system that reduces construction and power generating costs and does not require the use of fossil fuel. A solar/air turbine generator system comprises: a compressor for drawing in and compressing air; a solar receiver for heating the air compressed by the compressor with the use of solar heat collected by a solar collector; an air turbine for driving the compressor and a generator by receiving the compressed air heated by the solar receiver; a regenerative heat exchanger, located between the compressor and the solar receiver, for heating the air compressed by the compressor using the exhaust of the air turbine as a heating medium; and a distribution device, located between the compressor and the regenerative heat exchanger, for distributing the compressed air to the side of the regenerative heat exchanger and to a bypass side, the bypass side being the inlet side of the air turbine. The solar/air turbine generator system further includes a control device for maintaining the air temperature at the inlet of the air turbine at a constant value by adjusting the flow rate of the air turbine exhaust that flows into the regenerative heat exchanger as a heating medium.

Electrical energy storage and discharge system for storing electrical energy as thermal energy includes a heat pump cycle with first working fluid, a water steam cycle with second working fluid, a first thermal storage system with first thermal fluid, a second thermal storage system with second thermal fluid, an electrical heater member and a power regulating member, fluidly connected to each other. The system includes fluidly connected first cold and hot storage tanks, and the system includes fluidly connected second cold and hot storage tanks. The electrical heater is operably connected to the system between the tanks. The power regulating member is electrically connected to one or more electrical sources to regulate excess electrical energy, partially, to the electrical heater, and partially, to the heat pump cycle.

Aircraft with an emission-free drive and method for emission-free driving of an aircraft. The aircraft includes an aircraft thruster structured and arranged to generate thrust force on the aircraft, an aircraft lift device structured and arranged to generate lift on the aircraft, and a heat engine, which is structured and arranged to convert thermal energy into kinetic energy to drive the aircraft thruster, that includes at least one flat-plate Stirling engine drivable by solar thermal radiation.

Aircraft with an emission-free drive and method for emission-free driving of an aircraft. The aircraft includes a drive device structured and arranged to generate thrust, a lift device structured and arranged to generate lift, and a heat engine structured and arranged to convert thermal energy into kinetic energy to drive the drive device. The heat engine includes at least one flat-plate Stirling engine drivable by solar thermal radiation.

The invention belongs to the technical field of solar thermal power generation equipment, and discloses a combined solar thermal power generation system. The system comprises a parabolic trough collector subsystem, a heat exchanger subsystem, a Rankine cycle power generation subsystem and a dish power generation subsystem; the parabolic trough collector subsystem comprises a trough-type mirror field, a pump and a valve; the heat exchanger subsystem comprises a superheater, an evaporator and a preheater; the Rankine cycle power generation subsystem comprises a temperature-decreased pressure reducer, a steam turbine, an electric generator, a condenser, a condensate pump, a deaerator and a feedwater pump; and the dish power generation subsystem comprises a dish-type mirror field and a Stirling engine set. The system utilizes the heat released by the cold chamber of the Stirling engine by condensed fluid of the Rankine cycle. It provides an extra heat source for the Rankine cycle, which increases the power of the steam turbine and improves the solar to electric efficiency of the thermal power generation system.

Methods and systems for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from a coal-fired power plant by using electrical energy from a renewable energy source to increase the energy density in a beneficiated coal are provided. The system includes at least one renewable energy source; a coal processing plant, wherein the renewable energy source is configured to power a coal beneficiation process; and a coal-fired power plant to combust beneficiated coal to produce electricity on demand with decreased emissions. The non-carbon thermal energy source may include solar thermal energy, geothermal energy, waste energy and combinations of the foregoing.