A system includes a plurality of photovoltaic modules installed on a roof deck in an array. Each of the photovoltaic modules includes a wire cover bracket substantially aligned with the wire cover bracket of an adjacent another one of the photovoltaic modules. At least one cover is removably attached to at least one of the wire cover brackets. The cover includes a top portion, a first side portion extending from a first side of the top portion, and a second side portion extending from a second side of the top portion opposite the first side. The top portion of the at least one cover is configured to divert water from entering the wire cover bracket from above the at least one cover. The first and second side portions are configured to divert water from entering the wire cover bracket from a lateral direction relative to the wire cover bracket.

A solar panel (302) for heating a target fluid using incident solar radiation is described, the solar panel (302) includes: three major edges (306) arranged so that the solar panel (302) can be inscribed in a triangle with each major edge (308) of the panel (302) lying along at least a portion of a side of the triangle; a cavity for retaining the target fluid; and an inlet and an outlet for the target fluid, for exchanging the target fluid with adjacent solar panels (302).

A solar paving module (200) is described. The module (200) comprises: a frame (234); a power generating element (216) comprising at least one photovoltaic element (216) supported in the frame (234); a light transmitting surface screen (218) covering the electrical power generating element (216) and having a planar upper surface; and an electrical connector connected electrically to the power generating element (216). The solar paving module (200) comprises a heat sink (260) in thermal connectivity with the power generating element (216), the heat sink comprising a heat sink plate (262) and one or more ground plates (280) connected to the heat sink plate (262) and forming a heat sink anchor.

A method for constructing a solar heat collector comprises applying a bit array to a sheet of reflective material to create a sheet of solar reflectors, each bit in the bit array creating a solar reflector having a known focal point; and mating the sheet of solar reflectors to a heat absorbing layer such that at least a portion of the heat absorbing layer passes through a focal point of at least some of the solar reflectors.

The present invention provides strategies for mitigating the deleterious effects of differential thermal expansion in composite panel structures. The principles of the present invention are particularly useful in the field of concentrating solar power. The principles of the present invention can be used in CSP applications to make composite mirror panel structures with improved characteristics for accommodating differential thermal expansion between components of the composite. Significantly, the composite mirrors structures can still be securely attached to other heliostat components such as a drive mechanism while still having the ability to accommodate differential thermal expansion between the skins of a composite mirror panel helps to limit energy losses due to slope errors.

A module bracket includes first and second mounting clips (202, 204) that are spaced from each other along the pitch of a roofing surface. An inlet (212) to the first mounting clip (202) faces or projects in the general direction that the second mounting clip (204) is spaced from the first mounting clip (202). An inlet (212) to the second mounting clip (204) faces or projects in the general direction that the first mounting clip (202) is spaced from the second mounting clip (204). A second module flange (134) of a first photovoltaic module (120) is slid into the first mounting clip (202) of the module bracket. A first module flange (128) of a second photovoltaic module (120) is slid into the second mounting clip (204) of this same module bracket.

A simple and portable solar heat collector has a sheet of solar reflectors, each of the solar reflectors having a focal point, and tubing for routing heat absorbing fluid through the focal point of at least some of the solar reflectors. The tubing has an input tube for receiving heat absorbing fluid and an output tube for outputting heated heat absorbing fluid. The sheet of solar reflectors may have a sun-facing side and a non-sun-facing side. A first part of the tubing is adjacent to the non-sun-facing side of the sheet of solar reflectors, and a second part of the tubing extends from the first part of the tubing through holes in the sheet of solar reflectors to the focal point of at least some of the solar reflectors.

A solar module arrangement (600, 700) is provided which comprises two solar module elements (105, 203, 213, 300, 401, 502, 604, 702, 812) each comprising a frame structure formed by a plurality of side elements and each comprising a main surface, wherein the two solar module (105, 203, 213, 300, 401, 502, 604, 702, 812) elements are assembled adjacent to each other; wherein the main surfaces of the two solar module elements are arranged parallel to each other; and wherein the solar module arrangement is arranged so that the main surface of the solar module elements (105, 203, 213, 300, 401, 502, 604, 702, 812) has a line of the greatest slope which forms a slanted shifting angle with respect to the side element of the frame structure which intersects with the line of the greatest slope.

A fixed target solar thermal tower design is provided that utilizes a low number of collector modules (32, 172, 191), e.g. 5 to 30, mounted on solar-tracking mechanisms. The collector modules may be rotatable so as to reflect incident sunlight onto a target receiver (1200, 192) mounted on a tower (31, 171), and substantially all of the collector modules for a given tower may be located in a rectangular area that extends polewards from the tower by a distance of approximately three times the height h of the target receiver and that is approximately h wide. Each collector module may have a plurality of reflectors (42, 43, 194, 201, 202, 203) that are angled so as to reflect incident light generally towards a common point on the target receiver. Multiple such solar thermal tower plants may be collocated and ganged together to provide higher overall power output.

Disclosed herein is a solar thermal collector system that is particularly configured for dual use as a radiant cooling system. In accordance with aspects of a particular embodiment of the invention, the solar thermal collector system includes a solar thermal module having a glazing sheet at a top, exterior surface, and an absorber sheet within the module positioned below and spaced apart from the glazing sheet. The absorber sheet and the glazing sheet are fluidly connected to a fluid handling system, and are configured to carry a working fluid that may be heated in the absorber sheet by the sun to transfer such heat to equipment within the facility in which the system is installed, and to carry the working fluid through the glazing sheet to transfer heat collected from the facility to space. The solar thermal collector module is preferably provided a thermally actuated valve that allows the working fluid to also flow through the glazing sheet, which results in self-regulation of the temperature of the module below a critical design temperature.