Disclosed are methods and functional elements for enhanced thermal management of predominantly enclosed spaces. In particular, the invention enables the construction of buildings with reduced power requirements for heating and/or air-conditioning systems since under certain conditions less energy for heating or cooling is required to maintain, within certain boundaries, desirable temperatures inside such buildings, habitats, or other enclosed spaces.

In some instances the invention is in part based on dynamically changing functional elements with variable properties, or effective properties, in terms of their electromagnetic radiative behavior and/or their thermal energy storage properties, or the spatial distribution of the stored thermal energy, which permits the application of methods and algorithms to control the overall thermal behavior of the entire structure in such a way that desired levels of inside temperature can be reached with reduced consumption of external energy (typically electricity, gas, oil, or coal).

In some instances no conventional heating of cooling is required at all, whereas in other instances the expenditure of external energy for conventional heating or cooling is reduced. In some instances the invention enables the reduction of the time to reach desired temperatures inside such buildings, habitats, or other predominantly enclosed spaces.

A solar panel mounting system for forming a solar array includes longitudinal support rails mounted to a support structure such as a roof. A first solar panel disposed on the rails has a peripheral frame including a locking frame member with deformable clamping portion configured for slideably receiving a peripheral frame portion of an adjacent second solar panel. A pair of captive T-bolt sets passing through the clamping portion include T-bolts having locking heads and nuts frictionally engaged with the T-bolts to rotate the T-bolts. The heads are each inserted and rotationally locked into fastening channels of respective support rails. The second solar panel is inserted into the first panel clamping portion and the nuts are fully tightened producing a clamping action which locks the first and second panels together. Power/control cables may be routed inside covered cable compartments on rears of the panels for protection against rodent damage.

A modular photovoltaic (PV) system can include a PV cell, a frame coupled to the PV cell, and a converter. The frame is configured to support a plurality of pairs of externally accessible connectors, each pair having a positive voltage connector and a negative voltage connector, the positive voltage connector of each pair of the plurality electrically connected to each other and the negative voltage connector of each pair of the plurality electrically connected to each other. The converter is configured to receive voltage from the PV cell and change the voltage for output at one or more pairs of the externally accessible connectors. The converter may include Maximum Power Point Tracking services to manage the power output from the PV cell. Multiple PV systems may be connected to each other in coplanar and non-coplanar relationships. In some embodiments, the frames have triangular, rectangular, or other polygonal shapes.

A method of modulating the impact of electromagnetic irradiance on the thermal energy budget of a predominantly enclosed space includes providing at least an inner shell of the predominantly enclosed space, and placing a plurality of functional elements in an exterior position relative to an outside facing side of the inner shell. The outside facing surfaces of the functional elements have higher reflectivity in the visible (VIS) and near infrared (NIR) wavelength range relative to the (MIR) wavelength range. The inside facing surfaces of the functional elements have higher reflectivity in the NIR and mid-infrared (MIR) wavelength range relative to the (VIS) wavelength range. A thickness of the functional elements is equal to or smaller than a thickness of the inner shell.

A method of modulating the impact of electromagnetic irradiance on the thermal energy budget of a predominantly enclosed space, in some instances buildings, includes providing at least an inner shell and placing a plurality of functional elements in an exterior position relative to an outside facing side thereof. The outside facing surfaces of the functional elements have higher reflectivity in the visible (VIS) and near infrared (NIR) wavelength range relative to the mid-infrared (MIR) wavelength range. The inside facing surfaces of the functional elements have higher reflectivity in the NIR and MIR wavelength range relative to the VIS wavelength range. The functional elements are least in one degree of freedom spatially adjustable. A thermal carrier medium may be present to increase thermal capacity and to permit transfer of thermal energy. A control system adjusts the spatial position of some of said functional elements and/or the distribution of the thermal carrier medium such that the thermal energy budget of the predominately enclosed space is influenced according to at least one desired target value.

Disclosed are methods and functional elements for enhanced thermal management of predominantly enclosed spaces. In particular, the invention enables the construction of buildings with reduced power requirements for heating and/or air-conditioning systems since under certain conditions less energy for heating or cooling is required to maintain, within certain boundaries, desirable temperatures inside such buildings, habitats, or other enclosed spaces.

In some instances the invention is in part based on dynamically changing functional elements with variable properties, or effective properties, in terms of their electromagnetic radiative behavior and/or their thermal energy storage properties, or the spatial distribution of the stored thermal energy, which permits the application of methods and algorithms to control the overall thermal behavior of the entire structure in such a way that desired levels of inside temperature can be reached with reduced consumption of external energy (typically electricity, gas, oil, or coal).

In some instances no conventional heating of cooling is required at all, whereas in other instances the expenditure of external energy for conventional heating or cooling is reduced. In some instances the invention enables the reduction of the time to reach desired temperatures inside such buildings, habitats, or other predominantly enclosed spaces.

In some instances the obtained sensor data may be used to detect the occurrence or imminently predicted occurrence of a catastrophic event, including but not limited to fire or flooding, internal or external to the predominantly enclosed space.

In some embodiments this information may support any single or any combination of locally or remotely alerting humans, alerting rescue units, activating countermeasures, uploading at least partially said sensor data to off-site computers, determining the cause(s) of said catastrophic event, determining liability, determining insure payments, determining insurance premiums.

A modular photovoltaic (PV) system can include a PV cell, a frame coupled to the PV cell, and a converter. The frame is configured to support a plurality of pairs of externally accessible connectors, each pair having a positive voltage connector and a negative voltage connector, the positive voltage connector of each pair of the plurality electrically connected to each other and the negative voltage connector of each pair of the plurality electrically connected to each other. The converter is configured to receive voltage from the PV cell and change the voltage for output at one or more pairs of the externally accessible connectors. The converter may include Maximum Power Point Tracking services to manage the power output from the PV cell. Multiple PV systems may be connected to each other in coplanar and non-coplanar relationships. In some embodiments, the frames have triangular, rectangular, or other polygonal shapes.

A roof integrated photovoltaic system includes a plurality of photovoltaic panels each having a right end, a left end, a front edge, and a back edge. A right end coupler is secured to the right ends of at least some of the photovoltaic panels and a left end coupler is secured to the left ends of at least some of the photovoltaic panels. The right end couplers and the left end couplers are configured to interlock and form a seal when two of the plurality of panels are moved into end-to-end engagement with each other. At least one front edge coupler is affixed to at least some of the plurality of photovoltaic panels at the front edges thereof and at least one back edge coupler is affixed to at least some of the plurality of photovoltaic panels at the back edges thereof. The front edge couplers and the back edge couplers configured to interlock when two of the plurality of panels are moved into edge-to-edge engagement and a seal is positioned to prevent water from penetrating at the junction of a front edge of one panel and the back edge of an adjoined panel. Panels are installed on a roof in end-to-end and front edge to back edge relationship to form a photovoltaic array and are electrically interconnected to produce electricity when exposed to sunlight. Flashing and gap filling faux panels are provided as part of the system. In an alternate embodiment, a frame formed from individual rails surrounds and holds a frameless solar laminate and the frame also forms the coupling features.

A modular photovoltaic (PV) system can include a PV cell, a frame coupled to the PV cell, and a converter. The frame is configured to support a plurality of pairs of externally accessible connectors, each pair having a positive voltage connector and a negative voltage connector, the positive voltage connector of each pair of the plurality electrically connected to each other and the negative voltage connector of each pair of the plurality electrically connected to each other. The converter is configured to receive voltage from the PV cell and change the voltage for output at one or more pairs of the externally accessible connectors. The converter may include Maximum Power Point Tracking services to manage the power output from the PV cell. Multiple PV systems may be connected to each other in coplanar and non-coplanar relationships. In some embodiments, the frames have triangular, rectangular, or other polygonal shapes.

The invention relates to a rear face element for a solar module, said element being made of a material sheet that is shaped, in particular embossed and/or stamped. Some sections of the material sheet are arranged on a first plane, and some sections are arranged on at least one second plane parallel to the first plane. The material sheet forms spacer elements in a transition region between the first and the second plane in order to space the first plane from the second plane, and at least one first material sheet section extends from a first lateral edge to an opposing second lateral edge of the material sheet continuously, in particular in a linear manner. The invention also relates to a solar module and to a method for producing a solar module.