Disclosed are a floating photovoltaic panel installation structure and a buoyancy body for the installation of the floating photovoltaic panel, which may have excellent strength and buoyancy performance even while having light-weight characteristics, and stably support a photovoltaic panel on the water even during the flowing of a water surface due to waves. In the floating photovoltaic panel installation structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as the floating photovoltaic panel installation structure including at least one unit floating type structure for supporting a photovoltaic panel on the water, the unit floating type structure includes a plurality of buoyancy bodies arranged to be spaced apart from each other, a photovoltaic panel support structure supported on the plurality of buoyancy bodies, a triangular bracket coupled with a plurality of photovoltaic panel support structures, a ball joint hinge apparatus for connecting the plurality of photovoltaic panel support structures, and at least one photovoltaic panel supported by the photovoltaic panel support structure. At least one buoyancy body among the plurality of buoyancy bodies is made of a material in which Polyethylene and Waste Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics have been blended. For maintaining stable position and posture, the buoyancy body may include a cylindrical body having both side surfaces protruded convexly, and both side surfaces of the cylindrical body may be designed to have a shape in which a curvature radius of an upper area is smaller than a curvature radius of a lower area including a portion positioned below the water surface. In order to stably support the photovoltaic panel against the movement of waves, adjacent unit floating type structures may be connected in a joint structure by the ball joint hinge apparatus of a plastic material connected to the end portion of square tubes of the photovoltaic panel support structure.

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.

The present invention has been devised to solve the problem mentioned above and a purpose thereof is to provide a solar panel support having a buoyant body, which has excellent buoyancy retention, enables easy maintenance, and even during maintenance, can maintain maximum supportability. A solar panel support according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a buoyant body for supporting a solar panel, wherein the buoyant body comprises: a parent buoyant body including a coupling hole formed therethrough; and a child buoyant body detachably and fittedly inserted to the coupling hole.

In accordance with various exemplary embodiments, solar energy shade structures and support systems are disclosed that have electrical components concealed or screened within columns located under the structure. For example, a solar energy structure may comprise: a solar panel support structure, a plurality of solar panels supported by the solar panel support structure, a plurality of vertical supports connected to the solar panel support structure for supporting the solar panel support structure elevated above a surface, and a column, located under the solar panel support structure. The column comprises an electrical component mounted to the column in a screened manner, wherein the electrical component comprises at least one of a string inverter, a combiner, and a battery.

A support apparatus for a photovoltaic module and a photovoltaic system are provided. The support apparatus for a photovoltaic module is to be arranged on a water surface, and includes: a support body for mounting the photovoltaic module; and a floating body connected to the support body and configured to provide buoyancy for the support apparatus. A connection function for providing connection with the photovoltaic module and a buoyancy function for providing the buoyancy are separated. The support body having the connection function may be used for providing only connection with the photovoltaic module and not for providing buoyancy. In manufacturing and installation processes, it is unnecessary for the support body to be watertight, thus the manufacturing process of the support body may be greatly simplified, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

A support assembly for mounting photovoltaic modules on a support surface and a mounting system including the same are disclosed herein. The support assembly may comprise a the body portion including a base portion and at least one upright support member coupled to the base portion, the at least one upright support member comprising an integrally formed ballast tray slot in one side thereof for receiving an upturned edge of a ballast tray; and at least one clamp subassembly coupled to the at least one upright support member of the body portion, the at least one clamp subassembly configured to be coupled to one or more photovoltaic modules. In addition to a plurality of support assemblies, the mounting system may further comprise at least one ballast tray support bracket, the ballast tray support bracket supporting a portion of a ballast tray on the support surface.

A one-piece elongated roll-formed sheet metal rack channel made to order on-site, for supporting solar panels, in rows of an array, at a desired inclination relative to a generally flat horizontal surface, the channel being formed of a strip of sheet metal with a horizontal base and spaced upstanding legs, the legs being of unequal height and each with lower portions integral with a respective longitudinal margin of the base, each leg having an inturned panel supporting flange at an upper longitudinal edge, the flanges having inclined panel supporting surfaces that lie in planes generally parallel to a plane of the desired inclination, the panels along a row being electrically grounded to rack channels at the row.

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 telescopic retractable mast system for deploying a solar panel array comprising a one or more of masts, each mast comprising sections, means for retracting and extending each mast and means for mounting and deploying a plurality of solar panel thereon such that the solar panels are and may be adjustable as to maximize the electrical output therefrom. When in use, the mast system may be extended upwards to allow solar generation to take place and when conditions are not appropriate, such as inclement weather, the mast and therefore the solar panels may be retracted into a protected configuration, such as into an enclosure.

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.