A method for cleaning a solar power system includes operating a solar power system that comprises a plurality of solar power cells mounted on a spherical frame; rotating the spherical frame to move the plurality of solar power cells into a volume of a hemispherical reservoir that is mounted to the spherical frame; rotating the spherical frame to move the plurality of solar power cells into a solar cell cleaning solution fluid enclosed within the volume of the hemispherical reservoir defined between an interior surface of the reservoir and the spherical frame; and removing, with the solar cell cleaning solution, a plurality of particulates attached to the plurality of solar power cells.

A method for cleaning a solar power system includes operating a solar power system that comprises a plurality of solar power cells mounted on a spherical frame; rotating the spherical frame to move the plurality of solar power cells into a volume of a hemispherical reservoir that is mounted to the spherical frame; rotating the spherical frame to move the plurality of solar power cells into a solar cell cleaning solution fluid enclosed within the volume of the hemispherical reservoir defined between an interior surface of the reservoir and the spherical frame; and removing, with the solar cell cleaning solution, a plurality of particulates attached to the plurality of solar power cells.

A solar power system includes a plurality of solar power cells mounted on a spherical frame; a hemispherical reservoir mounted to the spherical frame to enclose at least a portion of the spherical frame such that a gap is defined between the spherical frame and an interior surface of the reservoir, the reservoir configured to hold a fluid that includes a solar cell cleaning solution; and at least one actuator mounted to the spherical frame and operable to rotate a portion of the spherical frame that supports the plurality of solar power cells through the gap.

A solar power system includes a plurality of solar power cells mounted on a spherical frame; a hemispherical reservoir mounted to the spherical frame to enclose at least a portion of the spherical frame such that a gap is defined between the spherical frame and an interior surface of the reservoir, the reservoir configured to hold a fluid that includes a solar cell cleaning solution; and at least one actuator mounted to the spherical frame and operable to rotate a portion of the spherical frame that supports the plurality of solar power cells through the gap.

A hybrid receiver for a concentrator photovoltaic-thermal power system combines a concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) module and a thermal module that converts concentrated sunlight into electrical energy and thermal heat. Heat transfer fluid flowing through a cooling block removes waste heat generated by photovoltaic cells in the CPV module. The heat transfer fluid then flows through a helical tube illuminated by sunlight that misses the CPV module. Only one fluid system is used to both remove the photovoltaic-cell waste heat and capture high-temperature thermal energy from sunlight. Fluid leaving the hybrid receiver can have a temperature greater than 200? C., and therefore may be used as a source of process heat for a variety of commercial and industrial applications. The hybrid receiver can maintain the photovoltaic cells at temperatures below 110? C. while achieving overall energy conversion efficiencies exceeding 80%.

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.

A deformable mirror with variable curvature including: a plate having a reflective face and opposite hidden face and whose shape has a center (C) and radiuses (r), and at least one actuator intended to exert a force on the hidden face in order to deform the plate. The plate comprises a plurality of primary and secondary portions. The secondary portions being interposed between the primary portions, each of the primary portions extending locally substantially along and on either side of a respective radius (r) among said radiuses (r), and having a stiffness different from the adjacent secondary portions. The deformable mirror is intended to the introduction or the correction of an optical aberration in a light beam.

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 method for concentrated photovoltaic-thermal power generation includes converting a first portion of concentrated sunlight into electrical power when the first portion of concentrated sunlight illuminates an array of photovoltaic cells; and thermally coupling heat generated by the photovoltaic cells into a heat transfer plate. The method also includes cooling the heat transfer plate by flowing heat transfer fluid through an internal path of a cooling block in direct thermal contact with the heat transfer plate; and flowing the heat transfer fluid through a helical tube to absorb thermal energy from a second portion of concentrated sunlight illuminating the helical tube.

A solar power system includes a plurality of solar power cells mounted on a spherical frame; a hemispherical reservoir mounted to the spherical frame to enclose at least a portion of the spherical frame such that a gap is defined between the spherical frame and an interior surface of the reservoir, the reservoir configured to hold a fluid that includes a solar cell cleaning solution; and at least one actuator mounted to the spherical frame and operable to rotate a portion of the spherical frame that supports the plurality of solar power cells through the gap.