A method for improving the efficiency of a solar heating system based on absorbing heat from solar radiation into the outer surface of a concrete wall. The heat transfer device makes use of a fluid in a tube system to transfer heat from the outside of the wall to the inside of the wall. The inside wall is then used to heat air that is passed over it, and that air is then used to heat up a heat storage system.

A metamaterials-enhanced solar receiver for a Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plant includes spectrally-selective metamaterials-enhanced surface features engineered into the sunlight-receiving (upward-facing) surface of a high melting point sunlight absorbing material. The spectrally-selective features include substantially cube-shaped microcavities surrounded by associated interlaced walls disposed in a periodic (waffle-like) array having a grating period in the range of 0.5 to 2 microns, thereby forming a metamaterial structure exhibiting high absorptance efficiency (i.e., above 95%) of incident solar radiation having wavelengths in the visible light spectrum through induced coupling of visible light to the interlaced walls by way of generating surface plasmonic waves that resonate at visible light frequencies, whereby thermal energy is efficiently absorbed into the solar receiver to heat a transfer fluid. The metamaterial structure is also configured to minimize emissions in the infrared (IR) spectrum, thus minimizing thermal losses.

This disclosure provides a high efficient space shell solar energy unit. The unit used at least two different solar energy absorbing materials for absorb solar energy from different spectrum of sunlight. The absorbing materials comprising at least one transparent solar energy absorbing material absorbed solar energy mainly from ultraviolet ray and/or infrared ray of sunlight. The unit can be new manufactured or improved from existing low-E glass, PV Panel and thin film cell.

This disclosure provides a high efficient space shell solar energy unit. The unit used at least two different solar energy absorbing materials for absorb solar energy from different spectrum of sunlight. The absorbing materials comprising at least one transparent solar energy absorbing material absorbed solar energy mainly from ultraviolet ray and/or infrared ray of sunlight. The unit can be new manufactured or improved from existing low-E glass, PV Panel and thin film cell.

The method is for of conveying a solar power. A parabolic reflector receives sunrays that reflects and concentrates the sunrays as light into second reflector that reflects the light into a tapering device. The tapering device conveys the light to a first curved glass rod section. The first curved glass rod section conveying the light to a second curved glass rod section via a gap defined between the ends of the first and second rod sections. The second rod section conveys the light to a third rod section via a second gap. The first rod section is rotated relative to the second rod section and the second rod section is rotated relative to the third rod section so that the parabolic reflector follows a path of the sun.

The method is for of conveying a solar power. A parabolic reflector receives sunrays that reflects and concentrates the sunrays as light into second reflector that reflects the light into a tapering device. The tapering device conveys the light to a first curved glass rod section. The first curved glass rod section conveying the light to a second curved glass rod section via a gap defined between the ends of the first and second rod sections. The second rod section conveys the light to a third rod section via a second gap. The first rod section is rotated relative to the second rod section and the second rod section is rotated relative to the third rod section so that the parabolic reflector follows a path of the sun.

Ceramic particles for use in a solar power tower and methods for making and using the ceramic particles are disclosed. The ceramic particle can include a sintered ceramic material formed from a mixture of a ceramic raw material and a darkening component comprising MnO as Mn.sup.2+. The ceramic particle can have a size from about 8 mesh to about 170 mesh and a density of less than 4 g/cc.

Ceramic particles for use in a solar power tower and methods for making and using the ceramic particles are disclosed. The ceramic particle can include a sintered ceramic material formed from a mixture of a ceramic raw material and a darkening component comprising MnO as Mn.sup.2+. The ceramic particle can have a size from about 8 mesh to about 170 mesh and a density of less than 4 g/cc.

A solar heat collector tube in which at least an infrared reflective layer, a sunlight-heat conversion layer and an anti-reflection layer are provided on the outer surface of a tube through the interior of which a heat medium can flow, wherein the infrared reflective layer in the solar heat collector tube is an Ag layer having Nb dispersed therein, the content of Nb being 0.1 at % to 31.8 at %.

A solar heat collector tube in which at least an infrared reflective layer, a sunlight-heat conversion layer and an anti-reflection layer are provided on the outer surface of a tube through the interior of which a heat medium can flow, wherein the infrared reflective layer in the solar heat collector tube is an Ag layer having Nb dispersed therein, the content of Nb being 0.1 at % to 31.8 at %.