Described herein are examples of devices which include a vertical axis wind turbine configured to receive wind from 360. The vertical axis wind turbine includes a top portion with a circular geometry, a body portion with a conical geometry and an aperture formed in the center of the body portion to allow wind egress. Vanes, a top portion, and a body portion define channels configured to increase velocity of incoming wind via tapering of the volume of the channel as the channel approaches a central axis of the vertical wind turbine. A generator can be coupled to the central axis and be configured to produce electrical energy from the spinning of the central axis.

A convection-driven power generator comprising a flow intake configured to supply fluid to the generator, a flow duct having a duct inlet and a duct outlet wherein the duct outlet is spaced downstream from the duct inlet along the flow duct, the duct inlet being fluidly coupled to the flow intake. A heating chamber fluidly is coupled to the duct outlet so as to receive fluid from the duct outlet, the heating chamber comprising an external wall configured to transmit light radiation incident thereon such that fluid within the heating chamber is heated by the transmitted light radiation. A flow exhaust is fluidly coupled to the heating chamber and configured to exhaust fluid heated by the heating chamber from the heating chamber. A turbine is arranged within the flow duct, downstream of the flow intake, and exposed to fluid flow through the flow duct such that when fluid flows through the flow duct the turbine is caused to rotate by the fluid flow; and at least one lens element is configured to focus the light radiation transmitted by the external wall within the heating chamber.