A cooling system for a photovoltaic panel including micro flat heat pipes (HP) integrated with thermoelectric generators (TEG) and a cooled water reservoir for cooling the working fluid in heat pipes. The cooled water in the reservoir is pumped from the condensate pan of an air conditioner. Experimental results show that cooling system reduced the average temperature of the panel by as much as 19° C. or 25%. Further, the output power of the photovoltaic panel increased by 44% when the photovoltaic panel was used in a very hot climate (30-40° C.). An additional two watts of power was generated by the TEGs.

Disclosed are a photovoltaic air-conditioning system and a photovoltaic air conditioner having same. The photovoltaic air-conditioning system comprises a photovoltaic battery, a switch module, an inverter circuit, a rectification circuit and a compressor inverter; an input end of the switch module is electrically connected to a power grid; a first output end of the switch module is electrically connected to a first input/output end of the inverter circuit; a second output end of the switch module is electrically connected to an input end of the rectification circuit; an output end of the rectification circuit is electrically connected to an input end of the compressor inverter; the input end of the switch module is not simultaneously conducting with both of the first output end and the second output end of the switch module.

A method and a system for operating a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) centric energy hub. A power conversion system is configured to condition power and is coupled to an HVAC system, a power grid, an energy storage device, an alternative energy source, and one or more loads. An energy management system is coupled to the power conversion system, the energy management system is configured to manage distribution of power from the power grid, the energy storage device, and the alternative energy source to the one or more loads and is further configured to communicate with energy management systems of other hubs.

A method for controlling an air conditioner outdoor unit comprises: acquiring the working mode of the air conditioner outdoor unit; acquiring sensor parameters of the air conditioner outdoor unit according to the working mode, the sensor parameters including wind direction parameters read by a wind direction sensor (163) or temperature parameters read by a temperature sensor (161); determining control parameters for the air conditioner outdoor unit by the working mode and the sensor parameters corresponding to the working mode; driving the rotating speed of a fan (121) and the rotating angle of a wind direction adjusting device (125) by use of the control parameters. In addition, a control system for the air conditioner outdoor unit is also related to.

A ventilation system utilizing fans to bring air into a building and/or exhaust air out of the building powered at least in part by solar panels that can be quickly and easily mounted on the building, such as on roof vents, windows, and the like adjacent to the fans. A sensor may be operatively connected to a controller or logic circuit to measure environmental factors to determine whether to activate the fans. The ventilation system is configured to be a modular device with versatile fasteners for easy installment in windows, attics, or roof tops.

Building-integrated photovoltaic devices can be provided, which function as sensors, wherein the output parameters from the device are used to provide information about light intensity and ambient temperature, in addition to providing power, to an intelligent building energy management system.

A method includes determining control setpoints for equipment based on a time-varying availability of green energy and revenue from an incentive program of an energy provider. The method also includes controlling the equipment using the control setpoints.

A variable air volume diffuser and method of operation are disclosed. The system includes an energy harvesting device, a ring-shaped damper and a frame adapted to interface with the ring-shaped damper, wherein the ring-shaped damper is driven by energy harvested from the energy harvesting device.

A predictive controller for building equipment associated with a building includes one or more processing circuits configured to control electric energy used by the building equipment. The building equipment includes an electric energy using component. The one or more processing circuits are configured to utilize a predictive cost function to determine a first amount of the electric energy supplied from an energy grid source and a second amount of the electric energy supplied from a second energy source to the electric energy using component.

A central energy facility (CEF) includes a plurality of powered CEF components, a battery unit, and a predictive CEF controller. The powered CEF components include a chiller unit and a cooling tower. The battery unit is configured to store electric energy from an energy grid and discharge the stored electric energy for use in powering the powered CEF components. The predictive CEF controller is configured to optimize a predictive cost function to determine an optimal amount of electric energy to purchase from the energy grid and an optimal amount of electric energy to store in the battery unit or discharge from the battery unit for use in powering the powered CEF components at each time step of an optimization period.