A device for powering electronic devices comprises a thermoelectric generator (TEG) applied over a temperature gradient. A combination of feed forward and feed back control of the TEG unit allows for continued operation that is robust to reversal of the temperature gradient, for example over the duration of a diurnal cycle.

A system includes: an edge computing device disposed in an indoor facility having at least one light source; an energy storage subsystem configured to generate electrical power from light emitted by the at least one light source, and to supply the electrical power to the edge computing device, the energy storage subsystem including: a collector; an auxiliary energy storage device configured to receive energy collected by the collector, the auxiliary energy storage device having a first storage capacity; a main energy storage device having a second storage capacity greater than the first storage capacity; a controller configured to supply energy from the main energy storage device to the edge computing device; and a selector configured to selectively discharge energy from the auxiliary energy storage device to the main energy storage device.

A system includes: an edge computing device disposed in an indoor facility having at least one light source; an energy storage subsystem configured to generate electrical power from light emitted by the at least one light source, and to supply the electrical power to the edge computing device, the energy storage subsystem including: a collector; an auxiliary energy storage device configured to receive energy collected by the collector, the auxiliary energy storage device having a first storage capacity; a main energy storage device having a second storage capacity greater than the first storage capacity; a controller configured to supply energy from the main energy storage device to the edge computing device; and a selector configured to selectively discharge energy from the auxiliary energy storage device to the main energy storage device.

A photovoltaic device includes a first group of photovoltaic cells of a first cell type, the first group of photovoltaic cells operable to produce a first current and a first voltage, and a second group of photovoltaic cells of a second cell type that is different than the first cell type, the second group of photovoltaic cells operable to produce a second current and a second voltage. A first power electronics unit is connected to the first group of photovoltaic cells, and a second power electronics unit is connected to the second group of photovoltaic cells. The second power electronics unit is separate from and not communicating with the first power electronics unit. A control device is operable to vary a first property of the first power electronics unit to vary the first current and the first voltage and to vary a second property of the second power electronics unit to vary the second voltage and the second current independent of the first voltage and the first current.

A photovoltaic device includes a first group of photovoltaic cells of a first cell type, the first group of photovoltaic cells operable to produce a first current and a first voltage, and a second group of photovoltaic cells of a second cell type that is different than the first cell type, the second group of photovoltaic cells operable to produce a second current and a second voltage. A first power electronics unit is connected to the first group of photovoltaic cells, and a second power electronics unit is connected to the second group of photovoltaic cells. The second power electronics unit is separate from and not communicating with the first power electronics unit. A control device is operable to vary a first property of the first power electronics unit to vary the first current and the first voltage and to vary a second property of the second power electronics unit to vary the second voltage and the second current independent of the first voltage and the first current.

An inverter (200) connected to an energy source (100) and configured to supply power to a load network (300) comprising at least one controllable load, said inverter (200) comprising a processor (201) adapted to control the at least one controllable load of the load network (300) is disclosed. The processor (201) comprising: a net load detector (201a) detects a net load of the load network (300); a power export analyzer (201b) determines an inverter power transfer of the inverter and a grid power transfer of a grid (400); characterized in that a power manager (201c) varies the power output of the inverter (200) and a power consumption of the at least one controllable load based on the inverter power transfer, the grid power transfer, an export condition violation and a derating state of the energy source (100).

A method for stabilizing a DC voltage in a DC grid that includes a DC bus connected to a higher-order grid and to which an energy generating system and at least one load are connected. A variable electric grid output is exchanged between the DC bus and the higher-order grid in order to keep the DC voltage in the DC bus at a nominal voltage. The energy generating system includes a PV generator connected to the DC bus via a DC-to-DC converter and which exchanges an electric generator output with the DC bus. In a normal operating mode, the generator output is set to a normal operating output by the DC-to-DC converter on the basis of an MPP output of the PV generator. In a grid support mode, the generator output is set to a grid support output on the basis of the DC voltage in the DC bus in order to counteract a power imbalance between the electric power supplied in total to the DC bus and the power drawn in total from the DC bus.

Provided is a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) apparatus for an energy harvesting system and an MPPT control method. A count value of the time for an output voltage of a direct current (DC)-DC converter to reach a high reference voltage is used to change and output a control parameter of the DC-DC converter for maximum power.

Provided is a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) apparatus for an energy harvesting system and an MPPT control method. A count value of the time for an output voltage of a direct current (DC)-DC converter to reach a high reference voltage is used to change and output a control parameter of the DC-DC converter for maximum power.

A system includes: an edge computing device disposed in an indoor facility having at least one light source; an energy storage subsystem configured to generate electrical power from light emitted by the at least one light source, and to supply the electrical power to the edge computing device, the energy storage subsystem including: a collector; an auxiliary energy storage device configured to receive energy collected by the collector, the auxiliary energy storage device having a first storage capacity; a main energy storage device having a second storage capacity greater than the first storage capacity; a controller configured to supply energy from the main energy storage device to the edge computing device; and a selector configured to selectively discharge energy from the auxiliary energy storage device to the main energy storage device.