The present disclosure relates to a photovoltaic (PV) device that includes a first junction constructed with a first alloy and having a bandgap between about 1.0 eV and about 1.5 eV, and a second junction constructed with a second alloy and having a bandgap between about 0.9 eV and about 1.3 eV, where the first alloy includes III-V elements, the second alloy includes III-V elements, and the PV device is configured to operate in a thermophotovoltaic system having an operating temperature between about 1500° C. and about 3000° C.

A thermophotovoltaic panel assembly including a heat sink and a plurality of thermophotovoltaic modules mounted on the heat sink. Each thermophotovoltaic module includes a photovoltaic element separated from an emitter assembly by a gap. The emitter assembly includes an emitter and applies force towards the photovoltaic element to maintain the gap. The thermophotovoltaic panel assembly may also utilize a force application layer on the emitter and be bolted in place. A housing can be used for protection and to transfer energy to the emitter. The heat sink cantilevers into the housing to define a space between the thermophotovoltaic modules and the inner surface of the housing. Preferably, the housing maintains a vacuum and, in turn, the gap is evacuated. The heat sink can be monolithic and cooled with fluid pumped therethrough. The emitter may be transparent or at least partially transmissive.

A thermophotovoltaic panel assembly including a heat sink and a plurality of thermophotovoltaic modules mounted on the heat sink. Each thermophotovoltaic module includes a photovoltaic element separated from an emitter assembly by a gap. The emitter assembly includes an emitter and applies force towards the photovoltaic element to maintain the gap. The thermophotovoltaic panel assembly may also utilize a force application layer on the emitter and be bolted in place. A housing can be used for protection and to transfer energy to the emitter. The heat sink cantilevers into the housing to define a space between the thermophotovoltaic modules and the inner surface of the housing. Preferably, the housing maintains a vacuum and, in turn, the gap is evacuated. The heat sink can be monolithic and cooled with fluid pumped therethrough. The emitter may be transparent or at least partially transmissive.

A powered device includes a photoelectric conversion element, a thermoelectric conversion element and a first power line. The photoelectric conversion element receives and converts feed light into electric power. The thermoelectric conversion element is disposed such that heat can be conducted thereto from the photoelectric conversion element. The first power line transmits, to a load, electric power obtained by conversion by the thermoelectric conversion element.

A powered device includes a photoelectric conversion element, a thermoelectric conversion element and a first power line. The photoelectric conversion element receives and converts feed light into electric power. The thermoelectric conversion element is disposed such that heat can be conducted thereto from the photoelectric conversion element. The first power line transmits, to a load, electric power obtained by conversion by the thermoelectric conversion element.

A hybrid solar thermal and photovoltaic panel based cogeneration system and heat pump and non-tracking non-imaging solar concentrator based CSP stabilized power generation system comprises a hybrid solar thermal and photovoltaic panel based cogeneration subsystem to cogenerate electricity and heat, a heat pump subsystem to raise the temperature of the cogenerated heat, a non-tracking non-imaging solar concentrator based CSP subsystem to further upgrade the cogenerated thermal energy, a thermal storage to store the cogenerated heat, and a thermal power regeneration system, to take the stored cogenerated heat to regenerate power. The power output of the cogeneration subsystem supplemented with the power output from the thermal power regeneration system realizes stabilized power output.

A hybrid solar thermal and photovoltaic panel based cogeneration system and heat pump and non-tracking non-imaging solar concentrator based CSP stabilized power generation system comprises a hybrid solar thermal and photovoltaic panel based cogeneration subsystem to cogenerate electricity and heat, a heat pump subsystem to raise the temperature of the cogenerated heat, a non-tracking non-imaging solar concentrator based CSP subsystem to further upgrade the cogenerated thermal energy, a thermal storage to store the cogenerated heat, and a thermal power regeneration system, to take the stored cogenerated heat to regenerate power. The power output of the cogeneration subsystem supplemented with the power output from the thermal power regeneration system realizes stabilized power output.

Solar collection and storage module systems as building blocks are provided to build walls or shingles of buildings to transform any buildings into stabilized power generation stations and tie to power grid to form power grid-interactive efficient buildings. The solar collection and storage module system comprises a hybrid photovoltaic and thermal panel, thermoelectric modules, thermal storage package, control system, and battery storage. The incident sunlight is partially converted into electricity directly by the photovoltaic part of the system directly, and rest part is transformed into heat which is extracted, boosted to high temperature, and stored into the thermal storage package by the thermoelectric modules operating in cooler mode at this movement. At night or in cloudy days, the stored heat flow through the thermoelectric modules, which are switched to generator mode by the control system, generating electricity. In the module system, the cogenerated heat is stored in thermal energy format and outputted in electrical energy format; the total conversion efficiency of the module system is significantly improved. When the module systems are used as wall modules or shingles to build buildings, the encapsulation properties of the buildings are substantially improved.

Solar collection and storage module systems as building blocks are provided to build walls or shingles of buildings to transform any buildings into stabilized power generation stations and tie to power grid to form power grid-interactive efficient buildings. The solar collection and storage module system comprises a hybrid photovoltaic and thermal panel, thermoelectric modules, thermal storage package, control system, and battery storage. The incident sunlight is partially converted into electricity directly by the photovoltaic part of the system directly, and rest part is transformed into heat which is extracted, boosted to high temperature, and stored into the thermal storage package by the thermoelectric modules operating in cooler mode at this movement. At night or in cloudy days, the stored heat flow through the thermoelectric modules, which are switched to generator mode by the control system, generating electricity. In the module system, the cogenerated heat is stored in thermal energy format and outputted in electrical energy format; the total conversion efficiency of the module system is significantly improved. When the module systems are used as wall modules or shingles to build buildings, the encapsulation properties of the buildings are substantially improved.

An energy conversion and transmission system includes a thermal energy converter configured to convert thermal blackbody radiation energy to thermal infrared (IR) energy and to output a thermal IR energy stream. The system further includes a transmission device configured to receive the thermal IR energy stream from the thermal energy converter at a first location and output the thermal IR energy stream at a second location. The transmission device supplies the thermal IR energy stream to a thermal IR energy destination at the second location.