A solar tower system; the solar tower system includes a module unit having a cylindrical core, a series of tower slices positioned in a continuous series around the cylindrical core and together forming a cylindrical solar tower, and a battery unit attachment. Each tower slice comprises a clear plastic block having a series of solar panel bays, each configured to house one of a series of solar panels. The solar tower system provides a portable solar energy source for various uses.

A solar tower system; the solar tower system includes a module unit having a cylindrical core, a series of tower slices positioned in a continuous series around the cylindrical core and together forming a cylindrical solar tower, and a battery unit attachment. Each tower slice comprises a clear plastic block having a series of solar panel bays, each configured to house one of a series of solar panels. The solar tower system provides a portable solar energy source for various uses.

A solar tower system; the solar tower system includes a module unit having a cylindrical core, a series of tower slices positioned in a continuous series around the cylindrical core and together forming a cylindrical solar tower, and a battery unit attachment. Each tower slice comprises a clear plastic block having a series of solar panel bays, each configured to house one of a series of solar panels. The solar tower system provides a portable solar energy source for various uses.

A photovoltaic module includes an encapsulated photovoltaic element and an infrared-transmissive decorative overlay simulating conventional roofing.

A photovoltaic module includes an encapsulated photovoltaic element and an infrared-transmissive decorative overlay simulating conventional roofing.

A solar tracking sensor includes lens and four fibers respectively representing four directions installed in a lens barrel to serve as a fine-positioning daylighting module, and four groups of fibers installed on the side of the lens barrel to serve as a coarse-positioning daylighting module. A circuit board and four photocells are installed at the bottom of a cassette. Each photocell is connected to fine positioning fibers located in the same direction as the photocell, and is connected to coarse positioning fibers located in a direction diagonal to the direction of the photocell. By using a daylighting method of combining fine-positioning daylighting and coarse-positioning daylighting, the number of the photocells is reduced, the design of the circuit board is simplified, and costs are reduced; moreover, because the coarse-positioning daylighting module can collect sunlight in a wide-angle range, the tracking angle range of the sensor is enlarged.

A solar tracking sensor includes lens and four fibers respectively representing four directions installed in a lens barrel to serve as a fine-positioning daylighting module, and four groups of fibers installed on the side of the lens barrel to serve as a coarse-positioning daylighting module. A circuit board and four photocells are installed at the bottom of a cassette. Each photocell is connected to fine positioning fibers located in the same direction as the photocell, and is connected to coarse positioning fibers located in a direction diagonal to the direction of the photocell. By using a daylighting method of combining fine-positioning daylighting and coarse-positioning daylighting, the number of the photocells is reduced, the design of the circuit board is simplified, and costs are reduced; moreover, because the coarse-positioning daylighting module can collect sunlight in a wide-angle range, the tracking angle range of the sensor is enlarged.

A device for converting solar radiation is described wherein the device comprises an inorganic luminescent material comprising a host material doped with Mn5+ ions for converting radiation of the UV and/or visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum into radiation of the near-infrared radiation part of the electromagnetic spectrum, preferably the infrared part between 1150 nm and 1250 nm, preferably around 1190 nm (the infrared emission peak of Mn.sup.5+); or, an amorphous host material doped with Sm.sup.2+ or Tm.sup.2+ ions, the amorphous host material including the elements Al, Si, O and N (SiAION) for converting radiation of the UV and/or visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum into radiation of a longer wavelength, preferably a longer wavelength between 650 n and 800 nm or a longer wavelength of around 1140 n; and, at least one photovoltaic device for converting at least part of the converted radiation into electrical power.

A device for converting solar radiation is described wherein the device comprises an inorganic luminescent material comprising a host material doped with Mn5+ ions for converting radiation of the UV and/or visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum into radiation of the near-infrared radiation part of the electromagnetic spectrum, preferably the infrared part between 1150 nm and 1250 nm, preferably around 1190 nm (the infrared emission peak of Mn.sup.5+); or, an amorphous host material doped with Sm.sup.2+ or Tm.sup.2+ ions, the amorphous host material including the elements Al, Si, O and N (SiAION) for converting radiation of the UV and/or visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum into radiation of a longer wavelength, preferably a longer wavelength between 650 n and 800 nm or a longer wavelength of around 1140 n; and, at least one photovoltaic device for converting at least part of the converted radiation into electrical power.

The subject of the invention is a multilayer photovoltaic panel with increased solar radiation energy to electric energy conversion surface which is characterised in that it comprises a lattice subassembly (1, 16, 23, 34, or 39) or at least one the chamber subassembly (44, 49, 54′, or 60′), in which the component photovoltaic modules (6 and 7) or (18 and 20) or (24 and 30) or (35) or (40) or (45) or (50) or (54) or (60) are connected inseparably with a photovoltaic layer (3) or (11) of the perforated support plate (2) or (17), whereas the perforated support plate (2) constitutes a plate-shaped stiffening element (14) with a single photovoltaic layer (3) or the perforated support plate (17) constitutes a plate-shaped stiffening element (14) both of the two surfaces of which are provided with photovoltaic layers (11).