A solar powered vehicle topper unit and systems and methods for the same are provided. A solar energy harvesting device is electrically connected to an electronic display within a housing. The solar energy harvesting device is located above the housing. The solar energy harvesting device has a first footprint, and the housing has a second footprint which is smaller than the first footprint.

A photovoltaic module is specified, comprising: a cylindrical light-transmissive tube enclosing an interior and having a main extension direction and a curved inner surface facing the interior, and a mechanically flexible photovoltaic component comprising a solar cell arrangement applied on a carrier film, wherein the photovoltaic component is arranged in the interior, the solar cell arrangement has a curvature, wherein the curvature follows the curved course of the inner surface of the tube at least in places and the solar cell arrangement at least partly covers the inner surface, wherein the covered inner surface forms a light passage surface of the photovoltaic module.

A mounting system 110 for a solar panel 11 includes a base plate 114 having an elongated mounting slot 116, a spacer beam 124 with a slot 128, a first T-shaped fastener 131 having a mounting plate 132 with a width slightly smaller than the size of the slot and a length larger than the size of the slot, so that the mounting plate may be passed through the slot and then rotated so that it then cannot pass back through the slot. A second T-shaped fastener 137 having the same configuration couples the solar panel to the spacer. The system optionally has a ballast system 145 which includes a ballast tray 146 and third T-shaped fastener 155 of the same configuration for coupling the tray to the base plate. An anti-creep strip 161 is coupled to the base member through fourth T-shaped fasteners 162 of the same configuration.

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.

This invention includes an optical concentrator which focuses incident sunlight onto a photovoltaic cell or group of photovoltaic cells which is mounted in thermal contact with a radiator comprising ultra-light graphene sheet. In the preferred embodiment, the optical concentrator comprises a thin Fresnel lens, the photovoltaic cell or group of photovoltaic cells comprises a high-efficiency multi junction device, and the graphene radiator comprises a very thin and light sheet. In the preferred embodiment, the graphene radiator is deployed and supported in space as a stressed membrane by employing tension in one or more directions.

A floating solar power generation system includes a photovoltaic (“PV”) array. The PV array includes a plurality of PV modules mechanically bound together. Each of the PV modules includes solar cells for generating solar power that are embedded within a laminated structure which is compliant to folding or bending in response to wave action on a surface of a waterbody. The laminated structure of each of the PV modules floats in or on the waterbody in intimate contact with the waterbody to cool the solar cells.

A compact, three-dimensional (3D) photovoltaic charging system comprising a photovoltaic unit encased in a transparent housing, a power management unit, and a support base. The photovoltaic unit having non-coplanar photovoltaic surfaces that are positioned at a relative distance and a relative orientation. Compared to conventional flat solar panels, the 3D photovoltaic charging system can collect light vertically, therefore amplifying solar module power density, defined as power output per installation footprint area. A photo-tracking, 3D photovoltaic charging system is also described, having a photovoltaic unit encased in a transparent housing, a power management unit, and means to track a source of electromagnetic radiation. The photo-tracking, 3D photovoltaic charging system tracks a moving light source, resulting in improved light flux intake, and therefore, enhanced electric power output.

A compact, three-dimensional (3D) photovoltaic charging system comprising a photovoltaic unit encased in a transparent housing, a power management unit, and a support base. The photovoltaic unit having non-coplanar photovoltaic surfaces that are positioned at a relative distance and a relative orientation. Compared to conventional flat solar panels, the 3D photovoltaic charging system can collect light vertically, therefore amplifying solar module power density, defined as power output per installation footprint area. A photo-tracking, 3D photovoltaic charging system is also described, having a photovoltaic unit encased in a transparent housing, a power management unit, and means to track a source of electromagnetic radiation. The photo-tracking, 3D photovoltaic charging system tracks a moving light source, resulting in improved light flux intake, and therefore, enhanced electric 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.

A double glass module, including a front panel glass (10), a first adhesive film (20), a solar cell pack group (30), a second adhesive film (40), aluminum foil (50), a third adhesive film (60) and a rear panel glass (70) successively stacked. The aluminum foil is added in front of the rear panel glass of a double glass module, and since the aluminum foil has a high light reflectivity, the reflection effect for transmitted light energy is improved, so that the power of the double glass module is significantly enhanced. Meanwhile, since the aluminum foil has a better heat conductivity, the heat generated by the solar cell pack group can be conducted and dissipated in time, so that the temperature of the double glass module is reduced in time, thereby reducing a temperature coefficient impact factor, and prolonging a daily mean efficient power output time of the double glass module.