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.

A light absorption apparatus includes a substrate, a light absorption layer above the substrate on a first selected area, a silicon layer above the light absorption layer, a spacer surrounding at least part of the sidewall of the light absorption layer, an isolation layer surrounding at least part of the spacer, wherein the light absorption apparatus can achieve high bandwidth and low dark current.

An apparatus, system, and method of collecting solar energy having a variable position for optimizing sunlight collection and for use in a heating and/or cooling system. The system includes a solar collector apparatus, a collector support frame assembly, a sun position tracking apparatus, a fluid transfer pump, a fluid storage tank, an insulated pipe for connecting the fluid pump to the storage tank and the solar collector, a differential temperature controller, and a safety override relay controller. The system includes a cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) tubing having an aluminum welded tube as reinforcement and method of making PEX tubing having an inner PEX layer and an outer polyethylene layer with an intermediate aluminum tube enveloped by adhesive layers for joining the inner and outer polyethylene layers with the aluminum tube. Carbon black particles are included in the outer layer of polyethylene material.

An apparatus, system, and method of collecting solar energy having a variable position for optimizing sunlight collection and for use in a heating and/or cooling system. The system includes a solar collector apparatus, a collector support frame assembly, a sun position tracking apparatus, a fluid transfer pump, a fluid storage tank, an insulated pipe for connecting the fluid pump to the storage tank and the solar collector, a differential temperature controller, and a safety override relay controller. The system includes a cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) tubing having an aluminum welded tube as reinforcement and method of making PEX tubing having an inner PEX layer and an outer polyethylene layer with an intermediate aluminum tube enveloped by adhesive layers for joining the inner and outer polyethylene layers with the aluminum tube. Carbon black particles are included in the outer layer of polyethylene material.

An optical sensor module includes: (1) a lid defining a first chamber and a second chamber isolated from the first chamber; (2) a light emitting component disposed within the first chamber; and (3) a light sensing component disposed within the second chamber; wherein the lid includes a capping substrate and a top of the first chamber and a top of the second chamber are demarcated by the capping substrate, wherein the capping substrate defines a first penetrating hole at the top of the first chamber and a first runner connecting a side wall of the first penetrating hole, and wherein a first lens or a first transmissive panel is formed or disposed in the first penetrating hole and has an extension formed or disposed in the first runner connecting the side wall of the first penetrating hole.

An optical sensor module includes: (1) a lid defining a first chamber and a second chamber isolated from the first chamber; (2) a light emitting component disposed within the first chamber; and (3) a light sensing component disposed within the second chamber; wherein the lid includes a capping substrate and a top of the first chamber and a top of the second chamber are demarcated by the capping substrate, wherein the capping substrate defines a first penetrating hole at the top of the first chamber and a first runner connecting a side wall of the first penetrating hole, and wherein a first lens or a first transmissive panel is formed or disposed in the first penetrating hole and has an extension formed or disposed in the first runner connecting the side wall of the first penetrating hole.

A solar-powered system that can be used in a predetermined space includes a plurality of solar panels to convert the sunlight into electrical energy; a thermoelectric device electrically connected with the solar panels to provide a hot surface and a cold surface; and a control module to control the temperature in the predetermined space. The solar-powered system is configured to cool down or heat up the temperature in the predetermined space. In one embodiment, the thermoelectric module is a Peltier device.

An electro-optic device may include a substrate layer, and a first photonic layer over the substrate layer and having a first photonic device. The electro-optic device may include a second photonic layer over the first photonic layer and having a second photonic device. The electro-optic device may include a dielectric layer over the second photonic layer, and a first electrically conductive via extending through the dielectric layer and the second photonic layer to couple to the first photonic device, and a second electrically conductive via extending through the dielectric layer and coupling to the second photonic device. The electro-optic device may include a third electrically conductive via extending through the substrate layer, the second photonic layer, and the first photonic layer to couple to the substrate layer.

In an example, a method includes providing a photovoltaic string comprising a plurality of from 2 to 45 strips, each of the plurality of strips being configured in a series arrangement with each other, each of the plurality of strips being coupled to another one of the plurality of strips using an electrically conductive adhesive (ECA) material, detecting at least one defective strip in the photovoltaic string, applying thermal energy to the ECA material to release the ECA material from a pair of photovoltaic strips to remove the defective photovoltaic strip, removing any residual ECA material from one or more good photovoltaic strip, aligning the photovoltaic string without the damaged photovoltaic strip, and a replacement photovoltaic strip that replaces the defective photovoltaic strip, and curing a reapplied ECA material on the replacement photovoltaic strip to provide the photovoltaic string with the replacement photovoltaic strip.