Embodiments of the present invention may utilize one or more techniques, alone or in combination, to maximize a surface area of a receiver that is configured to convert light into another form of energy. One technique enhances collection efficiency by controlling a size, shape, and/or position of a cell relative to an expected illumination profile under various conditions. Another technique positions non-active elements (such as electrical contacts and/or interconnects) on surfaces likely to be shaded from incident light by other elements of the receiver. Another technique utilizes embodiments of interconnect structures occupying a small footprint. According to certain embodiments, the receiver may be cooled by exposure to a fluid such as water or air.

A solar cell module includes: a first solar cell; a second solar cell disposed apart from the first solar cell with a space therebetween; a first light reflector disposed on an edge portion of the first solar cell, and overlapping the space; and a second light reflector disposed on an edge portion of the second solar cell, and overlapping the space.

According to one embodiment, a solar cell module includes a solar cell panel and a concentrator. The solar cell panel includes a solar cell. The concentrator reflects light incident from the outside and irradiates the light onto the solar cell. The concentrator has a first surface and a second surface. The first surface reflects light incident at a first incident angle and irradiates the light incident at the first incident angle onto a first portion within the area of the solar cell. The second surface reflects light incident at a second incident angle and irradiates the light incident at the second incident angle onto a second portion within the area of the solar cell. The second incident angle is different from the first incident angle. The second portion is different from the first portion. The first surface and the second surface are asymmetric as viewed from the solar cell.

An energy harvesting system is provided. The energy harvesting system includes a waveguide, a luminophore embedded in the waveguide, and a solar photovoltaic array or a solar photovoltaic cell coupled to the waveguide. The energy harvesting system is visibly transparent, having an average visible transmittance of greater than about 50% and a color rendering index of greater than about 80 at normal incidence to the waveguide.

The present invention relates to a method for collecting sunlight through an image method by tracking the sun using a dish-shaped light collector or a paraboloidal light collector and, and to a method and an apparatus for transmitting high-density light as the collected sunlight to a remote place, to which the light is applied, and for generating super-high-density light by combining, in a multi-stage manner, the high-density light obtained through a plurality of light collectors. A first concaveparaboloidal reflector of a paraboloidal light collection unit can collect light, transmit the collected light to the remote place, and provide an efficient and quantitative use environment to an applied device by using a paraboloidal reflector set including: a first concave-paraboloidal mirror in which a slope of a paraboloide is provided to make a narrow width so that downward reflection is greater than or equal to 90% by an angle between an incident angle at an inner point of a paraboloidal mirror and a normal surface, the angle being larger than a critical angle, and which has an opening formed at the lower side of a central axis thereof; and a second convex-paraboloidal reflector, which has a small diameter, shares a focus of the first concave-paraboloidal mirror, and has a miniaturized shape of the first concave-paraboloidal mirror at a focal portion without an opening at a central axis thereof.

A solar cell module includes: a light-diffusing member adjacent to a solar cell; a tab line disposed on front surfaces of solar cells and having a light-diffusing shape on a light-entering side; and a protective member having first and second principal surfaces. When an average distance between a front surface of the solar cell and the second principal surface is expressed as D, a refractive index of the protective member is expressed as n, and a critical angle for total reflection satisfying sin R=1/n is expressed as R, the tab line is disposed in a zone other than a zone between a position at a distance of 3.46×D from, among ends of the light-diffusing member, an end closest to the solar cell and a position at a distance of 2×D×tan R from, among the ends, an end farthest from the solar cell.

A solar powered electric ship system comprises an electric ship, multiple inflatable barges, and multiple inflatable non-imaging non-tracking solar concentrator based concentrating photovoltaic systems. The entire system is configured with the multiple inflatable non-imaging non-tracking solar concentrator based concentrating photovoltaic systems mounted on the inflatable barges, and with the inflatable barges mechanically and electrically connected to the electric ship. When in operation, the electric ship dragged the barges to navigate together with it, and have the inflatable non-imaging non-tracking solar concentrator based photovoltaic system to power it. The configuration dramatically reduce the battery bank size of the electric ship and make the portable floating concentrating photovoltaic system ultra-high efficiency, extremely low cost, and super light.

The present disclosure provides a window unit for a building or structure. The window unit is arranged for generating electricity and comprises a panel having an area that is transparent for at least a portion of visible light and having a light receiving surface for receiving light from a light incident direction. The window unit further comprises at least one series of solar cells, each solar cell being a bifacial solar cell and having opposite first and second surfaces each having an area in which light can be absorbed to generate electricity, the solar cells being positioned such that in use the first surfaces are oriented to receive light from the light incident direction and the second surfaces receive light from an opposite direction.

According to at least one exemplary embodiment a heliostat driven reactor may be provided. The heliostat driven reactor may include one or more photonic collectors that collect photonic energy and disperses photonic energy, one or more mirrors which concentrate the photonic energy dispersed by the one or more photonic collectors, one or more gain mediums which receive, on one or more absorption faces, the photonic energy dispersed by the photonic energy collector and the photonic energy concentrated by the one or more mirrors, and/or a photoelectric material which receives photonic energy from the one or more gain mediums and converts the photonic energy into electrical energy.

One or more solar cells arranged on a mounting surface along a first direction and extending out from the mounting surface in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. One or more angled reflectors may be arranged on the mounting surface along the first direction. The one or more angled reflectors may include a lens in a wedge shape having: an entrance surface extending along the first direction including one or more curved surfaces a bottom surface extending along the second direction and adjacent to the corresponding solar cell of the one or more solar cells, and a reflector surface extending along the second direction at an angle. The reflector surface may include a gradient texture comprising one or more flat surfaces, each of which is substantially parallel to the first direction, and one or more angled elevation surfaces.