According to at least one exemplary embodiment an empyreal reaper may be provided. The empyreal reaper may include a packaging, one or more mirrors contained within the packaging which concentrate photonic energy from a photonic light source into focused light, one or more gain mediums which receive, on one or more absorption faces, 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.

Lateral multi junction photovoltaic cells, devices, and methods of fabrication are provided. The photovoltaic cells include a plurality of photovoltaic subcells mechanically stacked together in a stack. Each photovoltaic subcell includes a subcell substrate, and a light absorption structure associated with the substrate. Each light absorption structure is optimized for a respective defined spectral range of incoming radiation, with the light absorption structures of multiple subcells of the plurality of photovoltaic subcells being optimized for different spectral ranges, and being offset in the stack relative to an optical axis to avoid overlap. The photovoltaic cell further includes a spectrally-dispersive optical element, with the photovoltaic subcells in the stack being respectively located and aligned relative to the optical element based, at least in part, on the respective spectral ranges of the subcells' light absorption structures.

An energy converter for converting multi-frequency radiant energy into electrical energy is disclosed, comprising a plurality of superposed lateral waveguides having photovoltaic energy transducers disposed within. The waveguide include charge collectors, which may be the cladding. A plurality of spectral refractors termed Continuous Resonant Trap Refractors (CRTR) are disposed within the lateral waveguides the refractors comprising a tapered core waveguide, the wider end of which defining an aperture, and the tapered core width decreasing in magnitude as a function of the depth. A cladding is disposed about the tapered core. The aperture of the tapered core is dimensioned to allow passage of radiant energy comprising at least two frequencies. The varying width of the tapered core will cause different frequencies to reach a state at which they will penetrate the cladding and be emitted from the spectral refractor sorted by depth, and be coupled to respective lateral waveguides and/or transducers.

A photovoltaic solar concentrator comprising a non-tracking lens adapted to reach the limits of Etendue conservation for acceptance of a direct and a diffuse solar insolation and to emit a focused light onto an upper surface of a luminescent solar concentrator (LSC). The LSC comprises a crystal with an un-doped semiconductor with high luminescence efficiency in the form of a waveguide that includes a top-hat multi-layer reflector to reflect photo-luminescence within an escape cone of the crystal. A mirror attached to the bottom surface. Mirrors attached to all edges of the crystal except for one of the edges. A solar cell mounted on an un-mirrored edge, or optically connected to the un-mirrored edge of the crystal by a second waveguide, to receive the photo-luminescence trapped within the waveguide.

An apparatus for generating electricity with the ability to distill a liquid and/or expand a working fluid and/or produce mechanical energy and/or produce thermal energy and/or produce chemical transformations through separately utilizing light in the infrared (IR) region and light within the visible and ultraviolet (UV) regions. The apparatus uses methods to capture diffuse and direct polychromatic light, concentration and multiplication of that light up to 1000 times or more, collimation of light, separation of the spectrum into the IR and UV/visible bands, generation of electricity through conversion of at least UV/visible light, and useful conversion of infrared light into applications to generate a distilled liquid or compound, expand a working fluid, produce mechanical energy, produce thermal energy, produce chemical energy and/or generate additional electricity. Non-reflected radiant energy may be used to operate a suitable photovoltaic cell or stack of cells. In alternative embodiments, the spectral separator may reflect most radiant energy incident upon it to one or more photovoltaic cells and pass infrared to an accumulator for use as heat energy to generate mechanical or chemical energy or generate further electrical energy.

One embodiment can provide a solar roof tile. The solar roof tile can include a front cover, a back cover, one or more photovoltaic structures positioned between the front cover and the back cover, and an optical filter positioned between the front cover and the photovoltaic structures. The optical filter is configured to block light within a predetermined spectral range, thereby preventing the light from reflecting off surfaces of the photovoltaic structures to exit the solar roof tile.

A spectrum-splitting concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) module utilizes direct fluid cooling of photovoltaic cells in which an array of photovoltaic cells is fully immersed in a flowing heat transfer fluid. Specifically, at least a portion of both the front face and the rear face of each photovoltaic cell comes into direct contact with heat transfer fluid, thereby enhancing coupling of waste heat out of the photovoltaic cells and into the heat transfer fluid. The CPV module is designed to maximize transmission of infrared light not absorbed by the photovoltaic cells, and therefore may be combined with a thermal receiver that captures the transmitted infrared light as part of a hybrid concentrator photovoltaic-thermal system.

There is proposed a decorative element containing (a) a transparent gemstone with a faceted surface comprising convex curved regions, (b) a wavelength-selective layer, and (c) a photovoltaic cell.

A solar cell assembly and a method of bonding a solar cell component to a flexible support are disclosed. The solar cell assembly comprises a flexible support with a predetermined size, a solar cell component, bonding adhesive between the support and the solar cell component, wherein the support with the predetermined size has substantially uniform borders of 0.003 inches to 0.2 inches in width extending beyond the edges of the solar cell component.

In an embodiment, a solar energy system includes multiple photovoltaic modules, each oriented substantially at a same angle relative to horizontal. The angle is independent of a latitude of an installation site of the solar energy system and is greater than or equal to 15 degrees. The solar energy system defines a continuous area within a perimeter of the solar energy system. The solar energy system is configured to capture at the photovoltaic modules substantially all light incoming towards the continuous area over an entire season.