A solar collection system includes an absorption refrigeration system to generate water from atmospheric moisture, and to do so without the use of an electrically operated compressor. At least a portion of the solar energy captured by the solar collection system is used to operate the absorption refrigeration cycle. The absorption refrigeration cycle provides cooling that causes water in the atmosphere to condense into a liquid that can be collected and used for various applications. As one example, the collected liquid can be used for the cleaning of the solar collection system of contaminants like dust or bird drippings. In other applications, the water can be used outside the solar collection system including, but not limited to, irrigation, drinking, and other industrial purposes.

A thermophotovoltaic generator uses conveniently available liquid hydrocarbon fuels. The fuels are controllably heated and vaporized before ignition to avoid residue and deposits as a result of liquid fuel being prematurely exposed to high temperatures of combustion causing unwanted breakdowns, producing power robbing residues and deposits. Heating fuel and air to right temperatures for ignition is accomplished by drawing combustion air over an exhaust chamber, through a regenerator and through a passage surrounding an IR filter. A separate cooling fan drives air through photovoltaic cell array fins over the recuperator and the exhaust in counterflow to the combustion air.

A photovoltaic module including a surface and at least one spacer juxtaposed with the surface. The at least one spacer is positioned intermediate the surface and the roof deck. The photovoltaic module is elevated from the roof deck by the spacer to promote air flow underneath the photovoltaic module. The spacer is made from a material that provides impact resistance and walkability.

Provided is a method for providing an integrated system for water treatment energized by sustainable hydrogen, including the steps of: generating electrical power from at least two renewable power producing systems, wherein the renewable power producing systems comprise at least a solar photovoltaic cell and a wind turbine; converting the electrical power with a controller in electrical communication with the two renewable power producing systems and a power bus to power an electrolyzer.

Systems and methods for solar powered vehicle mounted displays are provided. A solar energy harvesting device is electrically connected to an electronic display within a housing. The solar energy harvesting device is configured for mounting to a roof of a vehicle. A mounting support is provided for mounting the housing to another portion of the vehicle.

A Multiple Bifacial Photovoltaic Transparent Panels Thermal Triangles Reflective Minors Ensemble system which is configured to be oriented towards the sun and relative to the horizon, the mirrors reflecting the sunray to the bifacial PV panels front, back and underside faces. There is a plurality of rhombus or trapeze shaped sunray path openings, mounted on a small footprint, above a two axes tracking mechanism. Further, an Micro-Electric Power Station MEPS capable of obtaining energy from a plurality of Rear/Back and side sun ray reflectors sources, located in between various bifacial photovoltaic transparent solar thermal panels. The reflector sources may include an integrated laminated mirror film around the inside of a casing/envelope of a rhombus thin (e.g. glass) box or of transparent sunrays magnifying concentrator envelope balloon. The MEPS facility may be mounted above streets and traffic junctions, on a structure which may be referred to as Micro-Grid Electric Pylons MGEP.

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.

An array of antenna assemblies each generate solar power and utilize the generated solar power at that antenna assembly, which enables large amounts of power to be generated. An antenna assembly having a flat antenna layer forming a first outer surface of said antenna assembly, a flat solar layer forming a second outer surface of said antenna assembly, and a flat structural layer having a flat support structure sandwiched between the antenna layer and the solar layer. The antenna layer has a flat antenna plate with one or more antennas at the first outer surface of the antenna assembly to communicate with Earth. The solar layer has a flat solar plate with one or more solar cells at the second outer surface of the antenna assembly to receive solar energy and generate power.

A Fresnel condenser device and a condenser-type solar energy system are provided, wherein the condenser device comprises first and second Fresnel lens layers, each lens layer comprising at least one condenser-type Fresnel lens; and a straight box-shaped light guiding layer, the first and second Fresnel lens layers being disposed respectively on two ends thereof, and the straight box-shaped light guiding layer is configured to direct a light from the first Fresnel lens layer down to the second Fresnel lens layer. By utilizing two Fresnel lens layers to respectively perform light convergence and using the straight box-shaped light guiding layer therebetween to help direct the light from an upper layer to a lower layer, the condenser device can not only adapt to a wide range of incident angles, but also obtain a large light convergence ratio at a low height.

A method of operating a solar energy plant and a solar plant are disclosed. Thermal energy produced in the plant is used to heat a first volume of water and charge a hot store in the plant. Electricity produced in the plant operates a heat engine or other device, such as a refrigeration unit, to extract heat and consequently cool a second volume of water and charge a cold store. As desired, energy is transferred from the hot store to a heat engine and energy is transferred from the heat engine to the cold store to operate the heat engine to produce power in the plant.