An optical element is provided which comprises a plurality of fluorophores disposed in a medium. The fluorophores have a quantum yield greater than 50% and an absorption spectrum with a maximum intensity at wavelengths less than 400 nm, and emit a spectrum of light having a maximum intensity at wavelengths within the range of 400 nm to 1200 nm. The optical element is at least partially transparent over the visible region of the spectrum. The optical element is especially useful as a window or other optical component of a greenhouse structure.

The invention relates to an upper body garment, comprising a body (1), characterised by having the cut and the fabrics used to make a polo shirt, to which a collar (5), two sleeves (7) and two cuffs (8) are permanently attached, characterised by having the cut and the fabrics used to make a shirt.

A photovoltaic solar power plant assembly and a method of using said assembly to generate power are disclosed. The assembly includes an array of photovoltaic solar modules arranged in a solar module surface, and an optical structure for redirecting light towards said solar module surface, having a redirected light emitting surface. The optical structure includes: a planar optical waveguide which has a parallel first and second planar waveguide surfaces, wherein the first planar waveguide surface extends parallel to the redirected light emitting surface, wherein the first planar waveguide surface is at least partially covered by a photonic layer which is configured to provide an angular restriction of a light emission from the planar waveguide through the redirected light emitting surface, and a light scattering and/or luminescent material, which material is arranged as particles in the planar optical waveguide and/or in a layer which at least partially covers the second planar waveguide surface.

A system and method are disclosed for internally heated concentrated solar power (CSP) thermal absorbers. The system and method involve an energy-generating device having at least one heating unit. At least one heating unit preheats the energy-generating device in order to expedite the startup time of the energy-generating device, thereby allowing for an increase in efficiency for the production of energy. In some embodiments, the energy-generating device is a CSP thermal absorber. The CSP thermal absorber comprises a housing, a thermal barrier, a light-transparent reservoir containing a liquid alkali metal, at least one alkali metal thermal-to-electric converter (AMTEC) cell, an artery return channel, and at least one heating unit. Each heating unit comprises a heating device and a metal fin. The metal fin is submerged into the liquid alkali metal, thereby allowing the heating device to heat the liquid alkali metal via the fin.

A heat storage device including a metal layer containing a protrusion-and-recess-shaped object, in which the protrusion-and-recess-shaped object has an average height of 100 nm or more and 1,000 nm or less.

An apparatus, method and system for cleaning a solar panel includes a solar panel, one or more fluid reservoirs, a fluid dispenser at a first side of a solar panel, a mechanism for providing pressurized fluid to the fluid dispenser from the fluid reservoir(s), and a mechanism for dispensing the fluid from the dispenser. The solar panel is periodically cleaned and the motivation for cleaning may be a detected output condition of the panel, a detected weather condition, an expired time condition, detected precipitant accumulation, a manual command, or the like. The fluid(s) may include a gas and/or one or more liquids. A heater may be provided to heat the fluid(s).

A roofing, cladding or siding product which is light weight, easy to install, durable and resistant to environmental wear. The module comprises an underlapping region and an exposed region, wherein the underlapping region is adapted to be at least partially covered by the exposed region of an adjacent module when installed on a building surface. The module also includes a textured surface area on an upper surface of the underlapping region and/or an underside of the exposed region. In use, the textured surface (e.g. made up from a densely packed group of cones, pyramids or cylinders) presents an increased surface area for improved contact with an adhesive. The adhesive, e.g. in strip form, may by located on an aligning part of an adjacent module with the textured surface area.

An absorber system solves problems of known absorber systems for use in solar fields in that the absorber tube is suspended on a rail below an absorber cover. The design also makes it possible to move measuring and cleaning robots and the like along the absorber tube more and allows the absorber tube and the secondary reflector to be jointly suspended, whereby an exact mutual alignment between the two components is enabled.

The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods to control particle mass flow rate in solar receivers and associated heat exchangers based on feedback from one or more temperatures of particles in the system.

A cooling system for a photovoltaic panel including micro flat heat pipes (HP) integrated with thermoelectric generators (TEG) and a cooled water reservoir for cooling the working fluid in heat pipes. The cooled water in the reservoir is pumped from the condensate pan of an air conditioner. Experimental results show that cooling system reduced the average temperature of the panel by as much as 19° C. or 25%. Further, the output power of the photovoltaic panel increased by 44% when the photovoltaic panel was used in a very hot climate (30-40° C.). An additional two watts of power was generated by the TEGs.