A solar powered electric vehicle comprising a conventional electric vehicle and an inflatable non-imaging solar concentrator based concentrating photovoltaic system trailer. The trailer is super-light and able to charge the front electric vehicle when it is moving. The inflatable non-imaging solar concentrator can concentrate both beam light and diffuse light. The inflatable non-imaging solar concentrator dramatically reduces the area of the semiconductor receiver of the concentrating photovoltaic system and significantly reduces its cost. The trailer is made foldable by hanging multiple trailer units mounted with the inflatable non-imaging solar concentrator based concentrating photovoltaic systems.

A self-powered laminated switchable glass system. The laminated switchable glass system having an interior and exterior tempered glass layer. A transparent luminescent solar concentrator layer and a switchable glass film layer is disposed between the exterior and interior glass layer. The solar layer provides power to the switchable glass film layer to allow selective opacity of the switchable glass film.

A step-through type vehicle includes: a frame assembly; at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel connected to the frame assembly and rotated by a power unit; and a plurality of portions comprising one or more flexible portions, and one or more fixed portions. The fixed portions include a front structure, a rear structure, and a top structure disposed between the front structure and the rear structure. The flexible portions include at least one retractable member. The top structure and the retractable member include a plurality of solar panels. The retractable member is detachably attached with the top structure, and is retracted upwardly towards the top structure, and stretched downwardly from the top structure towards the front wheel and the rear wheel. The retractable member is foldably stowed inside at least one box like compartment, which is at least one part of the rear structure.

A solar panel can include at least one solar cell having a first surface and a second surface facing in mutually opposing directions; a first substrate disposed on the first surface of the at least one solar cell; a first encapsulant disposed between the first substrate and the at least one solar cell; a second substrate disposed on the second surface; and a second encapsulant disposed between the second substrate and the at least one solar cell, in which the second substrate includes a steel plate or fiber reinforced plastic.

A vehicle mounted energy generator and storage system includes: a screened air inlet facing a front of the vehicle through which air enters when the vehicle is moving forward; a pneumatic barrel impeller assembly including one or more integral impeller air vanes positioned such that air flowing through the air inlet applies positive pressure to the one or more impeller air vanes to turn the pneumatic barrel impeller assembly and drive one or more generator/transmission assemblies; one or more batteries receiving energy generated by the pneumatic barrel impeller assembly; and an evacuation blower applying negative pressure to the rear of the impeller air vanes by evacuating air through one or more screened outlets not facing the front of the vehicle.

A vehicle for supplying solar charging panel generated power to a high-voltage battery or an auxiliary battery based on a SOC is provided. The vehicle includes a motor, an electric field load, a high-voltage battery that supplies power to the motor, and an auxiliary battery that supplies the power to the electric field load. A battery sensor measures a SOC of each battery. A solar charging panel measures an amount of solar light and generates the power based on solar energy. A controller calculates generable power through the solar charging panel based on the measured amount of light when starting of the vehicle is off. The solar charging panel is operated to generate power when the generable power is greater than the power consumption in the power generation through the solar charging panel, and supplies the generated power to one of the batteries based on the SOC of each.

Methods and systems for substantially continual electrical power generation for a moving vehicle are disclosed herein. According to the various embodiments discussed herein, the battery range can be increased significantly using a variety of energy sources. The energy sources are configured to facilitate continual electricity generation based on: (i) one or more generators positioned around predetermined vehicle parts; (ii) wind energy created by the motion of the vehicle in relation to the surrounding medium, and (iii) solar energy. According to an embodiment, the system for continual electrical power generation in a moving vehicle comprises a generator having a coil-and-magnet arrangement around one or more vehicle components/modified components. In another embodiment, the system comprises an energy generator for converting solar energy and wind energy into electricity.

A method of fabricating an airfoil, and the airfoil or airfoil skin so fabricated, including a solar cell array arranged on the surface of the airfoil by providing and utilizing an assembly fixture having a smooth, concave surface. An uncured supporting film composed of a composite material (such as a carbon fiber composite) is mounted directly on the back side of the solar cells; and the film of composite material is co-cured on the assembly fixture so that the array of interconnected solar cells is bonded to the supporting film. The bonded and cured film of composite material and an array of interconnected solar cells is then removed from the assembly fixture.

Methods and systems for substantially continual electrical power generation for a moving vehicle are disclosed herein. According to the various embodiments discussed herein, the battery range can be increased significantly using a variety of energy sources. The energy sources are configured to facilitate continual electricity generation based on: (i) one or more generators positioned around predetermined vehicle parts; (ii) wind energy created by the motion of the vehicle in relation to the surrounding medium, and (iii) solar energy. According to an embodiment, the system for continual electrical power generation in a moving vehicle comprises a generator having a coil-and-magnet arrangement around one or more vehicle components/modified components. In another embodiment, the system comprises an energy generator for converting solar energy and wind energy into electricity.

A multimodal renewable energy generation system for generating electric power from more than one renewable energy source is disclosed herein. The system includes two or more spinner units configured on a vertical pillar. The spinner units are configured for rotation under influence of a stream of a corresponding fluid. A set of electric power generators is operatively coupled to each of the two or more spinner units to generate electric power when the corresponding spinner unit rotates. At least one of the two or more spinner units is configured close to a base portion of the pillar to harness power from sea waves and remaining of the two or more spinner units are configured with an upper portion of the pillar for harnessing power from wind. The spinner units are configured for rotation in a horizontal plane which provides an advantage of turning even at less powerful winds or water streams.