An integrated wind and solar solution is provided, including a solar energy collection assembly (100) and a vertical axis wind turbine (400), combined to provide an integrated power output. In preferred embodiments, the vertical axis wind turbine is positioned above the solar energy collection assembly. Concentrating solar mirror collectors (116) are used to direct sunlight to a heat engine (250), which converts the collected heat energy into rotary motion. Rotary motion from the heat engine and from the vertical axis wind turbine preferably are on the same rotating axis (600), to facilitate load sharing between these two sources. A dual axis azimuth-altitude solar panel alignment tracking system is used in order to boost the energy conversion capability of the solar energy collectors.

A roof product has a thermal heat storage layer, a vent layer with channels for transferring excess heat through a length of the roof product, and a flame retardant to suppress fire through the vent layer. These three materials form a unitary structure. The roof product may have a radiant layer, the thermal heat storage layer and the vent layer to form the unitary structure. The roof products are assembled in an abutting configuration on the roof of a building. The vent layer vents excess heat from an eave of the roof up to a ridge of the roof and out to atmosphere. The roof products manage thermal energy in the roof by storing thermal heat with the unitary roof product during a heating cycle; venting excess heat through the unitary product; and releasing the stored thermal heat from the unitary product into or out of the building during a cooling cycle.

The present application relates to a modular tower-type solar thermal power generation system, which comprises: a solar thermal collector device configured for collecting solar thermal energy, a heat exchanger connected to the solar thermal collector device and configured for producing superheated saturated steam, and a thermal power conversion device connected to the heat exchanger and configured for converting the superheated saturated steam into electrical energy; the solar thermal collector device comprises a plurality of tower-type solar thermal modules. By adopting a solar power generation system with a modular solar energy collector device, the present application can simplify the construction process, reduce the construction period, and can further reduce design cost and investment cost of a power station, as well as improve the efficiency of the heliostat field; moreover, when one of the single towers malfunctions, the working situations of other tower-type solar thermal modules won't be affected, and thus the continuity and stability of power supply using the whole power generation system are ensure.

A solar collector 1 for the temporary storage of heat from solar radiation comprising a radiation conductor 8, 9 for conducting the solar radiation, and lens means 7 for concentrating solar radiation onto a first extremity of the radiation conductor. A thermally-insulated core 2 is provided on an opposite second extremity of the radiation conductor 8, 9 in order to be heated by the solar radiation released from the radiation conductor and temporarily storing the heat. For this purpose, the core is provided with an insulated casing 4, virtually completely enveloping the core, which insulated casing 4 comprises a layer of porous ceramic material.

A solar power system comprises a solar receiver, a heated solids storage tank downstream of the solar receiver, a fluidized bed heat exchanger downstream of the heated solids storage tank, and means for transporting solid particles from the fluidized bed heat exchanger to a cold solids storage tank upstream of the solar receiver. The fluidized bed heat exchanger includes a first fluidized bed and a second fluidized bed. Solid particles flow through the fluidized bed heat exchanger and transfer heat energy to heating surfaces in the two fluidized beds. The system permits the solid particles to absorb more energy and permits a constant energy output from the fluidized bed heat exchanger.

The invention relates to a device comprising at least one vertical pump (3) and at least one associated turbine (4) for transporting, over a level difference, a heat-transfer fluid brought to a high temperature, wherein the device further comprises a device for mechanically coupling the turbine (4) with the pump (3), comprising a gearbox (21) with a gimbal coupling (41) located on the turbine (4) side, allowing the mechanical energy produced by the turbine (4) to be reused to actuate the pump (3).

A gravity driven Thermosiphon solar water heating system to harness solar insolation in low sunshine regions. This innovatory system uses CO.sub.2 as the working fluid to collect even mild sunlight to heat the water in sub-zero temperature areas. This solar water heater harnesses solar energy by fitting U-shaped copper heat removal pipes in evacuated glass tubes. This system works automatically by natural thermosiphon circulation force caused by density difference of supercritical CO.sub.2 at different temperatures. This innovatory solar water heater can perform in ice cold temperature areas where water based systems cease to function after freezing.

A heat storage system using sand as a solid heat storage medium has a fluidized bed heat exchanger (3) arranged between and separated from a storage tank (1) for cold sand and a storage tank (2) for hot sand by weirs (4, 5). The heat exchanger (3) is divided into a plurality of chambers (7) by weirs (6). The weirs (4, 5, 6) are arranged as a combination of overflow and underflow weirs. Fluidized sand is produced in the chambers (7) by a blower (14) positioned underneath the heat exchanger (3). Heat is transferred from a heat source to the sand fluidized and from the fluidized sand to a heat transport medium by transferring mechanisms (8, 9) in the chambers (7). The sand is redirected in a horizontal direction by horizontally acting blowers and/or installations (12) projecting into a respective chamber from a side.

A closed-loop system and method for heating of target contaminant treatment zones (150) having environmental contaminants of concern present in the groundwater and the soil by thermal conduction, and subsequent enhancement of physical, biological and chemical processes to attenuate, remove and degrade contaminants in the target contaminant treatment zones, is disclosed. The system and method collects solar or other heat and transfers that heat via a closed-loop and a set of borehole exchangers (120) to subsurface soil in the proximity of and/or directly to the target contaminant treatment zones. The target contaminant treatment zone may comprise contaminated soil, contaminated groundwater in an aquifer, or industrial waste comprising water and/or solids. Solar collectors or heat exchangers capturing waste heat from industrial processes may be used as the heat source (110).

A transparent solar heat absorbing apparatus includes a transparent member allowing sunlight to pass through, a wavelength selective member disposed beneath the transparent member, a heating tank formed between the transparent member and the wavelength selective member. The wavelength selective member allows light in a transmission range including at least a visible wavelength range to pass through and reflects light in a reflection range including at least an infrared wavelength range. At least one of the transparent member and the wavelength selective member has a waveform structure on at least one of its upper surface and bottom surface.