Various apparatuses and methods are provided for measuring the likely environmental impact of a particular geographic location on power generation properties of potential solar installations at the particular location. In an example embodiment of one such apparatus, a measurement device is provided. The measurement device includes a base portion comprising a base frame element disposed on a plurality of supporting legs, and a top panel comprising a series of connected members and one or more measurement modules whose planar dimensions are defined by the series of connected members. The top panel is connected to the base portion by a joint such that the top panel can rotate about the joint, and a panel support element is configured to fasten the top panel immovably at a desired degree of rotation in relation to the base portion.

The invention relates to a device for anchoring an inflatable concentrator cushion, which has a light-permeable entry window for coupling in solar radiation and a reflector film, which sub-divides the concentrator cushion into at least two hollow spaces, for the concentration of solar radiation in an absorber, comprising a pivoting apparatus for pivoting the concentrator cushion, in particular about its longitudinal axis, and comprising an anchoring apparatus for the pivoting apparatus.

A joint for unfolding and locking a solar generator or a reflector, or other aerospace components that can be unfolded, includes two half joints, a joint axis, and a drive. A drive spring of the drive has a progressive characteristic curve over the unfolding angle of the two half joints, which increases over the unfolding, to compensate for a frictional torque that varies over the unfolding angle.

The invention relates to a device for the concentration of solar radiation in an absorber, comprising an inflatable concentrator cushion, which comprises a cover film element comprising a light-permeable entry window for coupling in solar radiation and a reflector film, which sub-divides the concentrator cushion into at least two hollow spaces, for the concentration of solar radiation in an absorber, comprising a pivoting apparatus, by means of which the concentrator cushion can be pivoted, in particular about its longitudinal axis, and comprising a retaining apparatus secured (mounted) to the pivoting apparatus for retaining the concentrator cushion, which retaining apparatus comprising an upper longitudinal member extending in the longitudinal direction of the concentrator cushion, suspending the absorber, wherein the upper longitudinal member is arranged on a substantially air-tight closed upper passage opening of the concentrator cushion.

A collapsible reflector includes a plurality of reflective blades which are rotatably arranged around a common axis. Each blade has a leading edge and a trailing edge. The blades are substantially flat and stacked above one another between a top blade and a bottom blade when the reflector is in a retracted position. The blades rotate and elastically bend to form an approximately dish-shaped arrangement when in an extended position. The leading edge of each blade is arranged below the trailing edge of the adjacent blade when the reflector is in the extended position. This includes the leading edge of the top blade, which is below the trailing edge of the bottom blade when the reflector is in the extended position. One blade may be fixedly connected to a central hub, enabling quick setup and disassembly of the reflector.

Linear fresnel solar power system which is transportable in a goods container which comprises a number of rows of reflective mirrors (6), an automatic cleaning system (10), a linear receiver (18) and a support structure designed to be assembled on a commercial goods container (1). In turn, the support structure comprises two foldable lateral platforms (2) capable of adopting two fixed positions, a vertical position, wherein all the elements on the platform remain inside the volume of the structure of the container, thereby allowing for the latter to be transported and/or stored using conventional methods, and a horizontal position that allows for the system to operate as a conventional linear fresnel solar collector. The rows of reflective mirrors (6), mounted on mirror-carrying banks (7), and at least two ballast tanks (11), used as excess weight in order to reduce the necessary foundations, are placed on the foldable lateral platforms (2). The automatic cleaning system (10) comprises movement rails (12), along which central stiffeners (16) move. At least one cleaning unit (15) for each row of mirrors (6) is joined to these central stiffeners (16). In turn, the cleaning units (15) comprise an element manufactured with absorbent materials (13), an upper cover (14) and a water supply system. The linear receiver (18) comprises an external casing (4), end supports (3) and intermediate supports (5). In turn, the external casing (4) comprises a transparent cover (23), insulating means (21), a secondary reflective surface (22) and at least one tubular receiver (9).

A solar module comprising at least a plurality of lamellar solar panels, which are mounted pivotably, about a common axis, on an elongate support and can be and which can be moved between a first position, in which they are disposed on top of each other substantially congruently and parallel to the support, and a second position, in which they lie substantially next to each other in a fanned out manner about the aforementioned axis, wherein the support can be pivoted out of a housing, which accommodates the support together with the solar panels in the first position of the panels, characterized in that the solar module comprises two supports of the aforementioned type equipped with solar panels in the manner described, wherein the two supports are pivotably hinged at the diametrical longitudinal ends of an elongate base support, which is mounted rotatably, about an approximately vertical axis, in the housing.

A localized heating structure includes a spectrally-selective solar absorber, that absorbs incident solar radiation and reflects at wavelengths longer than 2 m, with an underlying heat-spreading layer having a thermal conductivity equal to or greater than 50 W/(mK), a thermally insulating layer, adjacent to the spectrally-selective solar absorber, having a thermal conductivity of less than 0.1 W/(mK), one or more evaporation openings through the spectrally-selective solar absorber and the thermally insulating layer, and an evaporation wick, disposed in one or more of the evaporation openings in the thermally insulating layer, that contacts liquid and allows the liquid to be transported from a location beneath the thermally insulating layer through to the spectrally-selective solar absorber in order to generate vapor from the liquid. The thermally insulating layer is configured to have a density less than the liquid so that the localized heating structure is able to float on the liquid.