A method for increasing the energy output of an already installed solar power plant is provided including at least one first solar panel, which is absorbing sunlight in a first frequency band, wherein a semi-transparent second solar panel, which absorbs light in a second frequency band, is mounted on top of at least one of the at least one first solar panel and connected to a power electronics device of the solar power plant including at least one solar inverter, wherein the first and second frequency bands do not or only partially overlap such that the second solar panel allows at least a part of the light of the first frequency band to pass.

A solar tracking system comprises multiple solar panel modules forming a grid of solar panel modules, wherein the multiple solar panel modules are orientatable to a solar source independently of each other; and a control system configured to orient each of the multiple solar panel modules to the solar source independently of each other based on a performance model to optimize an energy output from the grid of solar panel modules, wherein the performance model predicts an energy output from the grid of solar panel modules based on a topography of the area containing the grid of solar panel modules and weather conditions local to each of the solar panel modules.

Systems, methods and apparatuses for inspecting a tank containing a flammable fluid are provided. The system includes a vehicle having a propeller, a latch mechanism, a pressure switch, and an inspection device. The system includes a control unit in communication with the propeller, the latch mechanism, and the inspection device, and electrically connected to the pressure switch. The control unit powers on responsive to the pressure switch detecting an ambient pressure greater than a minimum threshold. The control unit receives, from the latch mechanism, an indication of a state of the latch mechanism. The control unit determines that the cable used to lower the vehicle into the tank containing the flammable fluid is detached from the vehicle. The control unit commands the propeller to move the vehicle through the flammable fluid. The control unit determines a quality metric of a portion of the tank.

Systems, methods and apparatuses for inspecting a tank containing a flammable fluid are provided. The system includes a vehicle having a propeller, a latch mechanism, a pressure switch, and an inspection device. The system includes a control unit in communication with the propeller, the latch mechanism, and the inspection device, and electrically connected to the pressure switch. The control unit powers on responsive to the pressure switch detecting an ambient pressure greater than a minimum threshold. The control unit receives, from the latch mechanism, an indication of a state of the latch mechanism. The control unit determines that the cable used to lower the vehicle into the tank containing the flammable fluid is detached from the vehicle. The control unit commands the propeller to move the vehicle through the flammable fluid. The control unit determines a quality metric of a portion of the tank.

The present invention provides a full-azimuth irradiation tracking method, a detection apparatus, and a solar tracker. The method comprises: acquiring a multi-azimuth irradiation data combination in a full-azimuth irradiation tracking mode; calculating a target tracking angle with a maximum irradiation amount among a plurality of azimuths according to the multi-azimuth irradiation data combination, and rotating the solar tracker according to the target tracking angle; collecting irradiation data at a position reached after the solar tracker is rotated, and calculating and analyzing whether the solar tracker is rotated and reaches a target position corresponding to the target tracking angle; and when the solar tracker is rotated and reaches the target position corresponding to the target tracking angle, controlling the solar tracker to maintain for a preset time at the target position. By means of the described solution, the multi-azimuth irradiation data combination can be obtained in the full-azimuth irradiation tracking mode, and an optimal tracking angle can be obtained by analyzing and determining, so that the solar tracker obtains the maximum irradiation amount and maintains for the preset time, thereby being able to increase a power generation amount.

A system includes a tracker configured to collect solar irradiance and attached to a rotational mechanism for changing a plane of the tracker and a controller. The controller is programmed to store a plurality of positional and solar tracking information and detect a first amount of DHI and a first amount of DNI at a first specific point in time. If the first amount of SHI exceeds the first amount of DNI, the controller is programmed to calculate a first angle for the tracker to maximize an amount of irradiance received by the tracker. Otherwise, the controller is programmed to calculate the first angle for the tracker based on a position of the sun associated with the first specific point in time and the plurality of positional and solar tracking information.

A solar tracker system includes a support tube, a solar panel assembly connected to the support tube, and an active lock connected to the support tube. The active lock includes a housing defining a chamber and a seal. The seal prevents a flow of fluid through the chamber when the active lock is in a sealed state and allows the flow of fluid through the chamber when the active lock is in an unsealed state. The active lock further includes a locking system motor connected to the seal to transition the active lock between the sealed state and the unsealed state, a battery providing power to the locking system motor, and an antenna for receiving instructions controlling the locking system motor.

Disclosed are a plant growth management system and a control method thereof. A station device of the plant growth management system includes a flowerpot detector configured detect entry of a movable flowerpot device and to generate a detection signal according to whether entry of the movable flowerpot device is detected, a wireless charger configured to wirelessly supply power to the movable flowerpot device according to the detection signal, and a water supply device configured to supply water to a flowerpot included in the movable flowerpot device according to the detection signal, wherein the movable flowerpot device includes an obstacle detection sensor and a solar detection sensor, performs autonomous driving based on the obstacle detection sensor and the solar detection sensor, searches for a space, an illuminance value of which is equal to or greater than a preset illuminance value, through the autonomous driving, and performs rotational motion in the searched space.

A trajectory plan generation device executes a first search process for searching for a plurality of position candidates which are movement destinations of the tip portion within a predetermined distance from first trajectory information indicating positions and postures of the tip portion between the start point and the end point, a second search process for searching for a plurality of posture candidates of the tip portion that change within an allowable range by spherical interpolation based on postures of the tip portion at the start point and the end point, a determination process for determining second trajectory information indicating positions and postures of movement destinations of the tip portion from the first trajectory information based on the plurality of position candidates searched for by the first search process and the plurality of posture candidates searched for by the second search process, and an output process.

A trajectory plan generation device executes a first search process for searching for a plurality of position candidates which are movement destinations of the tip portion within a predetermined distance from first trajectory information indicating positions and postures of the tip portion between the start point and the end point, a second search process for searching for a plurality of posture candidates of the tip portion that change within an allowable range by spherical interpolation based on postures of the tip portion at the start point and the end point, a determination process for determining second trajectory information indicating positions and postures of movement destinations of the tip portion from the first trajectory information based on the plurality of position candidates searched for by the first search process and the plurality of posture candidates searched for by the second search process, and an output process.