Solarreserve Technology, LLC

Planet a Energy, Inc.

Other

Energy Innovations, Inc.

Soliant Energy, Inc.

Suncore Photovoltaics Incorporated

Energy Cache, Inc.

Emcore Corporation

Braden Eric Hines

Richard L Johnson, Jr

Richard Lee Johnson

Christian T Gregory

William Tod Gross

Michael F Turk

Richard J Russell

Michael R Bowser

Steven Andrew Cashion

John Terry Bailey

Howard C Holmes

Russ Neff

Mark B Farrelly

Guido Hamacher

Emerick Varga

William T Gross

Terry J Bailey

Russell Neff

Aaron D Fyke

James T Baker

A system for detecting the aim of a concentrating solar collector. The system includes a plurality of baffled photodetectors which observe various regions of the target focal plane through a set of tailored apertures. When configured in an exemplary way, the detector system can mimic the behavior of a quad cell while achieving a safe standoff distance from the intense solar radiation at the focus.

Detector and tracker

An indirect-view quad cell detector for sun tracking. In some embodiments, a system includes: a concentrating solar collector, having a nominal focus within a target region; an indirect-view first baffle element located near the focal plane; a first photodetector with an indirect view of a point in the target region via the indirect-view baffle; and a first aperture in the baffle providing a view of a first point in the target region to the first photodetector.

Indirect-view quad cell detector for sun tracking

A system for receiving, transferring, and storing solar thermal energy. The system includes a concentrating solar energy collector, a transfer conduit, a thermal storage material, and an insulated container. The insulated container contains the thermal storage material, and the transfer conduit is configured to transfer solar energy collected by the solar energy collector to the thermal storage material through a wall of the insulated container.

Solid state solar thermal energy collector

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods to provide a control system for the purpose of redirecting light from a source onto a target. The present invention appreciates that the optical properties of light that is both modified and/or distributed, e.g. by diffraction, diffusion, or some other process, and also redirected by a heliostat, can be a function of how the light redirecting element is aimed. This means that the aim of the light redirecting element can be precisely determined once the aim of the modified and/or distributed light is known. Advantageously, the characteristics of modified and/or distributed light indicative of how that light is aimed can be determined from locations outside the zone of concentrated illumination in which sensors are at undue risk. This, in turn, means that modified and/or distributed light characteristics can be detected at a safe location, and this information can then be used to help precisely aim the light redirecting element onto the desired target, such as a receiver in a CSP system. The aim of the modified and/or distributed light is thus an accurate proxy for the light beam to be aimed at the receiver.

Optical proxy for sensing and pointing of light sources

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods to provide a control system for the purpose of redirecting light from a source onto a target. The present invention appreciates that the diffraction pattern for light that is both diffracted and re-directed by a heliostat is a function of how the light redirecting element is aimed. This means that the aim of the light redirecting element can be precisely determined once the aim of the diffracted light is known. Advantageously, the characteristics of diffracted light indicative of how the diffracted light is aimed can be determined from locations outside the zone of concentrated illumination in which sensors are at undue risk. This, in turn, means that diffracted light characteristics can be detected at a safe location, and this information can then be used to help precisely aim the light redirecting element onto the desired target, such as a receiver in a CSP system. The aim of the diffracted light is thus an accurate proxy for the light beam to be aimed at the receiver.

Apparatus and method for pointing light sources

The present invention is directed to systems, devices and methods utilizing a proxy device that indicates directional aspects of redirected light from a corresponding light redirecting element by the position of one or more redirected light beams in one or more directions or coordinates on such a proxy device. The position characteristics of light redirected from the proxy device correlate to the aim of the light redirecting element associated with the proxy. This allows the proxy information to be used to accurately determine and control the aim of the light redirecting element.

Using optical proxy light to aim redirected light at a target using heliostats

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods to provide a closed loop pointing system for the purpose of redirecting light from a source onto a target. In one aspect the present invention relates to a method of redirecting incident light, comprising the steps of: using at least one light redirecting element to redirect the incident light; providing a plurality of optical proxies that are associated with the reflecting element in a manner such that at least two of the optical proxies distribute a portion of the incident light uniquely relative to each other, wherein optical information encoded in the light distributed by the optical proxies cumulatively correlates to the aim of the light redirecting element; observing the optical information distributed by the optical proxies; and using the optical information to controllably actuate the light redirecting element in a manner that aims the redirected light onto a target.

Compound optical proxy for sensing and pointing of light sources

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for configuring and arranging heliostats for use in a solar power system. The present invention seeks to improve the overall energy harvesting capacity of a heliostat system while using minimal land area and providing maximum access paths. The present invention teaches that, instead of raising the height of the tower or spacing heliostats according to a rigid schedule, it may be advantageous to vary the height of individual mirrors within a heliostat group, thus mitigating blocking while nonetheless permitting adjacent rows of heliostats to be placed close to one another.

Apparatus and method for configuring heliostat fields

The present invention relates to photovoltaic power systems, photovoltaic concentrator modules, and related methods. In particular, the present invention features concentrator modules having interior points of attachment for an articulating mechanism and/or an articulating mechanism that has a unique arrangement of chassis members so as to isolate bending, etc. from being transferred among the chassis members. The present invention also features adjustable solar panel mounting features and/or mounting features with two or more degrees of freedom. The present invention also features a mechanical fastener for secondary optics in a concentrator module.

Concentrating photovoltaic solar panel

Some embodiments relate to an energy storage and generation system, comprising a cable system having a first end portion located at a first elevation and a second end portion located at a second elevation, a plurality of mass carriers supported by the cable system, one or more motor generators coupled with the cable system and with an energy grid, a control system in communication with at least the one or more motor generators, a first mass pile area configured to store mass medium positioned at the first elevation, and a second mass pile area configured to store mass medium positioned at the second elevation that can be higher than the first elevation. The one or more motor generators can move the cable system in an energy storing state and be moved by the cable in an energy generating state. The system can store energy by transferring mass medium from the first mass pile area to the second mass pile area, and can generate energy by transferring mass medium from the second mass pile area to the first mass pile area.

Apparatuses and methods for energy storage

A tracking concentrator with a positioning system for alternately aiming the tracking solar concentrator based on the sun or a database is disclosed. The preferred positioning system comprises a sensor adapted to detect an incident light level; a tracking database comprising solar angle information; an orientation processor; one or more actuators for aiming the one or more optical elements based on the orientation processor; wherein the orientation processor is configured to track the sun based on (a) the receiver if the sensed light level exceeds a determined threshold, and (b) the tracking database if the sensed light level does not exceed the determined threshold.

Tracking solar collector with parallel arrays of cells

A hybrid optical component that collects and concentrates incident light. The hybrid component includes both refractive and reflective elements. In preferred embodiments, refractive and reflective components focus rays on a common focal plane generally located at the bottom of the reflector where they are absorbed by a device such as a photovoltaic (solar) cell. Additionally, the optical component combines both imaging and non-imaging optical elements into a single device, for improved overall performance.

Hybrid primary optical component for optical concentrators

The present invention relates to photovoltaic power systems, photovoltaic concentrator modules, and related methods.

Photovoltaic concentrator modules and systems having a heat dissipating element located within a volume in which light rays converge from an optical concentrating element towards a photovoltaic receiver

Growing community of inventors

Pasadena, CA, United States of America

Braden Eric Hines