CN120826870A

CN120826870A - Solar collector buildings

Info

Publication number: CN120826870A
Application number: CN202480016516.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 梅纳什·阿尔苏斯
Original assignee: Solar Fence Group Co ltd
Current assignee: Solar Fence Group Co ltd
Priority date: 2023-02-05
Filing date: 2024-01-25
Publication date: 2025-10-21
Also published as: WO2024161389A1; AU2024216026A1; EP4659347A1; IL322250A

Abstract

Methods and systems for using buildings as solar collectors, and more particularly, but not exclusively, for windows, exterior walls, roofs, and skylights, to collect direct and/or indirect solar radiation over a range of angles.

Description

Solar collector building

Related application

The present application claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 63/443,397, no. 63/443,404, no. 2023, no. 2, 5, and No. 63/448,291, both filed on No. 2023, no. 2, 26, according to the provisions of 35USC 119 (e), which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Technical field and background art

The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to methods and systems for using buildings as solar collectors, and more particularly, but not exclusively, for windows, exterior walls, roofs and skylights to collect direct and/or indirect solar radiation over a range of angles.

Solar energy is a candidate for clean, renewable energy. More and more people install solar energy transducers (e.g. Photovoltaic (PV) panels) on buildings to take advantage of this renewable resource to reduce electricity costs, reduce fossil fuel consumption and/or to be rewarded by delivering excess electricity to the grid.

The amount of solar energy generated depends on the surface area and/or the light intensity and/or the angle of incidence of the solar energy transducer (transducer). In general, more solar panels means more energy is produced. In general, solar panels occupy a lot of space, some roofs or yards are not large enough to accommodate the number of solar panels required to power a home, building or business, especially in urban environments. The amount of electricity generated by a solar panel may be sensitive to the direction of the sun and/or may vary significantly due to the time of day and/or the date of the year and/or the angle of the panel mounting surface.

Many solar panels are designed to collect direct solar radiation, which limits the angle and position at which they can be placed. The angle of some building surfaces (e.g., walls, windows, roofs, etc.) may be detrimental to direct solar energy collection.

International patent application publication No. WO2023012805 by the inventor discloses a prismatic solar concentrator, "comprising a plurality of prisms made of transparent material, each prism having a front face and at least three back faces, wherein each prism is attached to an adjacent prism such that its front faces are aligned, forming a flat-panel-like solar cell array having a planar front face and a three-dimensional structured back face, and a plurality of solar cells that generate electricity in response to light, wherein the plurality of solar cells are attached to some of the back faces of the plurality of prisms.

German patent application publication DE19609283 discloses a "multicell concentrator with a photovoltaic solar cell surface having a plurality of rectangular or circular surfaces. These form the basic surface of the same internal specular funnel, concentrating the vertically impinging solar radiation and reflecting it uniformly onto the solar cell. The aperture surface of the incident radiation forms a multiple C of the total cell surface, C representing the concentration factor. Preferably, the solar cell surface consists of a sufficient number of identically sized circular facets onto which the C-amplified solar radiation impinges through the same number of condenser lenses.

International patent application publication No. WO2023012805 discloses a solar cell module having a light-collecting plate having one main surface from which sunlight enters the light-collecting plate and at least one end surface, propagates inside the light-collecting plate, and is emitted from the at least one end surface in the form of a light beam, a solar cell element provided on the end surface of the light-collecting plate, the solar cell element receiving the light beam emitted from the end surface and generating electric power, and a reflector provided on the back surface side of the light-collecting plate, the reflector reflecting the light passing through the light-collecting plate toward a predetermined direction on the sunlight incidence path side of the main surface with respect to the normal direction.

International patent application publication No. WO2023012805 discloses a transmissive optical concentrator comprising an elliptical collector aperture and non-elliptical exit aperture, the concentrator being operable to concentrate radiation incident on the collector aperture. The body of the concentrator may have a substantially hyperbolic outer profile. Also disclosed are a photovoltaic cell employing such a concentrator and a photovoltaic building unit comprising an array of optically transmissive concentrators, each having an elliptical collector aperture, and an array of photovoltaic cells, each aligned with an exit aperture of a concentrator, wherein the area between adjacent collector apertures is transmissive to visible radiation. "

Japanese patent application publication No. JP2015095351a discloses "a decorative material having a solar cell capable of suppressing deterioration of solar cell characteristics due to variation in light incidence angle and incident light intensity when a plurality of solar cells are connected in series in a solar cell module. There is provided a decorative material having a solar cell, including a dye-sensitized solar cell module obtained by a plurality of dye-sensitized solar cells connected in series, an optical member disposed on the dye-sensitized solar cell module and having an emission angle range smaller than an incident angle range, and a design member disposed on the optical member and having a transmission region.

Disclosure of Invention

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a building configured to collect solar energy, comprising a solar energy transducer, and an exterior surface of the building configured to direct solar energy onto the solar energy transducer.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the outer surface includes a lighting element (DAYLIGHT ELEMENT) configured to split light impinging on the lighting element by at least one of reflection and refraction, thereby directing a first portion of light impinging on the outer surface of the lighting element to the solar energy transducer and a second portion of light impinging on the outer surface of the lighting element into the building.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the solar energy transducer comprises at least one of a crystalline silicon photovoltaic collector, a thin film photovoltaic collector, and a thermal collector.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the outer surface comprises a cladding (cladding) of the building.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the solar energy transducer extends outwardly from the outer surface of the building.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the orientation of the solar energy transducer is adjustable.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the lighting element comprises a semi-reflective surface that reflects light to the solar energy transducer.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the semi-reflective surface comprises a semi-reflective window.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the outer surface comprises a prism, and the solar energy transducer is located on at least one surface of the prism.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the solar energy transducer is located on an inner surface of the prism.

According to some embodiments of the invention, at least one inner surface of the prism is transparent and facilitates viewing the building outward.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the prism is a load bearing member.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the prism is not a load bearing member.

According to some embodiments of the invention, a first portion of the exterior surface of the building is configured to direct solar energy to the solar energy transducer, the first portion being separated from a second portion of the exterior surface by a spacer, the second portion being configured to direct solar energy to a second solar energy transducer.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the separating includes distinguishing between different wavelengths of light.

According to some embodiments of the invention, light of a first wavelength beneficial to plant growth is directed to plants within a building, while light of a second wavelength less beneficial to plant growth than the first wavelength is directed to the solar energy transducer.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a method of using a building as a solar collector system, the method comprising receiving solar energy on an exterior surface of a building, directing solar energy onto a solar energy transducer by at least one of reflection and refraction through the exterior surface of the building, and converting solar radiation into a useful transportable form using the solar energy transducer.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the method further comprises at least one of reflecting and refracting to separate light impinging on the outer surface, and directing a first portion of light impinging on the outer surface to the solar energy transducer, and a second portion of light impinging on the outer surface to a lighting element in the building.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the guiding is directed towards the solar energy transducer extending outwardly from the outer surface of the building.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the method further comprises adjusting an orientation of the solar energy transducer.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the method further comprises reflecting light from a semi-reflective surface on the outer surface to the solar energy transducer.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the method further comprises looking outwardly from the building through the semi-reflective surface.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the outer surface comprises a prism, and the method further comprises refracting light through the prism to the solar energy transducer at least one surface of the prism.

According to some embodiments of the invention, at least one inner surface of the prism is transparent, and the method further comprises looking outwardly from the building through the at least one inner surface.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the method further comprises supporting a load on the prism.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the method further comprises directing light of a first wavelength beneficial to plant growth to a plant within the building and directing light of a second wavelength less beneficial to plant growth than the first wavelength to the solar energy transducer.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the method further comprises positioning the solar energy transducer or the outer surface according to user preferences to improve solar energy collection, provide shade, promote light passage, prevent line of sight obstruction, or any combination thereof.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the method further comprises passing a beam of solar radiation through a refractive surface of a prismatic solar collector, and capturing the light within the prism.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the method further comprises separating the light beam and reflecting (bouncing) it between the faces of the prism onto a plurality of solar energy transducers to effectively provide power and/or heat.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a system for collecting solar energy comprising a solar energy transducer and an exterior surface of the building configured to direct solar energy onto the solar energy transducer.

Drawings

Some embodiments of the invention are described herein, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. Referring now in specific detail to the drawings, it should be emphasized that the details shown are by way of example and serve for illustrative discussion of embodiments of the invention. In this regard, the description taken with the drawings make apparent to those skilled in the art how the embodiments of the present invention may be embodied.

In the illustration:

FIGS. 1A-1D are schematic illustrations of various shaped prismatic (prismatic) solar collectors according to some embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a prismatic solar collector according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 3A-3E are schematic diagrams of various prismatic solar collectors according to some embodiments of the present invention;

Fig. 4A-4B are schematic diagrams of exemplary structures according to some embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 5 is an exemplary schematic diagram illustrating a prismatic solar collector array and prismatic action according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

Fig. 6A-6C are schematic diagrams illustrating angles of reflection of rays of sunlight through a prismatic solar collector according to some embodiments of the present invention;

fig. 7A-7B are schematic diagrams illustrating angles of reflection of rays of sunlight through a prismatic solar collector according to some embodiments of the present invention;

Fig. 8A-8B are schematic diagrams illustrating angles of refraction of rays of sunlight through a prismatic solar collector according to some embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating the refractive angle of rays of sunlight through a prismatic solar collector according to some embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating the angles of multiple reflections of rays of sunlight through a prismatic solar collector according to some embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating an array of a plurality of prismatic solar collectors according to some embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a graph of the apparent solar angle (apparent sun angle) viewed through a prism versus the actual solar angle impinging on the prism, according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 13 is a schematic view of angles of refraction of a solar panel according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating a prismatic solar collector according to some embodiments of the present invention (see 11, no side)

FIG. 15 is a block diagram illustrating a prismatic solar collector according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

fig. 16 is a flow chart illustrating the use of a prismatic solar collector according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a flow chart illustrating the use of a prismatic solar collector according to some embodiments of the present invention;

18A-18C are various views of a structural array of prismatic solar collectors according to some embodiments of the present invention;

19A-19B are various views of a solar collection window through a prism according to some embodiments of the invention;

Fig. 20A-20B are schematic illustrations of placing a plurality of solar panels (shelves) outside a building to collect sunlight reflected from a reflective surface of the building, according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 21 is a schematic view of the present invention showing that it may be positioned outside of a building to collect reflected light from a reflective surface of the building in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 22A-22C are schematic diagrams of the present invention showing how a window and/or reflective wall panel (siding) of a building may be positioned at different angles, according to embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 23 is a schematic illustration of a multi-faceted (multifaceted) surface that can concentrate the sun onto a solar collector from a number of angles, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 24 is a flow chart of a method of system operation in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, and

Fig. 25 is a block diagram of a system according to an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description

SUMMARY

For the purposes of this disclosure, a solar energy transducer refers to a device that converts radiant energy of the sun into another form of transportable available energy. Examples of solar energy transducers include Photovoltaic (PV) collectors and solar thermal collectors that heat, for example, liquids (e.g., water).

For the purposes of this disclosure, a heat collector is a device that converts solar energy into heat, heating a confined fluid (typically water or air) circulating within the collector. This heated fluid may then be used in a variety of applications, such as space heating, hot water production, or industrial processes.

For the purposes of this disclosure, a photovoltaic collector is a device that converts sunlight directly into electrical energy by the photovoltaic effect. Without limiting the present disclosure to a particular theoretical model, the photovoltaic effect may be described as light striking electrons in a particular material, thereby producing an electrical current. Photovoltaic collectors include, for example, crystalline silicon collectors. For example, crystalline silicon collectors include single crystals (e.g., made of high purity silicon crystals) and polycrystalline crystals (e.g., using multiple silicon crystals). For example, photovoltaic collectors include thin film collectors. For example, the thin film collector may be made of multiple layers of semiconductor material deposited on a substrate. For example, photovoltaic collectors include emerging materials (e.g., perovskite and organic semiconductors).

Some embodiments relate to using buildings as solar collectors. Some embodiments relate to systems and/or methods suitable for exterior walls, roofs, and lighting elements (e.g., skylights and windows). Optionally, the building collects direct and/or indirect solar radiation at a range of angles.

For the purposes of this disclosure, a lighting element is any architectural feature that is intentionally designed to introduce natural light into the interior space of a building. The lighting element comprises building elements designed to collect and distribute natural light within a building, enhancing lighting and reducing the need for artificial lighting. Examples of light transmission include windows, skylights, and skylights that allow sunlight to directly enter an indoor space. Semi-transmissive elements, such as frosted glass, light diffusing screens, or textile shades, may transmit diffuse natural light while providing a degree of privacy and reducing glare. Examples of light-tight include light pipes (sometimes referred to as sun tunnels) that capture and transmit sunlight from the outside to the inside, utilizing reflective surfaces to enhance light diffusion, including light-blocking panels (e.g., horizontal surfaces placed near windows that reflect and redirect sunlight into deeper spaces while blocking direct glare). A daylighting well (whether transparent or opaque) is a vertical opening in a building that allows sunlight to reach lower floors (levels).

According to some embodiments, the systems and/or methods may relate to an enhanced collection solar collector. According to some embodiments, the internal and/or external reflectors may direct and/or indirect solar radiation onto a solar energy transducer (e.g., a solar panel). Alternatively, the external reflector may comprise a reflector external to the solar collector. Alternatively, the external reflector may comprise a reflective surface, such as a window, cladding, or the like. Alternatively, the inner surface may be a reflector and/or a refractor incorporated into the solar panel. Alternatively, the internal reflector may be a reflective surface, such as a mirror, an inclined surface, or the like. Alternatively, a reflective surface may be added to the solar panel and/or the architectural surface. Alternatively, the reflective surface may be a surface of a solar panel and/or a building surface. Alternatively, the building surface may be adjacent to the solar energy transducer. Alternatively, the building surface may be at a distance from the solar energy transducer. Alternatively, the distance from the solar energy transducer may be adjustable.

According to some embodiments, a prism may be used to collect solar radiation and/or direct solar radiation onto the solar energy transducer. Some embodiments relate to prismatic solar collectors. According to some embodiments, prismatic solar collectors may be used for power generation. According to some embodiments, a prismatic solar collector may include a prism configured to direct solar energy onto one or more solar energy transducers. Alternatively, the prismatic solar collector may include a prism configured to collect solar energy. Alternatively, the prism may collect solar energy and/or reflect solar energy onto a solar energy transducer inside and/or outside the prism.

According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector may collect direct and/or indirect solar radiation over a range of angles. According to some embodiments, a prismatic solar collector may be incorporated into a solar array (solar array). Alternatively, a prismatic solar collector may act as a solar cell array.

According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector may comprise bricks and/or blocks and/or columns and/or tiles and/or windows and/or beams of prisms, etc. Alternatively, the prismatic solar collector may be load-bearing and/or non-load-bearing.

According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector may act as a prism. According to some embodiments, a prism may be used to collect solar radiation and/or direct solar radiation onto the solar energy transducer. Alternatively, the prismatic collector may facilitate a certain amount of light passing through the prism to provide light and/or field of view to the space behind the collector. For example, the collector may be a window and/or skylight and/or glass block. Optionally, the optical element may facilitate collection of solar energy from one range of multiple angles and/or allow diffuse light to pass from another range of multiple angles and/or view a scene at another range of multiple angles. Alternatively, the solar collector and/or optical element may be adjustable, for example, to follow the sun through the sky.

Additionally, or alternatively, other techniques (e.g., reflectors and/or lenses) may be used to direct sunlight onto the solar energy transducers. According to some embodiments, reflected sunlight may be collected. For example, many modern buildings, particularly office buildings, are constructed with reflective wall panels. The reflective wall panels may be glass treated and/or coated with a material that reflects sunlight. Reflective wall panels may be cladding (e.g., to protect a building from extreme weather conditions, such as high temperature, cold, wind, rain, etc., or for aesthetics, etc.).

In some embodiments, the solar collector system may be positioned to collect solar radiation reflected from a reflective surface (e.g., a partially reflective window) of a building.

Some embodiments may relate to systems and/or methods for positioning a solar collector to collect solar energy reflected from a building surface. For example, solar energy transducers may be fixed to the base of the window and/or reflective wall panels to collect reflected sunlight. Alternatively, the reflective surface may concentrate solar energy.

According to some embodiments, the solar energy transducer may be fixed to a side of the building. Alternatively, the solar energy transducer may comprise a photovoltaic cell to generate electricity. Alternatively, or in addition, the solar energy transducer may be a solar collector to generate heat.

In some embodiments, the building surface may be curved to more effectively reflect and/or concentrate solar energy onto the solar energy transducer. In some embodiments, the architectural surface and/or the solar collection surface may be a multi-faceted (multi-faceted) surface. For example, the window/surface adjacent to the protruding transducer may be vertical and/or the surface above it may have been tilted downward, etc. In some embodiments, the window and/or solar energy transducer may be movable and/or may be adjustable, for example, to follow the sun through the sky.

According to some embodiments, direct solar energy from the sun may be directed onto a solar energy transducer to produce solar energy. Optionally, a refractor and/or reflector may be used to direct light towards the solar energy transducer. For example, refractors (e.g., prisms and/or lenses) may be used to enhance the collection of sunlight from various angles. For example, a prismatic collector may be effective to collect a range of direct sunlight from a plurality of angles. In some embodiments, depending on the angle to the sun, a portion of the sunlight may be directed onto the primary solar energy transducer and/or another smaller portion may be directed onto the secondary solar energy transducer. According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector may efficiently utilize both types of radiation reaching the primary solar energy transducer and/or the secondary solar energy transducer.

According to some embodiments, light from other directions (e.g., reflected from objects, refracted in the atmosphere, low angle sun [ e.g., in winter and/or in the morning and/or evening, etc.) may be directed through the prism, e.g., to the secondary prism. For example, the fraction of the total energy collected by the secondary transducer may be at least 15%, at least 20%, at least 25%, at least 30%, at least 35%, at least 40%, at least 45%, and/or at least 50%. Each possibility is a separate embodiment.

According to some embodiments, indirect light from other directions (e.g., reflected from objects, refracted in the atmosphere, etc.) may be directed through a prism, for example, to the interior of a building and/or structure. According to some embodiments, light directed into a building may be scattered similar to ordinary glass tiles.

In some embodiments, indirect light from other directions (e.g., reflected from an object, refracted in the atmosphere, etc.) may be directed onto the solar energy transducer to produce solar energy. According to some embodiments, the efficiency of prismatic solar collectors utilizing direct and indirect solar radiation may be at least 15%, at least 20%, at least 25%, at least 30%, at least 35%, at least 40%, at least 45%, and/or at least 50%. Each possibility is a separate embodiment.

According to some embodiments, the direct sunlight may be high intensity light. According to some embodiments, the indirect sunlight may be low intensity light. According to some embodiments, the intensity of indirect sunlight may have a lower intensity than direct sunlight. According to some embodiments, indirect sunlight may be collected by a prismatic solar collector for solar energy production. According to some embodiments, direct and/or indirect sunlight may be reflected onto solar transducers on one or more faces of a prismatic solar collector. According to some embodiments, direct and/or indirect sunlight may be concentrated onto solar transducers on one or more faces of a prismatic solar collector.

According to some embodiments, direct sunlight may arrive at an angle, where a majority of the light is directed onto a primary solar energy transducer on a first face of the prism, and/or a smaller portion of the light may be directed onto a secondary solar energy transducer located on a different face of the prism. Alternatively, for multiple prismatic collectors having similar angles of incidence and/or similar angles of face, solar transducers having similar angles of incidence may be wired together. Alternatively, or in addition, the system may include one or more current and/or voltage converters. For example, the transducer may facilitate connection between transducers operating at different efficiencies and/or at different angles of incidence and/or different light intensities.

According to some embodiments, a prismatic solar collector may collect high and/or low intensity solar radiation. According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector may comprise a primary solar energy transducer for collecting high intensity and/or a secondary solar energy transducer for collecting low intensity solar radiation. According to some embodiments, primary and secondary solar transducers may be aligned parallel to each other. According to some embodiments, the solar energy transducer may be vertically, horizontally, and/or angularly aligned with the ground.

According to some embodiments, the primary and/or secondary solar transducers may be arranged in any configuration relative to each other, such as a plurality of transducers in an alternating arrangement, a plurality of solar transducers in an alternating arrangement, and the like. According to some embodiments, the number of primary and secondary solar transducers may be a ratio of 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, 1:5, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 5:1. According to some embodiments, the number of primary and secondary solar transducers may have a ratio in the range of 10:1 to 1:10.

According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may comprise a material having a high refractive index (e.g., between 1.1 and 1.2, and/or 1.2 and 1.5, and/or between 1.5 and 1.9, and/or between 1.9 and 2.5). According to some embodiments, the high refractive index of the prismatic solar collector may advantageously change the angle of incident direct and/or indirect sunlight, thereby reducing the effect of sun ray angle changes over time of day, four seasons of the year, and from other directions (e.g., reflection from objects, refraction in the atmosphere, etc.).

According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may be tilted to receive sunlight during most of the day (e.g., at least 2/3 and/or 3/4 days of the day) and many or all seasons of the year. According to some embodiments, prismatic solar collectors and/or solar cell arrays may be incorporated into buildings and/or structures that have traditionally been considered unsuitable for solar power generation, because the high refractive index of prismatic solar collectors may increase the range of angles over which they may be placed, while still maintaining efficient solar power generation.

According to some embodiments, prismatic solar collectors and/or solar cell arrays may suppress shadows caused by neighboring solar transducers and/or arrays. For example, prismatic solar collectors and/or solar cell arrays may be staggered and/or arranged at different angles, e.g., in a zigzag pattern, etc. According to some embodiments, the high refractive index of the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may reduce and/or prevent shadowing of adjacent solar transducers and/or arrays.

According to some embodiments, transparent (semi-transparent) and/or translucent (translucent) blocks of prismatic solar collectors and/or solar cell arrays may separate incident sunlight. According to some embodiments, transparent, translucent and/or light transmissive blocks of the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may separate the beam of sunlight, may be directed onto a larger surface of the solar energy transducer and/or solar cell array. According to some embodiments, transparent, translucent and/or light transmissive blocks of prismatic solar collectors and/or solar cell arrays may allow solar energy to be generated using solar flux.

In some embodiments, each collector includes a convenient connector structure to facilitate interconnection and/or power collection. Optionally, the power connector includes a converter, for example, to facilitate interconnection between collectors under different light and/or efficiency conditions.

According to some embodiments, prismatic solar collectors may be incorporated into a solar cell array. According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may be angled to receive direct and/or indirect sunlight during many hours of the day and many seasons of the year, and/or receive sunlight from other directions (e.g., reflected from objects, refracted in the atmosphere, etc.).

According to some embodiments, a prismatic solar collector may allow diffuse light to enter. According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector may be positioned such that the solar collector may collect direct and/or indirect sunlight. According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector acts as a concentrator (concentrator) concentrating energy from the solar direction from a large area to a small solar transducer, advantageously saving transducer surface area, solar collection space and money.

According to some embodiments, prismatic solar collectors are efficient at many solar angles without having to adjust their angle and/or position as conventional solar panels to collect only direct sunlight. According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector may be configured to be mounted at various angles to the sun. According to some embodiments, prismatic solar collectors may be used for wallboards placed on building walls and/or roofs and/or posts, etc.

According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector may have a high tensile strength. According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector may be incorporated into a building component (e.g., a wall, a column, a beam, a window, a skylight, a wall and/or roof of a building, a wall panel on a column, etc.).

According to some embodiments, prismatic solar collectors may concentrate sunlight from one side (e.g., from the outside) to the solar collector from several angles while appearing transparent from the opposite side (e.g., from the inside) under certain viewing angles. According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector may provide a clear external view at limited angles (e.g., from 20 degrees (above the horizon) to-50 degrees (below the horizon) and/or from 0 degrees down and/or 40 degrees down). According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector may be transparent in one or more directions. According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector may be optically transmissive.

According to some embodiments, prismatic solar collectors may allow for dual use of space without the solar collectors dominate the field of view and/or land use. For example, the solar panels may be structural elements (e.g., posts, exterior walls, interior walls, building walls and/or roofs and/or wall panels on posts, etc.). According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector may be load-bearing and/or non-load-bearing. According to some embodiments, prismatic solar collectors may be stacked and/or used as building blocks to form various structures.

According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector and/or the solar cell array may comprise one or more spacers. According to some embodiments, the spacer may be a prismatic brick without a solar energy transducer, conventional glass or thermoplastic, prismatic blocks with different optical properties, empty space, etc.

According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may include transparent, translucent, and/or light transmissive blocks with solar transducers on one or more sides of the prism. According to some embodiments, sunlight may pass through transparent, translucent, and/or light transmissive blocks (e.g., direct and/or indirect) to a solar energy transducer where solar energy may be generated.

According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector may be composed of transparent, partially transparent, light transmissive, and/or opaque materials. Non-limiting examples of suitable materials are glass, acrylic (polymethyl methacrylate), butyrate (cellulose acetate butyrate), polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, glycol modified polyethylene terephthalate, polytetrafluoroethylene, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyamide, polyethylene, fluoride glass, and the like.

According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector and/or the solar cell array may have various shapes. Non-limiting examples of suitable shapes are triangular (e.g., isosceles, equilateral, scalene, obtuse, acute, right angle, etc.), rectangular (e.g., posts, stair-step forms, beams, lintels (lintel), spaced-apart beams and/or posts (e.g., with conventional glass or empty space in between)), trapezoidal (e.g., isosceles, scalene, and right angle), curved, etc.

According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector and/or the solar cell array may be solid and/or hollow. According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector and/or the solar cell array may comprise a reservoir. According to some embodiments, the reservoir may contain a transparent liquid with good optical refraction, such as water, oil, etc. According to some embodiments, the liquid may provide a prismatic effect. According to some embodiments, the liquid may refract, reflect, and/or concentrate incident sunlight. According to some embodiments, the liquid may cool the solar collector. According to some embodiments, a liquid (e.g., water) may be heated by incident sunlight to provide heating and/or hot water to a structure of a building, house, or the like.

According to some embodiments, prismatic solar collectors and/or solar cell arrays may prevent shadows caused by adjacent solar collectors and/or arrays. According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collectors and/or the solar cell arrays may be arranged at different angles, e.g., in a zigzag pattern, etc. According to some embodiments, the high refractive index of the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may reduce and/or prevent shadowing of adjacent solar collectors and/or arrays.

According to some embodiments, transparent, translucent and/or transparent blocks of prismatic solar collectors and/or solar cell arrays may separate incident direct and/or indirect sunlight. According to some embodiments, transparent, translucent and/or light transmissive blocks of the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may direct and/or indirect sunlight onto a larger surface of the solar collector and/or solar cell array. According to some embodiments, transparent, translucent and/or light transmissive blocks of prismatic solar collectors and/or solar cell arrays may allow solar energy to be generated using solar flux.

According to some embodiments, prismatic solar collectors and/or solar cell arrays may have high efficiency due to their use of solar flux. According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may utilize solar flux passing through the refractive surface and may propagate it onto a larger area solar transducer, thereby increasing the energy output and/or efficiency of the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array. According to some embodiments, the dispersion of solar flux of the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array within a three-dimensional depth may provide high efficiency for solar flux through the spatial depth of the refractive surface (outer surface) of the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array.

According to some embodiments, prismatic solar collectors and/or solar cell arrays may allow direct and/or indirect light rays to enter the refractive zone, may capture light rays within their structure and/or may produce secondary reflections such that light rays entering the structure contact the solar energy transducer several times. According to some embodiments, a prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may effectively create a situation in which solar rays are "trapped" within a structure such that a solar transducer may be exposed to illumination from the same incident solar ray through multiple solar radiation cycles. According to some embodiments, any solar rays entering the prismatic solar collector and/or the solar cell array at any angle may be refracted and/or reflected therein due to the refractive effect of the prismatic solar collector and/or the solar cell array to provide high coverage of the solar energy transducer. Advantageously, these effects may allow for the use of fewer solar energy transducers per meter to obtain the same or more solar energy as a conventional solar panel.

According to some embodiments, in addition to providing solar energy, prismatic solar collectors and/or solar cell arrays may reduce sunlight entering a building through a window, thereby reducing temperature rise in summer, avoiding annoying glare, reducing discoloration of furniture, carpeting, and artwork.

According to some embodiments, prismatic solar collectors and/or solar cell arrays may be used to collect heat, may act as a heat sink and/or may include a system for collecting thermal energy. According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector and/or the solar cell array may comprise a plurality of solar collectors and/or a plurality of thermal energy collectors. According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector and/or the solar cell array may be cooled by the thermal energy collector and/or by a water system running through or near the prismatic solar collector and/or the solar cell array.

According to some embodiments, prismatic solar collectors and/or solar cell arrays may be disposed in a sun-facing position, such as south, east, and/or west exposure. According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may not face directly towards the sun, but may concentrate diffuse sunlight. According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may collect light from many different azimuth and/or elevation angles as the sun moves in the sky, including different angles to the sun in winter and summer.

According to some embodiments, prismatic solar collectors and/or solar cell arrays may be used to construct curtain walls, skylights, greenhouses, roofs, pergolas, pillars, windows, solar panels for space applications, solar panels for agricultural applications, sound insulation walls, stairway panels, pavement edges, wall and/or wall panels of roofs and/or pillars, and the like.

According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may reduce direct sunlight through the window in addition to providing solar energy, thereby reducing heating in summer, avoiding annoying glare, reducing discoloration of furniture, carpeting, and artwork. According to some embodiments, when looking out through windows only see nearby buildings and/or sky, windows constructed from one or more prismatic solar collectors and/or solar cell arrays (e.g., with or without spacers) may be used to redirect the view, e.g., windows of a first floor may be directed away from dirty streets.

In some embodiments, the faces of the prism may be straight. Alternatively, the prisms may not significantly concentrate the light. For example, the aggregation ratio may be between 0.95 and 1.05, and/or between 0.8 and 0.95, and/or between 1.05 and 1.1, and/or between 1.1 and 1.5, and/or between 0.8 and 1.1. Alternatively, the exterior surface of the building may be smooth and/or the exterior surfaces of the plurality of prismatic solar collectors may be parallel and/or the exterior surface of the building may comprise and/or consist of parallel surfaces of the plurality of solar collectors.

According to some embodiments, prismatic solar collectors and/or solar cell arrays may be disposed in a sun-facing position, such as south, east, and/or west exposure. According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may not face directly towards the sun, but may concentrate diffuse sunlight. Alternatively, or in addition, the solar cell array may not directly face the sun and/or optical elements (e.g., prisms and/or elements with curved surfaces and/or reflectors) may direct light falling on the element surfaces at low angles to the solar transducer. For example, the solar energy transducer may be mounted on the other side of the optical element. According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may collect light from many different azimuth and/or elevation angles as the sun moves in the sky, including different angles to the sun in winter and summer.

According to some embodiments, prismatic solar collectors and/or solar cell arrays may be used to build curtain walls, skylights, greenhouses, roofs, pergolas, pillars, windows, solar collectors for space applications, solar collectors for agricultural applications, sound insulation walls, stairway panels, sidewalk curbs, and the like.

For example, prismatic solar collectors may be incorporated into photovoltaic windows. Viewers within a building may be able to see certain directions outside clearly, whereas in other directions, especially towards the sun, the viewer's line of sight may be blocked and/or redirected by the prism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT (S) OF INVENTION

Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components and/or methods set forth in the following description and/or illustrated in the drawings and/or examples. The invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways.

Referring now to the drawings that accompany the present description:

Fig. 1A-D are schematic diagrams of various prismatic solar collectors according to some embodiments of the present invention. For example, suitable shapes may be triangular (e.g., isosceles, equilateral, scalene, obtuse, acute, right angle, etc.), rectangular (e.g., posts, stair-step forms, beams, lintels (lintel), spaced-apart beams and/or posts (e.g., with conventional glass or empty space in between)), trapezoidal (e.g., isosceles, scalene, and right angle), curved, etc.

According to some embodiments, the solar transducer 100 may be applied to one or more faces of a block of prisms. Alternatively, the blocks may be of any shape and/or size desired. Such as cubes, conical sections, cylinders, triangular prisms, hexagonal prisms, trapezoidal prisms, etc. The prisms may be stacked and/or staggered. For example, a wall consisting of staggered rectangular prisms. Alternatively, one or more faces of the prism may be directed towards and/or at an angle to the sun, and/or the solar energy transducer may be mounted on one or more opposite faces that face directly towards and/or at an angle to the sun.

For example, trapezoidal prisms may be stacked and/or stacked or arranged in a linear and/or staggered fashion. Alternatively, the broad face of the prism may be directed towards and/or at an angle to the sun, and/or the solar energy transducer may be mounted on one or more opposite faces that face directly towards and/or at an angle to the sun.

For example, the prisms may have various shapes, such as blocks and/or trapezoids and/or triangles. Alternatively, the prismatic solar collector may include solar energy transducers on one or more faces. Alternatively, transparent, translucent and/or transparent blocks of prismatic solar collectors and/or solar cell arrays may allow solar energy to be generated using solar flux. Alternatively, prismatic solar collectors and/or solar cell arrays may have high efficiency due to their use of solar flux. Alternatively, prismatic solar collectors and/or solar cell arrays may utilize solar flux passing through a refractive surface and redirect and/or direct it to a solar energy transducer. For example, light impinging on a surface (e.g., a wall) at a high angle may be redirected directly at a solar transducer parallel to a surface. Optionally, this may increase the energy output and/or efficiency of the prismatic solar collector and/or the solar cell array. Alternatively, the dispersion of solar flux in three dimensions of the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may provide high efficiency for solar flux through spatial depths of refractive surfaces (outer surfaces) of the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array. Optionally, the light enters the building through the surface of some prisms (e.g., lighting elements).

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a prismatic solar collector according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, a prismatic solar collector may include transparent, translucent, and/or light transmissive prisms 202 with solar energy transducers 200 on one or more sides (e.g., on the side opposite the sun, e.g., on the north and/or bottom, such that sunlight passing through the block from above and/or south is directed to the transducers). The light is optionally transmitted to the converter and/or the grid via connection 204. Alternatively, sunlight passes through transparent, translucent, and/or light transmissive blocks (e.g., direct and/or indirect) to the solar energy transducer where solar energy may be generated.

Alternatively, the prismatic solar collector arrays may be connected at different angles, e.g., allowing different amounts of light to pass through the array and/or capturing solar flux entering the prisms from different angles. According to some embodiments, prismatic solar collectors may provide a clear external view at limited angles. According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector may be transparent in one or more directions. According to some embodiments, a solar cell array may be used to redirect the field of view. Alternatively, or in addition, the block may be light transmissive in one or more directions (e.g., transmitting diffuse light from the outside into the building).

Alternatively, sunlight from different angles (e.g., above) is directed by the prisms and/or concentrated onto multiple solar energy transducers on one face (e.g., bottom face) of the prismatic solar collector, while it may appear transparent to a person looking horizontally through the prismatic solar collector (e.g., window) (from some angles, e.g., not in the main sun direction, e.g., downward and/or north (e.g., in the northern hemisphere)). Alternatively, or in addition, the prism may be configured to hide a portion of the external scene (e.g., if the building is above a dirty street, the view of a person looking down the street from the inside may be obscured). As such, the vertical struts may capture sunlight from various azimuth angles.

Alternatively, the blocks of the prism may be arranged horizontally and/or vertically and/or at another angle. Alternatively, prismatic solar collectors and/or solar cell arrays may be used to construct curtain walls, skylights, greenhouses, roofs, pergolas, pillars, windows, solar collectors for space applications, solar panels for agricultural applications, sound insulation walls, stairways, pavement edges, and the like.

Alternatively, prismatic solar collectors may be symmetrically arranged in various patterns to provide coverage over a large area. Alternatively, the spacers between the plurality of prismatic solar collectors may be opaque, transparent, translucent, and/or light transmissive. Alternatively, the spacers may allow a controlled amount of light to pass through the solar cell array.

According to some embodiments, any solar rays entering the prismatic solar collector and/or the solar cell array at any angle may be refracted and/or reflected therein due to the refractive effect of the prismatic solar collector and/or the solar cell array to provide high coverage of the solar energy transducer. Advantageously, these effects may allow the use of fewer solar cells per meter to obtain the same or more solar energy as a conventional solar panel.

Fig. 3A-3E are schematic diagrams of various prismatic solar collectors according to some embodiments of the present invention. For example, a prismatic solar collector may include transparent, translucent, and/or light transmissive, with a solar transducer applied to one or more faces of the prism's block. Alternatively, the blocks may be of any shape and/or size desired. Alternatively, sunlight passes through transparent, translucent, and/or light transmissive blocks (e.g., direct and/or indirect) to the solar energy transducer where solar energy may be generated.

According to some embodiments, only one face of the prismatic solar collector may include a solar energy transducer (e.g., fig. 3A). According to some embodiments, two or more faces of a prismatic solar collector may include a solar energy transducer (e.g., fig. 3B-3E). Alternatively, the solar energy transducers on two or more faces may be identical (e.g., fig. 3B and 3D), such as a primary solar energy transducer 302 configured to collect direct solar radiation or a secondary solar energy transducer 300 configured to collect indirect solar radiation. Alternatively, the solar energy transducers on one or more faces may be configured to collect different radiation (e.g., fig. 3C and 3E), such as one or more primary solar energy transducers configured to collect direct solar radiation and one or more secondary solar energy transducers configured to collect indirect solar radiation.

Fig. 4A-4B are schematic diagrams of exemplary prismatic solar cell arrays according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, prismatic solar collector 400 may be load-bearing and/or non-load-bearing. Alternatively, prismatic solar collectors may be stacked and/or used as building blocks to form various structures. Optionally, the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may include one or more spacers 406. Alternatively, the spacer may be a prism tile without a solar energy transducer, conventional glass or thermoplastic, prism blocks with different optical properties, empty spaces, thin glass or plastic windows with spaces inside and outside the prism, etc. Alternatively, the prismatic solar collector may include one or more solar transducers 402 that may be connected to the converter and/or transformer by one or more connection lines 404.

Fig. 5 is an exemplary schematic diagram illustrating a solar array and prismatic action according to some embodiments of the present invention. For example, the solar collector arrays may be connected side-by-side with the solar transducers 504 on the same side and/or different sides. Alternatively, the solar cell array may include a saw tooth pattern of solar transducers. According to some embodiments, prismatic solar collector 502 and/or solar cell array 504 may allow sunlight rays to enter the refractive region, may capture rays within their structure and/or may produce secondary reflections such that rays 500 of sunlight entering the structure contact the solar transducer multiple times. According to some embodiments, a prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may effectively create a situation in which solar rays are "trapped" within a structure such that a solar transducer may be exposed to illumination from the same incident solar ray that experiences multiple radiation events. According to some embodiments, any solar rays entering the prismatic solar collector and/or the solar cell array at any angle may be refracted and/or reflected therein due to the refractive effect of the prismatic solar collector and/or the solar cell array to provide high coverage of the solar energy transducer. Alternatively, the prismatic solar collector may include one or more solar transducers 504, which may be connected to the converter and/or transformer by one or more connection lines 506.

According to some embodiments, the solar energy transducer may be configured to collect direct and/or indirect solar radiation. Alternatively, transparent, translucent and/or transparent prisms of a prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may allow solar energy to be generated using solar flux. Alternatively, prismatic solar collectors and/or solar cell arrays may have high efficiency due to their use of solar flux. Alternatively, the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may utilize solar flux passing through the refractive surface and may propagate it to a larger area solar energy transducer, thereby increasing the energy output and/or efficiency of the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array. Alternatively, the dispersion of solar flux in three dimensions of the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may provide high efficiency for solar flux through spatial depths of refractive surfaces (outer surfaces) of the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array.

Fig. 6A-6C illustrate schematic views of multiple walls of a prismatic solar collector according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the building elements (e.g., walls, roofs, posts, beams) may be comprised of an array of prismatic solar collectors. According to some embodiments, the solar energy transducer may comprise a primary solar energy transducer and/or a secondary solar energy transducer. According to some embodiments, the outer surfaces of the solar collectors may be aligned parallel to each other. For example, the outer surface of the solar collector may be a flat wall. According to some embodiments, the solar collector may be vertically, horizontally, and/or angularly aligned with the ground.

Fig. 3A and 3B show walls made of prismatic collectors of triangular cross section. In some embodiments, each collector includes a plurality of solar energy transducers located on the back of prism 600. For example, a first transducer 606 on each collector may collect light at a high angle of incidence 602 (e.g., direct sun in summer) and/or a second transducer 608 on each transducer collect light at a low angle of incidence 604 (e.g., reflected light, evening or morning light, winter light). Alternatively, the incident light beam may be reflected within the prism onto the first and/or second solar collectors.

In some embodiments, the first transducer 606 of the different transducers may all illuminate at a similar level and/or the second transducer 608 of the different transducers may all illuminate at a similar level, but the first transducer may illuminate at a different intensity than the first transducer. Optionally, the power outputs of the first transducers of different collectors are connected together (e.g., in series, parallel, etc.). Alternatively, the power output of a second transducer of a different collector is connected separately (e.g., in series) with the first transducer. Alternatively, or in addition, the first and second transducers may be interconnected (e.g., using a power converter therebetween). In some embodiments, each collector includes a convenient connector structure to facilitate interconnection and/or power collection. Optionally, the power connector includes a converter, for example, to facilitate interconnection between collectors under different light and/or efficiency conditions.

Fig. 6C shows a wall made of rectangular prism collectors 600 and spacers 610. For example, prismatic collectors may collect solar energy from a number of angles and/or spacers may fill in shadow areas. Alternatively, the spacer may comprise a window and/or a light transmissive and/or an opaque wall element. In some embodiments, the prismatic beams may direct light from solar illumination from many angles (e.g., from above and/or one or both sides) to the solar energy transducers on one or both sides and/or below and/or above and/or behind the beams. Alternatively, several such beams may be spaced apart and/or staggered to collect light from an area having shielding of one beam from the other. Alternatively, the outer and/or inner surfaces of the solar collector (e.g., surfaces within a building) may be parallel and/or staggered.

According to some embodiments, the primary transducer 606 and/or the secondary transducer 608 solar transducers may be arranged in any configuration relative to each other, such as alternating transducers. According to some embodiments, the number of primary and secondary solar transducers may be in a ratio of 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, 1:5, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 5:1. According to some embodiments, the number of primary and secondary solar transducers may have a ratio in the range of 10:1 to 1:10.

According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector may be load-bearing and/or non-load-bearing. Alternatively, prismatic solar collectors may be stacked and/or used as building blocks to form various structures. Optionally, the prismatic solar collector and/or the solar cell array may comprise one or more spacers. Alternatively, the spacer may be a prismatic brick without a solar energy transducer, conventional glass or thermoplastic, prismatic blocks with different optical properties, empty space, etc.

For example, prismatic solar collectors may be symmetrically arranged in various patterns to provide coverage over a large area. Alternatively, the spacers between the plurality of prismatic solar collectors may be opaque, transparent, translucent, and/or light transmissive. Alternatively, the spacers may allow a controlled amount of light to pass through the solar cell array.

According to some embodiments, any solar rays entering the prismatic solar collector and/or the solar cell array at any angle may be refracted and/or reflected therein due to the refractive effect of the prismatic solar collector and/or the solar cell array to provide high coverage of the solar energy transducer. Advantageously, these effects may allow for the use of fewer solar energy transducers per meter to obtain the same or more solar energy as a conventional solar panel.

For example, the solar collector arrays may be connected side by side with their solar transducers on the same side and/or on different sides. Alternatively, the solar cell array may include a saw tooth pattern of solar transducers. According to some embodiments, prismatic solar collectors and/or solar cell arrays may allow sunlight rays to enter the refractive region, may capture rays within their structure and/or may produce secondary reflections such that rays entering the structure contact the solar energy transducer multiple times. According to some embodiments, a prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may effectively create a situation in which solar rays are "trapped" within a structure such that a solar transducer may be exposed to illumination from the same incident solar ray through multiple solar radiation cycles. According to some embodiments, any solar rays entering the prismatic solar collector and/or the solar cell array at any angle may be refracted and/or reflected therein due to the refractive effect of the prismatic solar collector and/or the solar cell array to provide high coverage of the solar energy transducer.

According to some embodiments, the prismatic solar collector arrays may be connected at different angles, e.g., allowing different amounts of direct and/or indirect light to pass through the array and/or capturing solar flux entering the prisms from different angles. Alternatively, the spacers between the plurality of prismatic solar collectors may be opaque, transparent, translucent, and/or light transmissive. Alternatively, the spacers may allow a controlled amount of light to pass through the solar cell array. For example, a vertical prismatic collector may capture sunlight from different azimuth angles.

Fig. 7A-7B are schematic diagrams illustrating angles of refraction 702 of rays of sunlight through a prismatic solar collector according to some embodiments of the present invention. For example, the prisms 704 of the prismatic solar collector may change the angle of refraction 702 of the sunlight 700 as the sunlight 700 passes through the refractive surfaces of the prisms to redirect it onto the solar energy transducers on one or more faces of the prismatic solar collector 706. Optionally, the prisms of the prismatic solar collector may split the sunlight rays 700 and/or reflect the sunlight rays around the interior of the prism 704 to allow absorption over a large surface of the solar energy transducer.

According to some embodiments, the high refractive index of the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may advantageously change the angle of incident sunlight, thereby reducing the effect of angular variations in sunlight rays throughout the day and/or the year.

In some embodiments, a person looking from inside to outside may look downward and/or outward, but his sun's view may be blocked. Optionally, this may reduce heating and/or glare due to sunlight within the building, and/or utilize direct sunlight for solar power generation. In some embodiments, the window provides diffuse and/or refracted light into the building and/or provides low intensity light into the building. In some embodiments, the window facilitates viewing from the building at a selected plurality of angles.

In some embodiments, the prismatic beams may direct light from solar illumination from a number of angles (e.g., from above and/or one or both sides) to the solar transducers on one or both sides of the beams and/or below and/or above. Alternatively, the viewer may look through the side of the beam where the solar energy converter is not located. Alternatively, several such beams may be spaced apart and/or staggered to collect light from an area having shielding of one beam from the other. It is evident from the image that the light impinging on the top of the prism is refracted downward toward the horizontal solar energy transducer. Thus, from an image perspective, even at a small angle above the prism, the horizontal solar energy transducer at the bottom of the prism can be seen from the field of view. Thus, the prism captures sunlight from above the collector at a wide range of angles, while a person looking horizontally outward looks outward at a limited range of angles with little obstruction.

Fig. 8A-8B are schematic diagrams illustrating the angle at which rays of sunlight pass through the refraction 802 of a prismatic solar collector, according to some embodiments of the present invention. For example, the prisms 804 of the prismatic solar collector may change the angle of refraction 802 of the direct and/or indirect solar rays 800 as they pass through the refractive surfaces of the prisms to redirect them onto one or more solar transducers on one or more faces of the prismatic solar collector 804. Optionally, the prisms of the prismatic solar collector may split and/or reflect sunlight rays around the interior of the prisms to allow absorption over a large surface of the solar transducers 808, 810.

According to some embodiments, the high refractive index of the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may advantageously change the angle of incident sunlight 800, thereby reducing the effects of changes in angle of sunlight rays throughout the day and/or the year.

According to some embodiments, prismatic solar collectors 808, 810 may be used in combination with one or more conventional solar collectors 812 and/or thin film solar panels.

Fig. 9 and 10 are schematic diagrams illustrating the angle of refraction of light rays 902, 1002 of sunlight through a prismatic solar collector according to some embodiments of the present invention. For example, the prisms 904, 1004 can have various shapes, such as blocks and/or trapezoids. Optionally, the prismatic solar collector may include solar transducers 906, 908, 1006, 1008, 1010 on one or more faces. Optionally, the solar transducers 906, 908, 1006, 1008, 1010 may be configured to collect direct and/or indirect solar radiation 900, 1000. Alternatively, transparent, translucent and/or transparent prisms of a prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may allow solar energy to be generated using solar flux. Alternatively, prismatic solar collectors and/or solar cell arrays may have high efficiency due to their use of solar flux. Alternatively, the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may utilize solar flux passing through the refractive surface and may propagate it to a larger area solar energy transducer, thereby increasing the energy output and/or efficiency of the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array. Alternatively, the dispersion of solar flux in three dimensions of the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array may provide high efficiency for solar flux through spatial depths of refractive surfaces (outer surfaces) of the prismatic solar collector and/or solar cell array.

Fig. 11 illustrates a schematic view of a window made from an array of collectors according to some embodiments of the present invention. For example, the window may be made up of a prismatic solar collector array 1100. Sunlight 1102 from above at an angle to the prism may be redirected downward to the horizontal solar energy transducer 1104, while a field of view looking horizontally outward from the individual may pass through the prism so that he can see out from at least some angles. According to some embodiments, the solar collectors may be aligned parallel to each other. According to some embodiments, the solar collector may be vertically, horizontally, and/or angularly aligned with the ground. Alternatively, the prisms may have any shape and/or cross-section. Alternatively, the inner and/or outer surfaces of the window may be smooth and/or flat surfaces. For example, the inner and/or outer surfaces of the window may comprise a series of parallel linear and/or flat surfaces of the collector.

Fig. 12 is a graph of the apparent solar angle (apparent sun angle) viewed through a prism versus the actual solar angle impinging on the prism, according to one embodiment of the invention. For example, one embodiment of the present invention may have a high refractive index (e.g., ranging between 1.5 and 4.2). Without limiting the invention to any theoretical framework, the effect of refracting light is produced, expressed in terms of the snell's law for refraction of light passing between two refractive indices. As can be seen from fig. 12, if the angle of the solar rays is between 50 and 82 degrees with respect to the true horizon, the refraction effect will produce a (non-linear) replica 1201 in the refraction angle space between 27 and 37 degrees, i.e. the low angle of the sun is significantly greater than the horizon between the angles at which the refraction occurs. In some embodiments, this flattening of the sun angle by non-linear refraction yields the advantage that the change in angle of the sun relative to the horizon during the season or throughout the day has less effect on the angle in the refractive medium in a slab having a refractive index (e.g., in the case shown in the figures, the scale range is 10/32). Alternatively, the refractive index of the prism in embodiments of the present invention may be in the range of, for example, 1.1 to 1.3, and/or 1.3 to 1.5, and/or 1.5 to 1.9, and/or 1.9 to 2.5. In some embodiments, using prismatic collectors, the photovoltaic transducers may be placed at an angle of 63 to 53 degrees (90-27:90-37), and maintain good angles to the sun throughout all times of the day and all seasons of the year.

Fig. 13 is a schematic view of angles of refraction of a solar panel according to an embodiment of the present invention. For example, the figure shows solar light rays 1302 impinging on the horizon at a first angle 1306, refracting into view 1308, entering the building as refracted light beams 1304.

Fig. 14 is a block diagram illustrating a prismatic solar collector according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, a prismatic solar collector may include transparent, translucent, and/or light transmissive prisms 1400 with solar transducers 1402 on one or more sides of the block and may generate solar energy that may be transmitted to the converter and/or the grid through connection lines 1404.

Fig. 15 is a block diagram illustrating a prismatic solar collector according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, a prismatic solar collector may include transparent, translucent, and/or light transmissive prisms 1500 with solar energy transducers 1502 on one or more sides of the block and may produce solar energy that may be transmitted to a converter and/or power grid through connection lines 1504. Alternatively, a prismatic solar collector may be used in combination with one or more conventional solar transducers 1506 and/or thin film solar transducers, which may generate solar energy that may be transmitted to the converter and/or grid via connection lines 1508, and/or may be connected to the same system as the prismatic solar collector.

Fig. 16 is a flow chart illustrating the use of a prismatic solar collector according to some embodiments of the present invention. For example, in method 1600, solar light rays pass 1602 through the refractive surface of a prismatic solar collector, where the rays are captured 1604 within the prism where they are separated and repeatedly reflected (bounced) 1606 between facets of the prism onto a solar energy transducer to efficiently provide solar energy 1608.

Fig. 17 is a flow chart illustrating the use of a prismatic solar collector according to some embodiments of the present invention. For example, in method 1700, solar light rays pass through a refractive surface of a 1702 prismatic solar collector. Light from some directions is optionally directed to the solar energy transducer, while light from another direction is directed into the building. For example, high intensity light (e.g., sunlight from a direct angle) is directed 1704 onto the solar energy transducer. For example, low intensity light is allowed to pass 1706 into the building. Alternatively, or in addition, some of the light rays are trapped within the prism where they are separated and repeatedly reflected between the faces of the prism onto the solar energy transducer. Thereby providing 1708 solar energy with high efficiency.

Fig. 18A-18C illustrate exemplary pictures of various structural arrays of transparent solar transducers according to some embodiments of the invention. For example, the prism blocks may be disposed horizontally and/or vertically and/or at another angle. The prism block 1800 can include vertical solar energy transducers 1802, horizontal solar energy transducers 1806, and/or spacers 1804.

In some embodiments, the prismatic columns may direct light from solar illumination from a number of angles (e.g., from above and/or one or both sides) to solar transducers on one or both sides of the columns and/or below and/or above. Alternatively, the viewer may look through the sides of the post without the solar energy transducer. Alternatively, several such posts may be spaced apart and/or staggered to collect light from an area having shielding of one beam from the other.

Fig. 19A-B are images of prismatic solar collection windows according to some embodiments of the present invention. In some embodiments, the window may be comprised of a prismatic solar collector. Alternatively, the collectors may have various shapes and/or materials to capture light reaching the prism at various angles (e.g., from outside the window and above the window) and allow viewing from various angles (e.g., from inside to outside). Alternatively, the prisms may be spaced apart. There may be empty spaces, opaque spacers, and/or transparent spacers (e.g., conventional windows) between the plurality of prisms. For example, from at least some perspectives, an image of a window made with a prismatic collector including solar energy transducer 1900 and spacer 1902 appears transparent. Alternatively, the inner and/or outer surfaces of the window may be smooth and/or flat surfaces. For example, the inner and/or outer surfaces of the window may comprise a series of parallel linear and/or flat surfaces of the collector.

In the illustration a prismatic collector window (not part of a wall) is shown hanging in front of the scene. Behind the window is a scene where the child plays. In some embodiments, the solar collector is placed substantially horizontally (parallel to the ground) such that viewing horizontally through the window, a child can be seen playing, the thin edges of the solar collector look like horizontal lines through the window. In some embodiments, when a viewer in a building looks up through a window (according to one embodiment of the invention), the window appears opaque towards the sun. Alternatively, when a viewer looks horizontally through a window, it appears transparent (e.g., similar to a blind, only allowing people to see parallel to the blind). Alternatively, from the other side, the inwardly and downwardly directed sun is refracted by the prism onto the horizontal solar collector over a wide range of angles. In some embodiments, the window thus acts as a window that allows the person inside to look out at a horizontal and/or slightly downward angle, acts as a solar collector (e.g., sunlight shining out of the window from above generates electricity), and/or a similar filter, allows the outside of the window to be seen, but blocks sunlight from shining into the room.

Fig. 20A-20B are schematic diagrams of the present invention, illustrating that it may be located outside of a building to collect reflected sunlight from a reflective surface 2202 of the building, according to some embodiments of the present invention. For example, solar collectors 2004 may be installed and/or regularly spaced along a majority of a building (e.g., a south facing wall). Alternatively, solar collector 2204 may extend horizontally from a surface of a building. Alternatively, the solar collector may be oriented towards the sun, and/or towards the building, and/or towards the reflector, and/or towards the concentrator. Optionally, windows and/or architectural coverings may reflect sunlight 2006 onto one or more solar collectors 2004.

In some embodiments, the solar collectors may be oriented at similar angles. In some embodiments, the solar collector may be positioned perpendicular to a building surface (e.g., wall, window, etc.). Alternatively, solar collectors on one wall and/or on one area of a wall and/or on multiple walls may be of a unified design (e.g., to present an aesthetically uniform appearance). Alternatively, one or more solar collectors 2002 may be oriented to collect reflected sunlight 2006 from windows and/or architectural coverings. Alternatively, one or more solar collectors may collect direct and/or indirect sunlight. Alternatively, the orientation of one or more solar collectors may be adjusted. Alternatively, one or more solar collectors may provide shade. Alternatively, the one or more solar collectors may be conventional solar panels. Alternatively, the one or more solar collectors may be prismatic solar collectors.

In some embodiments, the solar collector may protrude from the side of the building only in some locations. For example, a particular office and/or apartment owner may choose to install solar collectors outside his office. Alternatively, the solar collectors may be mounted at different angles at different locations, and/or different kinds and sizes of collectors may be mounted at different locations.

For example, at a higher floor, for example, the sun may strike the wall at a different angle most of the day, solar collectors may be installed at smaller intervals, and/or more expensive solar collectors may be installed, and/or solar collectors may be installed at a different angle than solar collectors at a lower floor (e.g., if the angle is sunlight during a smaller portion of the day due to shadows of other buildings, or the range is less sunlight). The solar collector may be positioned to effectively collect sunlight reflected from the building surface. The solar collector optionally has a length and/or angle selected to avoid obscuring a desired field of view through the window (e.g., the solar collector may be below the bottom edge of the window and/or the length selected not to be too obstructed and/or angled to avoid unnecessary obstruction).

FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram illustrating that it may be located outside of a building to collect reflected light from a reflective surface of the building, according to some embodiments of the invention. For example, the solar collectors 2106 may protrude from the sides of the building at a desired angle. In some embodiments, the building may install solar collectors 2106 in a number of locations, and/or the solar collectors may be planned and/or installed in a number of different areas of the building. The solar collector may be positioned to effectively collect sunlight 2102 that may be reflected from the architectural surface 2104. The solar collector may optionally have a length and/or angle selected to avoid obscuring a desired field of view through the window, e.g., the collector may be located below the bottom edge of the window and/or the length may be selected not to be too obscured and/or angled to avoid unnecessary obstruction. The location, shape, size, and/or angle may vary due to general availability, wall angle, etc.

Fig. 22A-22C are schematic diagrams illustrating how a window and/or reflective wall panel (siding) of a building may be positioned at different angles according to some embodiments of the invention. For example, solar collector 2005 may be positioned at different angles. Alternatively, the positioning of the building surface 2202 (e.g., window and/or reflective wall panel) may be positioned at different angles. Alternatively, the positioning of the building surface may be independent of the positioning of the solar collector. Alternatively, the solar collector may be adjustable, which means that the solar collector may be adjusted from a horizontal direction at a user preferred angle, and/or to increase solar collection, and/or to follow the angle of the sun as it passes through the sky. Such as the angle of highest efficiency for collecting sunlight. In some embodiments, the positioning of the solar collector may be remotely controlled. Alternatively, the positioning of the solar collector and/or the building surface may be remotely controlled. Alternatively, the positioning of the solar collector and/or the building surface may be manually controlled. Alternatively, the positioning of the solar collector and/or the building surface may be automatically controlled.

Alternatively, or in addition, this may be an angle that helps improve the view of the window. For example, the protruding collector may be inclined at an angle so that a viewer can see down the street. Alternatively, the solar collector may comprise a prism. Optionally, prismatic solar panels may be oriented to collect solar energy and/or provide shade and/or facilitate light passage and/or prevent vision obstruction.

In some embodiments, the window and/or reflective wall panel may be tilted according to user preferences, solar efficiency, and/or field of view requirements. For example, the window may be inclined downwardly from the vertical to direct more reflected sunlight to the solar collector. Additionally, or alternatively, the window may be tilted in a south direction to receive more sunlight.

FIG. 23 illustrates a schematic view of a multi-faceted surface that may concentrate the sun onto a solar collector from a number of angles, according to some embodiments. Additionally, or alternatively, the surface may be curvilinear and/or the solar collector may be curvilinear and/or multi-faceted. For example, the multi-faceted building surface 2300 may facilitate orientation of one or more facets (facets) to improve focusing of reflected sunlight on the solar collector 2302. Alternatively, each section of the multi-section building surface may be individually oriented. Alternatively, the solar collector may be oriented to combine with one or more facets of a multi-faceted building surface. Alternatively, the solar collector may be directed solely toward one or more facets of a multi-faceted building surface. Alternatively, the orientation of the solar collector and/or the building surface may be controlled by the user. Alternatively, the orientation of the solar collector and/or the building surface may be remotely controlled. Alternatively, the orientation of the solar collector and/or the architectural surface may be manually controlled. Alternatively, the orientation of the solar collector and/or the architectural surface may be automatically controlled.

Fig. 24 is a flow chart of a method of system operation according to an embodiment of the present invention. For example, in method 2400, protrusions of a building surface (e.g., a window) and/or solar collector can be positioned 2402 according to user preferences to collect solar energy, and/or to provide shade, and/or to facilitate light passing and/or to prevent vision obstruction. Sunlight may impinge on the building surface 2404. Sunlight may reflect 2406 from the building surface onto the protrusions of the solar collector. The solar collector converts 2408 solar energy into electricity and/or heat. Electricity and/or heat from the solar collectors may be transmitted 2410 to supply energy needs of the building, and/or to a power grid.

In some embodiments, the solar collector may protrude outwardly from the building a distance of between about 1 and about 20 centimeters, and/or between about 20 and about 100 centimeters, and/or between about 100 and about 500 centimeters. Alternatively, the transducer may be angled from horizontal in the range of between about 0 and about 5 degrees, and/or between about-5 and about 0 degrees, and/or between about 5 and about 30 degrees, and/or between about-30 and about-5 degrees.

Fig. 25 is a block diagram of a system according to an embodiment of the invention. For example, in system 2500, solar collector 2506 can be connected to electrical and/or thermal transducer 2510 by wires 2508. Alternatively, the solar collector may be attached by connecting hardware 2504 to a reflective surface 2502 of the building.

In some embodiments, the reflective surface and/or window of the building may be adjustable. In some embodiments, the reflective surface and/or the window may be moved according to the sun. The solar collector may be fixed in place at a desired angle. In some embodiments, the solar collector may move according to the sun. Alternatively, the solar collector may be directly connected to an existing electrical and/or heating system. Alternatively, or in addition, the solar collector may be connected to a battery, and/or a transformer, and/or another device that utilizes the collected energy.

It is expected that during the course of this description and many related construction techniques, artificial intelligence methods, computer user interfaces, image capture devices will be developed and is intended to include, a priori, the scope of terms such as design elements, analysis programs, user devices, etc. all such new techniques.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and/or scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of embodiments of the present invention, the following are illustrative of exemplary methods and/or materials. In case of conflict, the patent specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

As used herein, the terms "solar" and "sun" are used interchangeably.

As used herein, the terms "solar radiation" and "sunlight (sunlight)" are used interchangeably.

As used herein, the term "prismatic" refers to the effect of an optical prism, which is a transparent and/or optically transmissive optical element used to refract and/or collect light. Alternatively, the prism may include a plurality of flat faces and/or polished faces. Alternatively, or in addition, the prismatic collector may include one or more curved surfaces. Additionally, or alternatively, the prismatic collector may include other types of solar energy converters, such as solar thermal converters.

As used herein, the term "solar panel" relates to a collection of solar (photovoltaic) transducers that can be used to generate electricity through the photovoltaic effect.

As used herein, the term "solar flux" relates to direct and indirect (e.g., diffuse) irradiance, wherein direct radiant illuminance is non-scattered flux and diffuse radiant illuminance is scattered radiant flux from the sun.

As used herein, the term "about" refers to ± 10%.

Words such as "include," comprising, "" including, "" having, "" with, "and variations thereof mean" including but not limited to.

"Consisting of (consisting of)" is intended to mean "including and limited to".

"Consisting essentially of means that the composition, method, or structure may include additional ingredients, steps, and/or parts only when the additional ingredients, steps, and/or parts do not materially alter the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed composition, method, or structure.

As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

In the present application, various embodiments of the application may be represented in a range format. It should be understood that the description of the range format is merely for convenience and brevity and should not be construed as a inflexible limitation on the scope of the application. Accordingly, the description of a range should be considered to have specifically disclosed all possible sub-ranges as well as individual values within that range. For example, a description of a range, such as from 1to 6, should be considered to specifically disclose sub-ranges from 1to 3, from 1to 4, from 1to 5, from 2 to 4, from 2 to 6, from 3 to 6, etc., as well as individual numbers within that range, such as 1,2,3, 4,5, and 6. This applies regardless of the breadth of the range.

Whenever a numerical range is expressed herein, it is intended to include any reference number (fractional or integer) within the expressed range. The phrases "ranging between a first representative number and a second representative number (ranging/ranges between)" and "ranging from a first representative number to a second representative number (" ranging/ranges from "" "to") "are used interchangeably herein and are meant to include both the first and second representative numbers and all fractions and integers therebetween.

It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention, which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination or in any other described embodiment of the invention. Certain features described in the context of various embodiments should not be considered as essential features of such embodiments unless the embodiment is inoperable without such elements.

While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

All publications, patents, and patent applications mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated in their entirety by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent, or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated in its entirety by reference. Furthermore, citation or identification of any reference in this application shall not be construed as an admission that such reference is available as prior art to the present application. In the case of using the chapter title, it should not be interpreted as a necessary limitation.

Claims

1. A building configured to collect solar energy, characterized in that the building comprises:

Solar transducers, and

An exterior surface of the building is configured to direct solar energy onto the solar transducer.

2. The building of claim 1 , wherein the exterior surface includes a daylighting element configured to separate light impinging on the daylighting element by at least one of reflection and refraction, thereby directing a first portion of light impinging on the exterior surface of the daylighting element toward the solar transducer and directing a second portion of light impinging on the exterior surface of the daylighting element into the building.

3. The building of claim 1, wherein the solar energy converter comprises at least one of a crystalline silicon photovoltaic collector, a thin film photovoltaic collector, and a thermal collector.

4. The building of claim 1, wherein the exterior surface comprises a cladding of the building.

5. The building of claim 1, wherein the solar energy transducer extends outwardly from the exterior surface of the building.

6. The building of claim 5, wherein the orientation of the solar transducer is adjustable.

7. The building of claim 2, wherein the daylighting element comprises a semi-reflective surface that reflects light toward the solar transducer.

8. The building of claim 7, wherein the semi-reflective surface comprises a semi-reflective window.

9. The building of claim 2, wherein the exterior surface comprises a prism and the solar transducer is located on at least one surface of the prism.

10. The building of claim 9, wherein the solar transducer is located on an inner surface of the prism.

11. The building of claim 9, wherein at least one inner surface of the prism is transparent and facilitates viewing the building from the outside.

12. The building of claim 9, wherein the prism is a load-bearing element.

13. The building of claim 9, wherein the prisms are not load bearing elements.

14. The building of claim 1 , wherein a first portion of the exterior surface of the building is configured to direct solar energy to the solar energy transducer, the first portion being separated from a second portion of the exterior surface by a spacer, the second portion being configured to direct solar energy to a second solar energy transducer.

15. The building of claim 2, wherein the separating comprises distinguishing between different wavelengths of light.

16. The building of claim 15, wherein light of a first wavelength beneficial to plant growth is directed to plants within the building, and light of a second wavelength less beneficial to plant growth than the first wavelength is directed to the solar transducer.

17. A method of using a building as a solar energy collector system, the method comprising: receiving solar energy on an exterior surface of a building;

directing solar energy to a solar transducer by at least one of reflection and refraction through the exterior surface of the building; and

The solar energy transducers are used to convert solar radiation into a useful, transmissible form.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

Light impinging on the exterior surface is separated by at least one of reflection and refraction, and a first portion of the light impinging on the exterior surface is directed to the solar transducer, and a second portion of the light impinging on the exterior surface is directed to a daylighting element in the building.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the directing is directed toward the solar transducer extending outwardly from the exterior surface of the building.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising adjusting an orientation of the solar energy transducer.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising reflecting light from a semi-reflective surface on the exterior surface to the solar transducer.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising looking outward from the building through the semi-reflective surface.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the outer surface comprises a prism, and further comprising refracting light through the prism to the solar transducer located on at least one surface of the prism.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein at least one interior surface of the prism is transparent, and the method further comprises looking outward from the building through the at least one interior surface.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising supporting a load on the prism.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein separating comprises distinguishing between different wavelengths of light.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

Light at a first wavelength beneficial to plant growth is directed toward a plant within the structure, and light at a second wavelength less beneficial to plant growth than the first wavelength is directed toward the solar transducer.

28. The method of claim 17, further comprising positioning the solar transducer or the exterior surface based on user preferences to improve solar energy collection, provide shade, facilitate light passage, prevent obstruction of view, or any combination thereof.

29. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

A beam of solar radiation is passed through a refractive surface of a prismatic solar collector and the light is captured within the prism.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising splitting the light beam and reflecting it between facets of the prism onto a plurality of solar energy transducers to efficiently provide electricity and/or heat.

31. A system for collecting solar energy, characterized in that the system comprises:

a solar energy converter, and

An exterior surface of a building is configured to direct solar energy onto the solar transducer.

32. The system of claim 31 , wherein the exterior surface comprises a daylighting element configured to separate light impinging on the daylighting element by at least one of reflection and refraction, thereby directing a first portion of light impinging on the exterior surface of the daylighting element to the solar transducer and directing a second portion of light impinging on the exterior surface of the daylighting element into the building.

33. The system of claim 31 , wherein the solar energy converter comprises at least one of a crystalline silicon photovoltaic collector, a thin film photovoltaic collector, and a thermal collector.