Photovoltaic conversion of light

A method for generating power, comprising:

• receiving a photofuel, including a liquid, with a receptacle including one or more photovoltaic cells disposed within the receptacle;
• emitting light from the photofuel when the photofuel is in the receptacle;
• flowing the photofuel though a channel positioned in the receptacle, wherein the photovoltaic cells are positioned in the channel to receive the light from the photofuel, wherein at least a portion of the channel is lined with a catalyst that encourages photoemission of the light by the photofuel when in physical contact with the photofuel;
• absorbing the light with the one or more photovoltaic cells disposed within the receptacle;
• generating a photocurrent with the one or more photovoltaic cells, in response to the one or more photovoltaic cells absorbing the light;
• and
• outputting electricity with a power system coupled to the one or more photovoltaic cells to receive the photocurrent.

A photovoltaic power system, comprising:

• a receptacle shaped to receive a photofuel including a liquid, wherein the receptacle includes a smaller inner channel and a larger outer channel that encircles the smaller inner channel and wherein the photofuel is confined to the smaller inner channel but not the larger outer channel;
• one or more photovoltaic cells positioned within larger outer channel of the receptacle to receive light emitted from the photofuel through a transparent wall of the smaller inner channel to the one or more photovoltaic cells within the larger outer channel when the photofuel is in inner smaller channel of the receptacle;
• and
• power circuitry coupled to the one or more photovoltaic cells to receive a photocurrent generated by the one or more photovoltaic cells when the one or more photovoltaic cells receive the light emitted from the photofuel, wherein in response to the photocurrent, the power circuitry is coupled to output electricity,
• wherein a space between the transparent wall of the inner smaller channel and the one or more photovoltaic cells comprises a nonabsorptive medium that traps at least a portion of the light via total internal reflection from reentering the inner smaller channel after passing through the transparent wall.

A photovoltaic power system, comprising:

• a first receptacle shaped to receive a first photofuel;
• a second receptacle shaped to receive a second photofuel, wherein the first and second photofuels comprise a liquid;
• one or more photovoltaic cells positioned within the first and second receptacles to receive light emitted from the first or second photofuels when the first or second photofuel are in the first or second receptacles, respectively;
• trigger mechanisms coupled to the first and second receptacles and configured to spark out-of-phase photoemissions of the light between the first and second receptacles;
• and
• power circuitry coupled to the one or more photovoltaic cells to receive a photocurrent generated by the one or more photovoltaic cells when the one or more photovoltaic cells receive the light emitted from the first or second photofuels, wherein in response to the photocurrent, the power circuitry is coupled to output electricity.

A photovoltaic power system, comprising:

• a receptacle shaped to receive a photofuel including a liquid;
• a channel disposed within the receptacle for guiding or confining the photofuel within the receptacle, wherein the channel is divided into a first sub channel and a second sub channel, wherein a clear divider is disposed between the first sub channel and the second sub channel, and wherein the photofuel flows in a first direction in the first subchannel and the photofuel flows in a second direction in the second sub channel, wherein the first direction is opposite the second direction;
• one or more photovoltaic cells positioned within the receptacle to receive the light emitted from the photofuel when the photofuel is in the receptacle;
• and
• power circuitry coupled to the one or more photovoltaic cells to receive a photocurrent generated by the one or more photovoltaic cells when the one or more photovoltaic cells receive the light emitted from the photofuel, wherein in response to the photocurrent, the power circuitry is coupled to output electricity.