A floating inflatable concentrating solar light and power supply unit comprises:
- 1) an inflatable domed divergent Fresnel lens and non-imaging solar concentrator based large concentration stationary concentrator filled with helium or hydrogen;
- 2) a transparent cylinder with its wall covered with display;
- 3) at least one LED light or light bulb;
- 4) a hybrid solar thermal and photovoltaic receiver;
- 5) at least one thermoelectric module;
- 6) a thermal energy storage;
- 7) a battery bank with a electric charger and a charging controller;
- 8) and a micro inverter;
- wherein the transparent cylinder surround the floating inflatable domed divergent Fresnel lens and non-imaging solar concentrator based large concentration stationary concentrator;
- the LED lights or light bulbs are positioned in the space between the floating inflatable domed divergent Fresnel lens and non-imaging solar concentrator based large concentration stationary concentrator and the transparent cylinder;
- the hybrid solar thermal and photovoltaic receiver is place beneath the output aperture of the floating inflatable domed divergent Fresnel lens and non-imaging solar concentrator based large concentration stationary concentrator;
- the thermoelectric modules are attached to the backside of the hybrid solar thermal and photovoltaic receiver;
- the photovoltaic portion of the hybrid solar thermal and photovoltaic receiver is electrically connected to the thermoelectric modules;
- the thermoelectric modules are thermally coupled to the thermal storage;
- thermoelectric modules are electrically connected to the battery bank through the electric charger and charging controller;
- the photovoltaic portion of the hybrid solar thermal and photovoltaic receiver is electrically connected to the battery bank through the electric charger and charging controller;
- the micro inverter is electrically connected to the battery bank;
- the LED lights or light bulbs are electrically connected to the battery bank through a controller;
- wherein when in operation, during daytime, oblique incident sunlight including beam light and diffuse light is firstly refracted by the domed divergent Fresnel lens on top of the floating inflatable domed divergent Fresnel lens and non-imaging solar concentrator based large concentration stationary concentrator, and then concentrated by the CPC at the bottom of the floating inflatable domed divergent Fresnel lens and non-imaging solar concentrator based large concentration stationary concentrator onto the hybrid solar thermal and photovoltaic receiver;
- the receiver cogenerates electricity and thermal energy;
- a portion of the cogenerated electricity is used to power the thermoelectric modules;
- another portion of the cogenerated electricity is used to charge the battery bank;
- the cogenerated thermal energy is raised in temperature and stored into the thermal storage through the thermoelectric modules;
- the battery bank is used to output AC power through the micro inverter;
- during night time, the stored thermal energy in thermal storage is extracted to generate electricity to charge the battery bank;
- the battery bank is used to power the LEDs or light bulbs.