Solar powered variable light attenuating devices and arrangements

A solar powered variable light attenuating device comprising:

• a non-polarizer based variable light attenuating liquid crystal cell comprising a mixture of a liquid crystal host and a guest dichroic dye solution disposed between two transparent substrates;
• a photovoltaic cell in electrical communication with the liquid crystal cell;
• and
• a light concentrator having a light absorbing surface and a light emitting surface disposed at an angle with respect to the light absorbing surface and optically coupled to the photovoltaic cell, the light concentrator further comprising a luminescent dye orientated such that at least a portion of light impinging on the light absorbing surface of the light concentrator is waveguided laterally toward and through the light emitting surface to a photon-absorbing portion of the photovoltaic cell to generate a voltage;
• wherein the liquid crystal cell and the light concentrator layer are arranged such that either:
• (a) the light concentrator is disposed outward of the liquid crystal cell, such that at least a portion of light impinges on the light absorbing surface of the light concentrator before impinging on the liquid crystal cell;
• or
• (b) the liquid crystal cell is disposed outward of the light concentrator, such that at least a portion of light impinges on the liquid crystal cell before impinging on the light absorbing surface of the light concentrator.