Solar energy apparatus and methods

A solar energy collection apparatus comprising of:

• said solar energy collection apparatus comprises an absorber plate, said absorber plate comprises porous metal, in which said porous metal comprises substantially inter-connected strands of metal, and said porous metal further comprises a substantially open lattice work of air pores between said substantially inter-connected strands of metal, wherein said inter-connected strands of metal being configured to form a substantially singular object with said open lattice work of air pores, in which said porous metal further comprises a porosity of approximately 85% to 98%, and said open lattice work of air pores comprises a pore size of approximately 0.1 mm to 10 mm, said porous metal further comprises a volume density of approximately 0.1 to 1 grams per cubic centimeter (cc), wherein said porosity, pore size, and density of said porous metal being configured to enable a working fluid to substantially traverse throughout said open lattice work of air pores between said inter-connected strands of metal of said absorber plate, and wherein said working fluid contains at least one material that exhibits the photovoltaic effect, and wherein the electrical energy generated by the photovoltaic effect can conduct throughout the substantially inter-connected strands of metal of said absorber plate, and said porous metal absorber plate further comprises a depth of approximately 1 mm to 100 mm, and wherein said depth of said porous metal being configured to trap light rays that penetrates said porous metal absorber plate and generally refracting and reflecting said light rays within said open lattice work of air pores between said inter-connected strands of metal, and said porous metal absorber plate being configured to enable a working fluid to substantially traverse throughout said open lattice work of air pores between said inter-connected strands of metal of said absorber plate as to enable substantial solar energy harvest from said solar energy collection apparatus without the use of a radiation trap structure in-between said porous metal absorber plate and any type of cover glazing of said solar energy collection apparatus.

A solar energy collection apparatus comprising of:

• said solar energy collection apparatus comprises an absorber plate, said absorber plate comprises porous metal, in which said porous metal comprises substantially inter-connected strands of metal, said porous metal further comprises a substantially open lattice work of air pores between said substantially inter-connected strands of metal, wherein said inter-connected strands of metal being configured to form a substantially singular object with said open lattice work of air pores, in which said porous metal further comprises a porosity of approximately 85% to 98%, and said open lattice work of air pores comprises a pore size of approximately 0.1 mm to 10 mm, said porous metal further comprises a volume density of approximately 0.1 to 1 grams per cubic centimeter (cc), wherein said porosity, pore size, and density of said porous metal being configured to enable a working fluid to substantially traverse throughout said open lattice work of air pores between said inter-connected strands of metal of said absorber plate, and said porous metal absorber plate further comprises a depth of approximately 1 mm to 100 mm, and wherein said depth of said porous metal being configured to trap light rays that penetrates said porous metal absorber plate and generally refracting and reflecting said light rays within said open lattice work of air pores between said inter-connected strands of metal of said absorber plate substantially preventing said light rays from escaping, and said porous metal absorber plate being configured to enable a working fluid to substantially traverse throughout said open lattice work of air pores between said inter-connected strands of metal of said absorber plate as to enable substantial solar energy harvest from said solar energy collection apparatus without the use of a radiation trap structure in-between said porous metal absorber plate and any type of cover glazing of said solar energy collection apparatus, and wherein said cover glazing comprises contoured cover glazing, in which said contoured cover glazing enclose said absorber plate, and wherein said contoured cover glazing comprise of at least one entrance and one exit for a working fluid to enter and exit said solar energy collection apparatus, and wherein said contoured cover glazing being configured to guide a working fluid in an alternating fashion of working fluid flow substantially on the top of and through the depth of said absorber plate to substantially on the bottom of and through the depth of the porous metal absorber plate along at least one axis of said absorber plate selected from the list of the length axis and the width axis.