Energy generating shelter system and method

Abstract

A shelter capable of producing electrical energy is provided. The shelter includes a canopy which defines a sheltered area, a photovoltaic device capable of producing an electrical current when exposed to a light source (sunlight or artificial light), and a supporting structure to support the canopy and permit unobstructed access to the sheltered area. An electrical load is operatively connected to the photovoltaic device for utilizing the electricity generated by the photovoltaic device when the photovoltaic device is exposed to light. The shelter is well-suited to protect vehicles in large parking lots from the sun and other elements while simultaneously providing an alternate energy source.

1 . A shelter without walls capable of producing electrical energy comprising: 
 a canopy having a width and a length defining a sheltered area and having a photovoltaic device capable of producing an electrical current when exposed to a light source, said photovoltaic device associated with said canopy to produce electrical current from sunlight;    a supporting structure connected to and supporting said canopy and permitting substantially unobstructed access to the sheltered area; and    an electrical load operatively connected to the photovoltaic device for utilizing the electricity generated by the photovoltaic device when the photovoltaic device is exposed to light.    
     
     
         2 . The shelter of  claim 1  wherein said photovoltaic device is supported by the canopy.  
     
     
         3 . The shelter of  claim 1  wherein the photovoltaic device is contained on or in the canopy.  
     
     
         4 . The shelter of  claim 1  wherein the photovoltaic device forms the canopy.  
     
     
         5 . The shelter of  claim 1  wherein the photovoltaic device is selected from the group consisting of crystalline photovoltaic systems, flexible thin film photovoltaic systems, stacked photovoltaic layers and photovoltaic and light emissive layers.  
     
     
         6 . The shelter of  claim 1  further comprising a first photovoltaic device oriented to receive sunlight and a second photovoltaic device directed toward the ground.  
     
     
         7 . The shelter of  claim 6  wherein said canopy has an upper surface and an underside and an artificial light source is affixed to the underside or dispersed within the device.  
     
     
         8 . The shelter of  claim 5  wherein said photovoltaic device is transparent.  
     
     
         9 . The shelter of  claim 8  wherein the transparent photovoltaic device is composed of multiple layers of flexible thin film transparent photovoltaic material.  
     
     
         10 . The shelter of  claim 1  further comprising a light emitting diode associated with the photovoltaic device.  
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10  wherein the light emitting diode is capable of displaying human readable information.  
     
     
         12 . The shelter of  claim 10  wherein the light emitting diode is a flexible thin film light emitting diode.  
     
     
         13 . The shelter of  claim 1  wherein the photovoltaic device further comprises a light emitting coating and the photovoltaic device is capable of generating electricity from the light emitted by the light emitting coating.  
     
     
         14 . The shelter of  claim 1  wherein the electrical load is selected from the group consisting of the power distribution grid of a utility company and a battery.  
     
     
         15 . The shelter of  claim 14  wherein said battery is operatively connected to a light which illuminates said sheltered area.  
     
     
         16 . A system for generating electricity from a parking lot comprising: 
 an outdoor parking area having at least one vehicle parking space;    a canopy having a width and a length defining a sheltered area for said parking space and having a photovoltaic device capable of producing an electrical current when exposed to a light source, said photovoltaic device associated with said canopy to produce electrical current from sunlight;    a supporting structure connected to and supporting said canopy and permitting substantially unobstructed access to the sheltered area; and    an electrical load operatively connected to the photovoltaic device for utilizing the electricity generated by the photovoltaic device when the photovoltaic device is exposed to light.    
     
     
         17 . A method of producing electricity comprising: 
 providing a canopy having a width and a length defining a sheltered area and having a photovoltaic device capable of producing an electrical current when exposed to a light source, said photovoltaic device associated with said canopy to produce electrical current from sunlight;    supporting the canopy without walls above an outdoor vehicle parking area with a supporting structure that permits substantially unobstructed access to the parking area;    exposing the photovoltaic device to light to generate electricity; and    connecting an electrical load to the electricity.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said electrical load is a power meter and the method further comprises reverse metering the power meter.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said electrical load is a utility company power distribution grid.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising producing electricity at night with a light emissive material operatively associated with the photovoltaic device dispersed within or placed in the (PV) roof's vicinity.