An apparatus (1000, 1200) comprising: a first modality of solar energy conversion that is disposed between a source of light and; a second modality of solar energy conversion that comprises a fluid-based modality of solar energy conversion having a fluid-carrying conduit, wherein the first modality of solar energy conversion is disposed directly on a heat-absorbing surface that comprises a part of the fluid-carrying conduit of the second modality of solar energy conversion, characterised in that both the first modality of solar energy conversion and the second modality of solar energy conversion are arranged to generate electricity using a same source of light, and in that the first modality of solar energy conversion comprises: a plurality of nanowire cores consisting essentially of a wide band-gap material being SiC or TiO2, wherein the core has at least one bisectional dimension that does not exceed 100 nanometres; a plurality of graphene shells, each consisting essentially of graphene, and each being conformally disposed about at least a substantial portion of a respective core to form a core/shell structure; a first electrical pathway comprising a conducting base electrically and physically connected to the nanowire cores but not to the shells at a first end of the core/shell structure; a second electrical pathway electrically and physically connected to the graphene shells but not to the cores via graphene layers at a second end of the core/shell structure; and a monolayer or multilayers of an insulator arranged to prevent contact between the conducting base and the graphene shells, the first and second electrical pathways being arranged to couple to an electrical load. a first modality of solar energy conversion that is disposed between a source of light and; a second modality of solar energy conversion that comprises a fluid-based modality of solar energy conversion having a fluid-carrying conduit, wherein the first modality of solar energy conversion is disposed directly on a heat-absorbing surface that comprises a part of the fluid-carrying conduit of the second modality of solar energy conversion, characterised in that both the first modality of solar energy conversion and the second modality of solar energy conversion are arranged to generate electricity using a same source of light, and in that the first modality of solar energy conversion comprises: a plurality of nanowire cores consisting essentially of a wide band-gap material being SiC or TiO2, wherein the core has at least one bisectional dimension that does not exceed 100 nanometres; a plurality of graphene shells, each consisting essentially of graphene, and each being conformally disposed about at least a substantial portion of a respective core to form a core/shell structure; a first electrical pathway comprising a conducting base electrically and physically connected to the nanowire cores but not to the shells at a first end of the core/shell structure; a second electrical pathway electrically and physically connected to the graphene shells but not to the cores via graphene layers at a second end of the core/shell structure; and a monolayer or multilayers of an insulator arranged to prevent contact between the conducting base and the graphene shells, a plurality of nanowire cores consisting essentially of a wide band-gap material being SiC or TiO2, wherein the core has at least one bisectional dimension that does not exceed 100 nanometres; a plurality of graphene shells, each consisting essentially of graphene, and each being conformally disposed about at least a substantial portion of a respective core to form a core/shell structure; a first electrical pathway comprising a conducting base electrically and physically connected to the nanowire cores but not to the shells at a first end of the core/shell structure; a second electrical pathway electrically and physically connected to the graphene shells but not to the cores via graphene layers at a second end of the core/shell structure; and a monolayer or multilayers of an insulator arranged to prevent contact between the conducting base and the graphene shells, the first and second electrical pathways being arranged to couple to an electrical load.