Patent ID: 7851935

Claim:
A system for converting wind and solar energy for use with an electrical generator, the system comprising: a wind powered subsystem including: a rotor for receiving wind to generate mechanical energy; and a first shaft mechanically coupled between the rotor and the electrical generator for transferring the generated mechanical energy to the electrical generator; a solar powered subsystem including: a solar collector for receiving solar energy to generate thermal energy; a thermo-mechanical engine coupled to the solar collector for converting the generated thermal energy into mechanical energy; and a second shaft mechanically coupled to the thermo-mechanical engine; and an interconnection subsystem for disengageably coupling the second shaft to the first shaft for combining the mechanical energy generated by the wind and solar powered subsystems to be transferred to the electrical generator, the interconnection system including a set of pulleys and one or more V-belts for selectively coupling the set of pulleys, and an electric motor configured for moving a selected one of the set of pulleys upon activation by a control signal, thereby tightening the V-belts over the set of pulleys to couple the second shaft to the first shaft.