Patent ID: 8173888

Claim:
A solar energy collection system for use with a building structure, comprising: a housing; a vacuum situated in said housing; an air compressor situated in said housing; an input/output element operatively coupled to said vacuum and to said air compressor, said input/output element extending away from said housing; a plurality of flexible units, including a first and second flexible unit and each flexible unit comprising: a backing portion having an adhesive configured to attach said backing portion to the building structure and defining at least one channel in said adhesive; wherein said at least one channel includes a primary portion and a plurality of branches extending perpendicularly from said primary portion; a port in communication with said channel, said port being in selective communication with said input/output element such that air from said channel is withdrawn when said vacuum is actuated and such that air is inserted into said channel when said air compressor is actuated; a solar cell portion upwardly adjacent and coupled to said backing portion, said solar cell portion including: an electricity generating element; an electricity outlet electrically connected to said electricity generating element and configured to transfer electricity generated by said electricity generating element; an electricity input electrically connected to said electricity generating element and configured to receive electricity from a respective electricity outlet of the second flexible unit; and wherein said electricity outlet of the flexible unit is selectively coupled to said electricity input of the second flexible unit so that said first flexible unit is electrically connected to said second flexible unit.