Patent ID: 7569764

Claim:
A solar-electric module comprising: an array comprising four or more concentrator assemblies each separately pivotably mounted in the same plane with two degrees of freedom and each assembly comprising a photovoltaic receiver or thermoelectric receiver, and each comprising one or more optical reflectors or lenses configured concentrate sunlight by reflection or refraction onto the photovoltaic receiver or thermoelectric receiver; and, a tracking mechanism configured to separately move each member of the concentrator array through two degrees of rotational freedom; wherein the tracking mechanism comprises: a top plate comprising a perforated plane; a bottom plate that can be linearly translated relative to the top plate in two perpendicular directions along the plane; and, one or more spheroids attached to each concentrator array member and retained between the top plate and bottom plate with the optical concentrators projecting above the top plate; whereby relative motion of the top and bottom plate rolls the spheroids and rotates the concentrators in unison through one or two degrees of rotational freedom; whereby the array members of the concentrator array are moved in unison to each follow the relative movement of the sun across the sky.