TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - CERAMICS AND GLASS - Preferred Material: The transparent tubular casing is made of plastic or glass. It comprises aluminosilicate glass, borosilicate glass, dichroic glass, germanium/semiconductor glass, glass ceramic, silicate / fused silica glass, soda lime glass, quartz glass, chalcogenide/sulfide glass, fluoride glass, flint glass, or cereated glass.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRICAL POWER AND ENERGY - Preferred Component: The solar apparatus comprises a solar unit comprising substrate having a first end and a second end; and photovoltaic cells linearly arranged on the substrate, and in optical communication with the high albedo layer, the photovoltaic cells comprising a first photovoltaic cell and a second photovoltaic cell, each photovoltaic cell in the photovoltaic cells comprising a back-electrode circumferentially disposed on the substrate, a semiconductor junction layer circumferentially disposed on the back-electrode, and a transparent conductive layer circumferentially disposed on the semiconductor junction, where transparent conductive layer of the first photovoltaic cell is in serial electrical communication with the back-electrode of the second photovoltaic cell in the photovoltaic cells. The photovoltaic cells comprise a first terminal photovoltaic cell at the first end of the substrate; a second terminal photovoltaic cell at the second end of the substrate; and intermediate photovoltaic cell(s) between the first terminal photovoltaic cell and the second photovoltaic cell, where transparent conductive layer of each intermediate photovoltaic cell in the intermediate photovoltaic cell(s) is in serial electrical communication with the back-electrode of an adjacent photovoltaic cell in the photovoltaic cells. They comprise greater than or equal to10 photovoltaic cells. The solar apparatus comprises a transparent tubular casing that is circumferentially disposed onto the transparent conductive layer of all or a portion of the photovoltaic cells. The substrate is tubular shaped and configured to pass a fluid through the substrate, and comprises a solid rod. The semiconductor junction of a photovoltaic cell comprises an absorber layer and a junction partner layer, which is circumferentially deposed on the absorber layer. The substrate is tubular shaped and a fluid is passed through the substrate. It has a solid core. The solar apparatus comprises a filler layer circumferentially disposed on the transparent conductive layer, where transparent tubular casing is circumferentially disposed on the filler layer circumferentially sealing the cylindrical shaped solar cell; and a water resistant layer circumferentially disposed on the transparent conductive layer, where transparent tubular casing is circumferentially disposed on the water resistant layer circumferentially sealing the cylindrical shaped solar cell. The cylindrical shaped solar cell has a cylindrical axis, and further comprising an electrode strip(s), where each electrode strip is overlayed on the transparent conductive layer along the cylindrical axis of the solar cell. The electrode strip(s) comprises electrode strips that are positioned at spaced intervals on the transparent conductive layer, such that the electrode strips run parallel or approximately parallel to each other along the cylindrical axis of the solar cell. Electrode strips are spaced out at even or uneven intervals on a surface of the transparent conductive layer. The electrode strip(s) comprises electrode strips overlayed on the transparent conductive layer along the cylindrical axis of the solar cell, where cylindrical shaped solar cell further comprises a grid line(s) that electrically connects a first electrode strip and a second electrode strip. The photovoltaic cell system comprises a base; a solar cell panel (210) attached to the base; a self-cleaning albedo device attached to the base, where self-cleaning albedo device comprises a flexible substrate, a high albedo layer, and a self-cleaning layer, where high albedo layer is disposed on the flexible substrate and the self-cleaning layer is disposed on the high albedo layer; a retractable roller mounted on the base of an assembly in the photovoltaic cell assemblies, and configured to retract the self-cleaning albedo device into a roll. The self-cleaning albedo device has an open configuration and a closed configuration, where self-cleaning albedo device is rolled up in the retractable roller when the self-cleaning albedo device is in the closed position, and the self-cleaning albedo device is extended in a downward gradient away from the base when the self-cleaning albedo device is in the open position. The solar cell panel of a photovoltaic cell assembly is mono-facial or bi-facial. Preferred Parameter: A length of the cylindrical shaped solar cell is between 2-300, preferably between 2-30 cm.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The self-cleaning layer comprises a photocatalytic material. It comprises titanium(Ti)-hydroxyapatite, anatase titanium dioxide (TiO2), rutile TiO2, or brookitein TiO2; zinc oxide (ZnO), tin oxide (SnO2), strontium titanium oxide (SrTiO3), tungsten oxide (WO3), bismuth oxide (Bi2O3), or iron oxide (Fe2O3); nano-particles made of silicon dioxide (SiO2), TiO2, aluminum oxide (Al2O3), zirconium oxide (ZrO2) or SnO2, or silica; a composite of calcium fluoride (CaF2) and TiO2. Preferred Composition: The high albedo layer has an albedo of greater than or equal to80, preferably greater than or equal to90%. The self-cleaning layer comprises between 1-90 wt.% TiO2. Preferred Material: The self-cleaning layer is formed from perotitanium solution or perox-modified anatase sol.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Component: The self-cleaning layer comprises Teflon(RTM: polytetrafluoroethylene) or polychlorotrifluoroethylene; a photocatalytic oxide and a resin, which comprises a silicone resin or a fluororesin. The silicone resin comprises ethyltrimethoxysilane, methyltriethoxysilane, methyltrichlorosilane, methyltribromosilane, methyltriisopropoxysilane, methyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, ethyltrimethoxysilane, ethyltriethoxysilane, ethyltrichlorosilane, ethyltribromosilane, ethyltriisopropoxysilane, ethyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, n-propyltrimethoxysilane, n-propyltriethoxysilane, n-propyltrichlorosilane, n-propyltribromosilane, n-propyltriisopropoxysilane, n-propyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, n-hexyltrimethoxysilane, n-hexyltriethoxysilane, n-hexytrichlorosilane, n-hexyltribromosilane, n-hexyltriisopropoxysilane, n-hexyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, n-decyltrimethoxysilane, n-decyltriethoxysilane, n-decyltrichlorosilane, n-decyltribromosilane, n-decyltriisopropoxysilane, n-decyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, noctatrimethoxysilane, n-octatriethoxysilane, n-octatrichlorosilane, n-octatribromosilane, n-octatriisopropoxysilane, n-octa-tri-t-butoxysilane, phenyltrimethoxysilane, phenyltriethoxysilane, phenyltrichlorosilane, phenyltribromosilane, phenyltriisopropoxysilane, phenyl-t-butoxysilane, dimethyldichlorosilane, dimethyldibromosilane, dimethyldimethoxysilane, dimethyldiethoxysilane, diphenyldichlorosilane, diphenyldibromosilane, diphenyldimethoxysilane, diphenyldiethoxysilane, phenylmethyldichlorosilane, phenylmethyldibromosilane, phenylmethyldimethoxysilane, phenylmethyldiethoxysilane, vinyltrichlorosilane, vinyltribromosilane, vinyltrimethoxysilane, vinyltriethoxysilane, vinyltriisopropoxysilane, vinyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, trifluoropropyltrichlorosilane, trifluoropropyltribromosilane, trifluoropropyltrimethoxysilane, trifluoropropyltriethoxysilane, trifluoropropyltriisopropoxysilane, trifluoropropyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, gamma-glycidoxypropylmethyldimethoxysilane, gamma-glycidoxypropylmethyldiethoxysilane, gamma-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane, gamma-glycidoxypropyltriethoxysilane, gamma-glycidoxypropyltriisopropoxysilane, gamma-glycidoxypropyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, gamma-methacryloxypropylmethyldimethoxysilane, gamma-methacryloxypropylmethyldiethoxysilane, gamma -methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, gamma-methacryloxypropyltriethoxysilane, gamma-methacryloxypropyltriisopropoxysilane, gamma-methacryloxypropyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, gamma-aminopropylmethyldimethoxysilane, gamma-aminopropylmethyldiethoxysilane, gamma-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, gamma-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, gamma-aminopropyltriisopropoxysilane, gamma-aminopropyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, gamma-mercaptopropylmethyldimethoxysilane, gamma-mercaptopropylmethyldiethoxysilane, gamma-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane, gamma-mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane, gamma-mercaptopropyltriisopropoxysilane, gamma-mercaptopropyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, (beta-(3,4-poxycyclohexyl)ethyltrimethoxysilane, and/or (beta-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)ethyltriethoxysilane. The fluororesin comprises polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyvinyl fluoride, polychlorotrifluoroethylene, tetrafluoroethylene/hexafluoropropylene copolymer, ethylene/tetrafluoroethylene copolymer, ethylene/chlorotrifluoroethylene copolymer, tetrafluoroethylene/perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer, perfluorocyclo polymer, vinyl ether/fluoroolefin copolymer, vinyl ester/fluoroolefin copolymer, tetrafluoroethylene/vinyl ether copolymer, chlorotrifluoroethylene/vinyl ether copolymer, urethane-crosslinked tetrafluoroethylene, epoxy-crosslinked tetrafluoroethylene, acrylcrosslinked tetrafluoroethylene, and/or melamine-crosslinked tetrafluoroethylene. The transparent tubular casing comprises a urethane polymer, an acrylic polymer, a fluoropolymer, a silicone, a silicone gel, an epoxy, a polyamide, or a polyolefin. It comprises polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), poly-dimethyl siloxane (PDMS), ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA), perfluoroalkoxy fluorocarbon (PFA), nylon, cross-linked polyethylene (PEX), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG), PTFE, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). The substrate comprises plastic or glass and metal or metal alloy. It comprises a urethane polymer, an acrylic polymer, a fluoropolymer, polybenzamidazole, polymide, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyetheretherketone, polyamide-imide, glass-based phenolic, polystyrene, cross-linked polystyrene, polyester, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polyethylene, acrylonitrile-butadienestyrene, polytetrafluoro-ethylene, polymethacrylate, nylon 6,6, cellulose acetate butyrate, cellulose acetate, rigid vinyl, plasticized vinyl, or polypropylene. The filler layer comprises EVA, silicone, silicone gel, epoxy, PDMS, room temperature vulcanizable (RTV) silicone rubber, polyvinyl butyral (PVB), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), a polycarbonate, an acrylic, a fluoropolymer, or a urethane. The water resistant layer comprises clear silicone, silicon nitride (SiN), silicon oxynitride (SiOxNy), silicon oxide (SiOx), or Al2O3, where x and y are integers. The electrode strip(s) comprises a conductive epoxy, a conductive ink, copper or its alloy, aluminum or its alloy, nickel or its alloy, silver or its alloy, gold or its alloy, a conductive glue, or a conductive plastic. The high albedo layer comprises white paint, white sand, white gravel, or white reflective plastic. Preferred Parameter: The self-cleaning layer is less than or equal to500, preferably less than or equal to10 microns thick. Preferred Material: The albedo device is made of plastic, preferably Mylar(RTM: polyester).