Systems and methods for improved installation of photovoltaic assemblies
Granted: April 2, 2024
Patent Number:
11949032
Improved photovoltaic (PV) assemblies for converting solar radiation to electrical energy and methods of installation thereof are disclosed herein. PV arrays comprising a plurality PV modules are also described herein. A PV assembly can comprise at least one PV module having a front side and a back side opposite the front side. A PV module can comprise a plurality of solar cells encapsulated within a PV laminate. In some embodiments, a PV module includes a frame at least partially…
Systems and method for determining solar panel placement and energy output
Granted: April 2, 2024
Patent Number:
11947880
Determining solar panel placement enables sales representatives and homeowners to modify a solar power system by adding or removing solar panels or arrays of solar panels, or changing module type. The user sees the corresponding solar energy production update instantly in a user interface. Determining solar panel placement includes receiving data corresponding to an installation location. A maximum solar panel design is determined based on the installation location. Energy production is…
Energy control system
Granted: December 26, 2023
Patent Number:
11855482
The present disclosure provides energy control systems for whole home and partial home backup with integrated breaker spaces and metering. The energy control system includes a grid interconnection electrically coupled to a utility grid, a backup power interconnection electrically coupled to a backup power source, a backup load interconnection electrically coupled to at least one backup load, and a non-backup load interconnection electrically coupled to at least one non-backup load. The…
Backup load energy control system
Granted: November 7, 2023
Patent Number:
11811261
The present disclosure provides a method for controlling an energy control system. The energy control system includes a grid interconnection, a backup load interconnection, a non-backup load interconnection, and a backup power interconnection. The method includes receiving electronic data from a plurality of backup loads. The method includes detecting a power outage at the grid interconnection electrically coupled to a utility grid. The method includes disconnecting the grid…
Methods of recycling silicon swarf into electronic grade polysilicon or metallurgical-grade silicon
Granted: October 10, 2023
Patent Number:
11784276
Methods of recycling silicon swarf into electronic grade polysilicon or metallurgical-grade silicon are described herein are described. In an example, a method includes cutting a silicon ingot and recovering silicon swarf having a first purity from the cutting process. The recovered silicon is purified in an upgraded metallurgical silicon process to produce electronic grade polysilicon particles having a second purity higher than the first purity. The upgraded metallurgical silicon…
Solar panel
Granted: September 26, 2023
Patent Number:
D999723
Contacts for solar cells
Granted: March 28, 2023
Patent Number:
11616159
A method of fabricating a solar cell is disclosed. The method can include forming a dielectric region on a surface of a solar cell structure and forming a metal layer on the dielectric layer. The method can also include configuring a laser beam with a particular shape and directing the laser beam with the particular shape on the metal layer, where the particular shape allows a contact to be formed between the metal layer and the solar cell structure.
Estimating performance of photovoltaic systems
Granted: March 28, 2023
Patent Number:
11615487
An energy evaluation system includes an energy system modeling framework and an Application Program Interface (API) as part of the energy system evaluation framework. The energy evaluation system can be configured to query a simulation application program interface (API) with PV system configuration parameters as arguments, generate a shade loss time series based on the system configuration parameters, simulate energy output for the PV system based on the shade loss time series, and…
Solar cell having an emitter region with wide bandgap semiconductor material
Granted: March 14, 2023
Patent Number:
11605750
Solar cells having emitter regions composed of wide bandgap semiconductor material are described. In an example, a method includes forming, in a process tool having a controlled atmosphere, a thin dielectric layer on a surface of a semiconductor substrate of the solar cell. The semiconductor substrate has a bandgap. Without removing the semiconductor substrate from the controlled atmosphere of the process tool, a semiconductor layer is formed on the thin dielectric layer. The…
System and method for shingling wafer strips connected in parallel
Granted: March 7, 2023
Patent Number:
11600733
A solar device includes a first string of first solar wafers, wherein a plurality of the first solar wafers each overlap with at least one vertically adjacent solar wafer from the first string. Additionally, the solar device includes a second string of second solar wafers, wherein a plurality of the second solar wafers each overlap with at least one vertically adjacent solar wafer from the second string, wherein a plurality of the first solar wafers overlap with one or more of the…
Dual wafer plating fixture for a continuous plating line
Granted: March 7, 2023
Patent Number:
11598018
A wafer plating fixture for use in simultaneously electroplating a two substrates. The wafer plating fixture including: an electrically conductive carrier bus; a plurality of contact clips electrically coupled to the carrier bus and configured to hold the two substrates in place and electrically couple the two substrates to the carrier bus; and a non-conductive substrate backer to separate the two substrates coupled to the carrier bus. A method of electroplating a plurality of…
Solar panel
Granted: March 7, 2023
Patent Number:
D980158
Systems and methods for mounting solar panels
Granted: February 28, 2023
Patent Number:
11594998
Mounting a solar panel system includes installing a skirt to a roof in a predetermined position, the predetermined position guiding an alignment for additional components installed in the solar panel system; integrating a solar panel with a flange of the skirt, wherein the skirt supports a portion of the solar panel; determining if a width of the solar panel system will be increased; installing an additional skirt to which an additional solar panel is attached in response to determining…
Solar cells with differentiated P-type and N-type region architectures
Granted: February 28, 2023
Patent Number:
11594648
Methods of fabricating solar cell emitter regions with differentiated P-type and N-type regions architectures, and resulting solar cells, are described. In an example, a solar cell can include a substrate having a light-receiving surface and a back surface. A first doped region of a first conductivity type, wherein the first doped region is disposed in a first portion of the back surface. A first thin dielectric layer disposed over the back surface of the substrate, where a portion of…
Solar cell wafer
Granted: February 21, 2023
Patent Number:
D978781
Solar cell emitter region fabrication with differentiated P-type and N-type architectures and incorporating dotted diffusion
Granted: February 14, 2023
Patent Number:
11581443
Methods of fabricating solar cell emitter regions with differentiated P-type and N-type architectures and incorporating dotted diffusion, and resulting solar cells, are described. In an example, a solar cell includes a substrate having a light-receiving surface and a back surface. A first polycrystalline silicon emitter region of a first conductivity type is disposed on a first thin dielectric layer disposed on the back surface of the substrate. A second polycrystalline silicon emitter…
Enclosure
Granted: February 14, 2023
Patent Number:
D978081
Clamps for solar system
Granted: February 7, 2023
Patent Number:
11575344
A solar power system can include a rail and a solar module disposed on the rail. A clamp assembly can couple the solar module to the rail. The clamp assembly can have a clamped configuration in which the solar module is secured to the rail and an unclamped configuration. The clamp assembly can comprise an upper clamp member, a lower clamp member coupled to the rail, and a stabilization member mechanically engaging the upper clamp member and the lower clamp member. The stabilization…
Solar panel
Granted: February 7, 2023
Patent Number:
D977413
Methods and systems for integrating energy control systems with electrical systems
Granted: January 31, 2023
Patent Number:
11569782
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for integrating an energy control system with an electrical system having a utility meter connected to a utility grid, a photovoltaic (PV) system, an energy storage system, and a plurality of electrical loads. The systems and methods include determining a site condition of the electrical system, determining a type of backup configuration for the electrical system based on the determined site condition, and determining a location of at…
