High current burn-in of solar cells
Granted: March 6, 2018
Patent Number:
9912290
A method of high reverse current burn-in of solar cells and a solar cell with a burned-in bypass diode are described herein. In one embodiment, high reverse current burn-in of a solar cell with a tunnel oxide layer induces low breakdown voltage in the solar cell. Soaking a solar cell at high current can also reduce the difference in voltage of defective and non-defective areas of the cell.
Control techniques for photovoltaic power plants
Granted: March 6, 2018
Patent Number:
9912161
A photovoltaic power plant includes solar cells and inverters that convert direct current generated by the solar cells to alternating current. The reactive powers generated by the inverters are based on a reactive power generated by a virtual inverter. The virtual inverter has an equivalent impedance representing the impedances of the inverters in the photovoltaic power plant. The reactive power setpoints of the inverters may be received from a local interpreter. The local interpreter…
Alignment free solar cell metallization
Granted: March 6, 2018
Patent Number:
9911874
A solar cell can include a substrate and a semiconductor region disposed in or above the substrate. The solar cell can also include a contact finger coupled to the semiconductor region via a plurality of weld regions with at least one of the weld regions being a partial weld.
Alternative source module array characterization
Granted: February 27, 2018
Patent Number:
9906036
A system and method for mapping relative positions of a plurality of alternative energy source modules. In one embodiment, the method includes injecting a first contribution current into a power grid by a first alternative energy source module of the plurality of alternative energy source modules and determining an output voltage for each of the plurality of alternative energy source modules. The method also includes constructing a data structure of the relative positions of the…
Integrated renewable energy and asset system
Granted: February 27, 2018
Patent Number:
9903618
An integrated renewable energy and asset system is provided. In some embodiments, the system comprises: an existing parking lot positioned adjacent to a building structure, wherein the existing parking lot has an associated pattern; bore holes that are formed into the existing parking lot, wherein the bore holes are organized based on the pattern of the existing parking lot; vertical columns inserted into at least a first portion of the bore holes, wherein: crossbeams are installed on an…
Solar cells with improved lifetime, passivation and/or efficiency
Granted: February 20, 2018
Patent Number:
9899542
A method of fabricating a solar cell can include forming a dielectric region on a silicon substrate. The method can also include forming an emitter region over the dielectric region and forming a dopant region on a surface of the silicon substrate. In an embodiment, the method can include heating the silicon substrate at a temperature above 900 degrees Celsius to getter impurities to the emitter region and drive dopants from the dopant region to a portion of the silicon substrate.
Opposing row linear concentrator architecture
Granted: February 20, 2018
Patent Number:
9897346
A solar concentrator assembly is disclosed. The solar concentrator assembly comprises a first reflector facing in a first direction, a second reflector facing in a second direction, the second direction opposite the first direction, and a rotational member having a long axis transverse to the first and second directions, the rotational member disposed between and coupled to each of the first and second reflectors.
Emitters of a backside contact solar cell
Granted: February 13, 2018
Patent Number:
9893224
A system and method of patterning dopants of opposite polarity to form a solar cell is described. Two dopant films are deposited on a substrate. A laser is used to pattern the N-type dopant, by mixing the two dopant films into a single film with an exposure to the laser and/or drive the N-type dopant into the substrate to form an N-type emitter. A thermal process drives the P-type dopant from the P-type dopant film to form P-type emitters and further drives the N-type dopant from the…
Solar cell having a plurality of sub-cells coupled by a metallization structure
Granted: February 13, 2018
Patent Number:
9893222
Solar cells having a plurality of sub-cells coupled by metallization structures, and singulation approaches to forming solar cells having a plurality of sub-cells coupled by metallization structures, are described. In an example, a solar cell, includes a plurality of sub-cells, each of the sub-cells having a singulated and physically separated semiconductor substrate portion. Adjacent ones of the singulated and physically separated semiconductor substrate portions have a groove there…
Communication within a power inverter using transformer voltage frequency
Granted: February 6, 2018
Patent Number:
9887639
Communicating across a power transformer is provided. Processes can include outputting a cyclical voltage at an alternating frequency across a multiple winding transformer and modulating the frequency of the alternating voltage to provide communication across the transformer. Devices and systems can also be employed with applicable features and designs.
Communication systems adaptable to power line communications
Granted: January 30, 2018
Patent Number:
9882598
A communication system and method of operating the same that includes, in one embodiment, a transmit filter including a transmit filter capacitor, and a receive filter coupled to the transmit filter. The communication system also includes a switch, coupled to an auxiliary winding of a transformer and to the transmit filter capacitor, configured to alter an impedance of the transmit filter during a receive mode of operation of the communication system. In another embodiment, a transmitter…
Shingled solar cell module
Granted: January 30, 2018
Patent Number:
9882077
A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells arranged in a shingled manner to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module, reduce series resistance, and increase module efficiency.
Laser techniques for foil-based metallization of solar cells
Granted: January 30, 2018
Patent Number:
9882071
Methods of fabricating a solar cell including metallization techniques and resulting solar cells, are described. In an example, a semiconductor region can be formed in or above a substrate. A first metal layer can be formed over the semiconductor region. A laser can be applied over a first region of the metal layer to form a first metal weld between the metal layer and the semiconductor region, where applying a laser over the first region comprises applying the laser at a first scanning…
Shingled solar cell module
Granted: January 23, 2018
Patent Number:
9876132
A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells arranged in a shingled manner to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module, reduce series resistance, and increase module efficiency. In some variations a solar module comprises a white backing sheet on which rows of super cells are arranged, and the white backing sheet comprises darkened stripes having locations and widths corresponding to gaps between the rows of…
Protective region for metallization of solar cells
Granted: January 16, 2018
Patent Number:
9871150
Methods of fabricating a solar cell including metallization techniques and resulting solar cells, are described. In an example, a first and second semiconductor regions can be formed in or above a substrate, where a separation region is disposed between the first and second semiconductor regions. A protective region can be formed over the separation region. A first metal layer can be formed over the substrate, where the protective region prevents and/or inhibits damage to the separation…
Automatic voltage regulation for photovoltaic systems
Granted: January 9, 2018
Patent Number:
9866030
A photovoltaic system includes solar cells and photovoltaic inverters configured to convert direct current generated by the solar cells to alternating current. Grid voltage at the point of interconnection (POI) of the photovoltaic system and the power grid is measured and compared to a setpoint. A control signal is generated based on the measured grid voltage. The control signal is provided to the photovoltaic inverters. The control signal is adjusted to cause the photovoltaic inverters…
Solar cell interconnection
Granted: January 9, 2018
Patent Number:
9865759
A solar cell can include a conductive foil having a first portion with a first yield strength coupled to a semiconductor region of the solar cell. The solar cell can be interconnected with another solar cell via an interconnect structure that includes a second portion of the conductive foil, with the interconnect structure having a second yield strength greater than the first yield strength.
Metallization of solar cells using metal foils
Granted: January 9, 2018
Patent Number:
9865753
A solar cell structure includes P-type and N-type doped regions. A dielectric spacer is formed on a surface of the solar cell structure. A metal layer is formed on the dielectric spacer and on the surface of the solar cell structure that is exposed by the dielectric spacer. A metal foil is placed on the metal layer. A laser beam is used to weld the metal foil to the metal layer. A laser beam is also used to pattern the metal foil. The laser beam ablates portions of the metal foil and the…
Reduced contact resistance and improved lifetime of solar cells
Granted: December 19, 2017
Patent Number:
9847438
A solar cell, having a front side which faces the sun during normal operation, and a back side opposite the front side can include a silicon substrate having doped regions and a polysilicon layer disposed over the doped regions. The solar cell can include a conductive filling formed between a first metal layer and doped regions and through or at least partially through the polysilicon layer, where the conductive filling electrically couples the first metal layer and the doped region. In…
Device, system, and method for communicating with a power inverter using power line communications
Granted: December 12, 2017
Patent Number:
9843358
A device, system, and method for communicating with a power inverter of an array of inverters includes transmitting a relay message from an inverter array controller to a relay inverter in response to failing to receive a response from at least one power inverter of the array. The relay inverter is configured to retransmit a message from the inverter array controller to a non-responsive power inverter of the array of inverters in response to receiving the relay message. The relay…
