Encapsulants for photovoltaic modules
Granted: December 12, 2017
Patent Number:
9842951
A photovoltaic (PV) Module can include a substantially transparent cover, first encapsulant, a solar cell and a second encapsulant. The second encapsulant can be configured to allow thermal communication between the solar cell and a heat sink. Various configurations and methods of making the same are presented.
Solar cell emitter region fabrication with differentiated P-type and N-type architectures and incorporating dotted diffusion
Granted: December 5, 2017
Patent Number:
9837576
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…
Sequential etching treatment for solar cell fabrication
Granted: December 5, 2017
Patent Number:
9837259
A method of processing a silicon substrate can include etching the silicon substrate with a first etchant having a first concentration and etching with a second etchant having a second concentration. In an embodiment, the second concentration of the second etchant can be greater than the first concentration of the first etchant. In one embodiment, the first etchant can be a different type of etchant than the second etchant. In an embodiment, the first and second etchant can be the same…
Die-cutting approaches for foil-based metallization of solar cells
Granted: November 28, 2017
Patent Number:
9831377
Die-cutting approaches for foil-based metallization of solar cells, and the resulting solar cells are disclosed herein. Die-cutting approaches for foil-based metallization of solar cells include forming a plurality of semiconductor regions in or above a substrate and forming a patterned damage buffer in alignment with locations between the plurality of semiconductor regions. Additionally, a metal layer comprising a metal seed layer and/or metal foil is formed over the patterned damage…
Laser process and corresponding structures for fabrication of solar cells with shunt prevention dielectric
Granted: November 28, 2017
Patent Number:
9831359
Contact holes of solar cells are formed by laser ablation to accommodate various solar cell designs. Use of a laser to form the contact holes is facilitated by replacing films formed on the diffusion regions with a film that has substantially uniform thickness. Contact holes may be formed to deep diffusion regions to increase the laser ablation process margins. The laser configuration may be tailored to form contact holes through dielectric films of varying thicknesses.
Foil trim approaches for foil-based metallization of solar cells
Granted: November 28, 2017
Patent Number:
9831356
Foil trim approaches for the foil-based metallization of solar cells and the resulting solar cells are described. For example, a method involves attaching a metal foil sheet to a metallized surface of an underlying supported wafer to provide a unified pairing of the metal foil sheet and the wafer. Subsequent to attaching the metal foil sheet, a portion of the metal foil sheet is laser scribed from above to form a groove in the metal foil sheet. Subsequent to laser scribing the metal foil…
Predictive service requirement estimation for photovoltaic arrays
Granted: November 28, 2017
Patent Number:
9830301
A method of determining whether service is needed on a solar array includes gathering current data with regard to current solar array performance and environmental conditions, collecting weather data, accessing a storage for historical performance data, using the current data, weather data and historical data to generate a predicted performance, comparing the predicted performance to the current solar array performance data to determine if service is needed and generate comparison data,…
Converter topologies for common mode voltage reduction
Granted: November 21, 2017
Patent Number:
9825556
An inverter includes a three-winding transformer, a DC-AC inverter electrically coupled to the first winding of the transformer, a cycloconverter electrically coupled to the second winding of the transformer, and an active filter electrically coupled to the third winding of the transformer. The DC-AC inverter is adapted to convert the input DC waveform to an AC waveform delivered to the transformer at the first winding. The cycloconverter is adapted to convert an AC waveform received at…
Passivation of light-receiving surfaces of solar cells with high energy gap (EG) materials
Granted: November 21, 2017
Patent Number:
9825191
Methods of passivating light-receiving surfaces of solar cells with high energy gap (Eg) materials, and the resulting solar cells, are described. In an example, a solar cell includes a substrate having a light-receiving surface. A passivating dielectric layer is disposed on the light-receiving surface of the substrate. A Group III-nitride material layer is disposed above the passivating dielectric layer. In another example, a solar cell includes a substrate having a light-receiving…
Support for solar energy collection
Granted: November 14, 2017
Patent Number:
9819301
A solar energy collection system can include support devices made with bearings. Such bearings can include an inner partially toroidal surface for sliding contact and support of an outer surface of a torque tube. The toroidal surface can be made with a single radius of curvature or multiple radiuses of curvature and cylindrical portions. The bearings can include connectors for connecting the bearing members to a support housing. The connectors can be tool-less connectors.
Systemic optimization of photovoltaic apparatus
Granted: November 14, 2017
Patent Number:
9819182
A photovoltaic system may include a first photovoltaic component having local power optimization functionality to process power at a first level, a second photovoltaic component to process power at a second level, and optimization logic to command the first photovoltaic component to accommodate system-level power optimization. The first component may be reconfigurable to accommodate the system-level optimization. The entire system may be dynamically reconfigured to continuously operate…
Bonds for solar cell metallization
Granted: November 14, 2017
Patent Number:
9818903
A solar cell can include a substrate and a semiconductor region disposed in or above the substrate. The solar cell can also include a conductive contact disposed on the semiconductor region with the conductive contact including a conductive foil bonded to the semiconductor region.
End clamp for mounting solar module to rail
Granted: November 7, 2017
Patent Number:
9813015
A solar power system may include rails, solar modules, and a plurality of clamps to secure the solar modules to the rails. An end clamp may be partially disposed inside a rail at an end of the rail. The end clamp may secure a solar module to the rail by coupling to the frame of the solar module. The end clamp may include a fastener that may be tightened to engage the end clamp and secure the solar module by holding it on top of the rail. The end clamp may establish an electrical…
Metal-foil-assisted fabrication of thin-silicon solar cell
Granted: November 7, 2017
Patent Number:
9812592
One embodiment relates to a method of fabricating a solar cell. A silicon lamina is cleaved from the silicon substrate. The backside of the silicon lamina includes the P-type and N-type doped regions. A metal foil is attached to the backside of the silicon lamina. The metal foil may be used advantageously as a built-in carrier for handling the silicon lamina during processing of a frontside of the silicon lamina. Another embodiment relates to a solar cell that includes a silicon lamina…
Bifacial solar cell module with backside reflector
Granted: November 7, 2017
Patent Number:
9812590
A bifacial solar cell module includes solar cells that are protected by front side packaging components and backside packaging components. The front side packaging components include a transparent top cover on a front portion of the solar cell module. The backside packaging components have a transparent portion that allows light coming from a back portion of the solar cell module to reach the solar cells, and a reflective portion that reflects light coming from the front portion of the…
Methods and apparatus for controlling operation of photovoltaic power plants
Granted: October 31, 2017
Patent Number:
9806665
A photovoltaic power plant includes a photovoltaic inverter that converts direct current generated by solar cells to alternating current. The output of the photovoltaic inverter is provided to a point of interconnection to a power grid. A meter at the point of interconnection may be read to detect the output of the photovoltaic inverter at the power grid. The photovoltaic power plant includes a plant controller with a state machine. The plant controller is configured to adjust setpoints…
Apparatus and method for controlling DC-AC power conversion
Granted: October 31, 2017
Patent Number:
9806628
An apparatus and method for controlling the delivery of power from a DC source to an AC grid includes an inverter configured to deliver power from the unipolar input source to the AC grid and an inverter controller. The inverter includes an input converter, an active filter, and an output converter. The inverter controller includes an input converter controller, an active filter controller and an output converter controller. The input converter controller is configured to control a…
Dopant ink composition and method of fabricating a solar cell there from
Granted: October 24, 2017
Patent Number:
9799783
Dopant ink compositions and methods of fabricating solar cells there from are described. A dopant ink composition may include a cross-linkable matrix precursor, a bound dopant species, and a solvent. A method of fabricating a solar cell may include delivering a dopant ink composition to a region above a substrate. The dopant ink composition includes a cross-linkable matrix precursor, a bound dopant species, and a solvent. The method also includes baking the dopant ink composition to…
Wafer alignment with restricted visual access
Granted: October 24, 2017
Patent Number:
9796045
Wafer alignment with restricted visual access has been disclosed. In an example, a method of processing a substrate for fabricating a solar cell involves supporting the substrate over a stage. The method involves forming a substantially opaque layer over the substrate. The substantially opaque layer at least partially covers edges of the substrate. The method involves performing fit-up of the substantially opaque layer to the substrate. The method involves illuminating the covered edges…
Communicating with arrays of module units
Granted: October 10, 2017
Patent Number:
9788141
Methods and systems include moving a mobile communication unit along a plurality of module units, and exchanging data with one of the plurality of module units based at least upon the mobile communication unit being in proximity to the one of the plurality of module units.
