Energy flow prediction for electric systems including photovoltaic solar systems
Granted: May 3, 2022
Patent Number:
11322945
Methods, systems, and computer storage media are disclosed for determining electric energy flow predictions for electric systems including photovoltaic solar systems. In some examples, a method is performed by a computer system and includes supplying a consumption time series and a predicted production time series for an electric system to a machine-learning predictor trained during a prior training phase using electric energy consumption training data and photovoltaic production…
Shingled solar cells overlapping along non-linear edges
Granted: April 26, 2022
Patent Number:
11316057
Solar devices and methods for producing solar devices are disclosed. In some examples, a solar device includes solar cells arranged in a shingled manner such that adjacent long edges of adjacent ones of the solar cells overlap. The adjacent long edges have a non-linear shape that has protruding portions. The solar device includes contact pads arranged in the protruding portions of the adjacent long edges such that the contact pads of the adjacent ones of the solar cells are electrically…
Solar cell emitter region fabrication using self-aligned implant and cap
Granted: April 26, 2022
Patent Number:
11316056
Methods of fabricating solar cell emitter regions using self-aligned implant and cap, and the resulting solar cells, are described. In an example, a method of fabricating an emitter region of a solar cell involves forming a silicon layer above a substrate. The method also involves implanting, through a stencil mask, dopant impurity atoms in the silicon layer to form implanted regions of the silicon layer with adjacent non-implanted regions. The method also involves forming, through the…
Wafer alignment with restricted visual access
Granted: April 19, 2022
Patent Number:
11305378
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…
Non-permeable substrate carrier for electroplating
Granted: March 22, 2022
Patent Number:
11280019
One embodiment relates to a substrate carrier for use in electroplating a plurality of substrates. The substrate carrier comprises a non-conductive carrier body on which the substrates are to be held. Electrically-conductive lines are embedded within the carrier body, and a plurality of contact clips are coupled to the electrically-conductive lines embedded within the carrier body. The contact clips hold the substrates in place and electrically couple the substrates to the…
Laser assisted metallization process for solar cell fabrication
Granted: March 15, 2022
Patent Number:
11276785
A method for fabricating a solar cell and the and the resulting structures, e.g., micro-electronic devices, semiconductor substrates and/or solar cells, are described. The method can include: providing a solar cell having metal foil having first regions that are electrically connected to semiconductor regions on a substrate at a plurality of conductive contact structures, and second regions; locating a carrier sheet over the second regions; bonding the carrier sheet to the second…
Etching of solar cell materials
Granted: March 1, 2022
Patent Number:
11264518
A solar cell is fabricated by etching one or more of its layers without substantially etching another layer of the solar cell. In one embodiment, a copper layer in the solar cell is etched without substantially etching a topmost metallic layer comprising tin. For example, an etchant comprising sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide may be employed to etch the copper layer selective to the tin layer. A particular example of the aforementioned etchant is a Co-Bra Etch® etchant modified to…
Solar cells with improved lifetime, passivation and/or efficiency
Granted: February 15, 2022
Patent Number:
11251315
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.
Artificially intelligent harvest and reuse system for planting vegetables
Granted: February 8, 2022
Patent Number:
11240973
An artificially intelligent harvest and reuse system for planting vegetables has a first mechanic arm moving a plurality of planting plates around a first conveyor, a second conveyor, a first shelf and a second shelf. The planting plates are sent to a connecting conveyor for the grown vegetables thereon to be picked up by a second mechanic arm and further sent to a root cutting apparatus then to a packaging apparatus, while the empty planting plates are further sent to an exit end of the…
Photovoltaic module having bi-directional couplings
Granted: February 1, 2022
Patent Number:
11239791
A photovoltaic (PV) module having bi-directional couplings is described. The bi-directional couplings include a first coupling mounted on a support frame under a first edge of the PV module and a second coupling mounted on the support frame under a second edge of the PV module. The PV module can be a keystone module and the bi-directional couplings of the keystone module can connect to respective couplings of several adjacent PV modules. The bi-directional couplings can form…
Solar cell wafer
Granted: February 1, 2022
Patent Number:
D942370
Cabling systems for rooftop photovoltaic solar systems
Granted: January 25, 2022
Patent Number:
11233479
Rooftop photovoltaic solar systems and methods for installing interconnection wiring for photovoltaic solar systems. Cabling systems can include cable support stands secured underneath shingles. Cabling systems can include molded rubber raceways mounted using raceway clips secured underneath shingles.
Solar energy metering, communications, and control system
Granted: January 25, 2022
Patent Number:
11231446
Methods, systems, and computer readable media are disclosed for monitoring photovoltaic solar systems. In some examples, the system includes a solar power measurement input for coupling to a solar panel system, a measurement circuit configured to measure power produced by the solar panel system using the solar power measurement input, and a data transmission system. The measurement circuit is configured, by virtue of the measurement circuit including electrical components rated to at…
Wire-based metallization and stringing for solar cells
Granted: January 18, 2022
Patent Number:
11227962
Wire-based metallization and stringing techniques for solar cells, and the resulting solar cells, modules, and equipment, are described. In an example, a substrate has a surface. A plurality of N-type and P-type semiconductor regions is disposed in or above the surface of the substrate. A conductive contact structure is disposed on the plurality of N-type and P-type semiconductor regions. The conductive contact structure includes a plurality of conductive wires, each conductive wire of…
Integrated external connectors
Granted: January 11, 2022
Patent Number:
11223318
Connectors, systems with connectors and processes with connectors are described. These include how connectors can actively hold external portions of two frames or other components together during transport and before final installation, as well as, how the connectors can be repositionable on the frame or other component so as to provide a mechanical connection in one position and not to provide a mechanical connection when moved into a second position. The connectors can also function to…
Solar panel
Granted: December 21, 2021
Patent Number:
D938899
Energy control system
Granted: December 14, 2021
Patent Number:
11201496
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…
Bifacial solar cells with reflective back contacts
Granted: December 7, 2021
Patent Number:
11195966
A solar cell and a solar laminate are described. The solar cell can have a front side which faces the sun during normal operation and a back side opposite front side. The solar cell can include conductive contacts having substantially reflective outer regions disposed on the back side of the solar cell. The solar laminate can include a first encapsulant, the first encapsulant disposed on the back side of the solar cell and a second encapsulant. The solar laminate can include the solar…
Voltage breakdown device for solar cells
Granted: December 7, 2021
Patent Number:
11195964
Voltage breakdown devices for solar cells are described. For example, a solar cell includes a semiconductor substrate. A plurality of alternating N-type and P-type semiconductor regions is disposed in or above the substrate. A plurality of conductive contacts is coupled to the plurality of alternating N-type and P-type semiconductor regions. A voltage breakdown device is disposed above the substrate. The voltage breakdown device includes one of the plurality of conductive contacts in…
Solar panel
Granted: November 30, 2021
Patent Number:
D937193
