Automated solar collector installation design
Granted: August 26, 2014
Patent Number:
8818924
Embodiments may include systems and methods to create and edit a representation of a worksite, to create various data objects, to classify such objects as various types of pre-defined “features” with attendant properties and layout constraints. As part of or in addition to classification, an embodiment may include systems and methods to create, associate, and edit intrinsic and extrinsic properties to these objects. A design engine may apply of design rules to the features described…
Optoelectronic device with bypass diode
Granted: August 19, 2014
Patent Number:
8809671
Optoelectronic devices with bypass diodes are described. An optoelectronic device includes a bypass diode, a heat spreader unit disposed above, and extending over, the bypass diode, and a heat sink disposed above the heat spreader unit. Another optoelectronic device includes a bypass diode, a heat spreader unit disposed above, but not extending over, the bypass diode, and a heat sink disposed above the heat spreader unit.
Method of forming emitters for a back-contact solar cell
Granted: August 12, 2014
Patent Number:
8802486
Methods of forming emitters for back-contact solar cells are described. In one embodiment, a method includes forming a first solid-state dopant source above a substrate. The first solid-state dopant source includes a plurality of regions separated by gaps. Regions of a second solid-state dopant source are formed above the substrate by printing.
Driving an active vibration balancer to minimize vibrations at the fundamental and harmonic frequencies
Granted: August 12, 2014
Patent Number:
8800302
Vibrations of a principal machine are reduced at the fundamental and harmonic frequencies by driving the drive motor of an active balancer with balancing signals at the fundamental and selected harmonics. Vibrations are sensed to provide a signal representing the mechanical vibrations. A balancing signal generator for the fundamental and for each selected harmonic processes the sensed vibration signal with adaptive filter algorithms of adaptive filters for each frequency to generate a…
Thermal tracking for solar systems
Granted: August 5, 2014
Patent Number:
8796535
A thermal tracking system for a concentrating photovoltaic system is disclosed. The thermal tracking system comprises a photovoltaic receiver. The photovoltaic receiver comprises a photovoltaic laminate and a heat spreader. The thermal tracking system further comprises first and second thermal sensors coupled to the photovoltaic laminate and sensing two temperatures of the laminate. The thermal tracking system also comprises third and fourth thermal sensors positioned adjacent the heat…
Module assembly for thin solar cells
Granted: August 5, 2014
Patent Number:
8796061
Solar cells are packaged by placing the solar cells between sheets of encapsulants. The encapsulants are exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light to cure the encapsulants and bond the encapsulants together to encapsulate the solar cells. The UV curing steps may be performed to bond one of the encapsulants to a transparent top cover and the solar cells, and to bond the other encapsulant to the solar cells and a backsheet. A protective package that includes the transparent top cover, encapsulated…
Photovoltaic assemblies and methods for transporting
Granted: August 5, 2014
Patent Number:
8793942
A PV assembly including framework, PV laminate(s), and a stiffening device. The framework includes a perimeter frame at least 10 feet in length and at least 5 feet in width. The PV laminate(s) are assembled to the perimeter frame to define a receiving zone having a depth of not more than 8 inches. The stiffening device is associated with the framework and is configured to provide a first state and a second state. In the first state, an entirety of the stiffening device is maintained…
Method of fabricating a back-contact solar cell and device thereof
Granted: July 29, 2014
Patent Number:
8790957
Methods of fabricating back-contact solar cells and devices thereof are described. A method of fabricating a back-contact solar cell includes forming an N-type dopant source layer and a P-type dopant source layer above a material layer disposed above a substrate. The N-type dopant source layer is spaced apart from the P-type dopant source layer. The N-type dopant source layer and the P-type dopant source layer are heated. Subsequently, a trench is formed in the material layer, between…
Photovoltaic assembly for use in diffuse weather conditions and related methods
Granted: July 22, 2014
Patent Number:
8785830
A method includes collecting site specific data, collecting field data at a site of an array of photovoltaic members, determining a current tracked irradiance of the array of photovoltaic members, calculating predicted irradiance for multiple orientations based on the site specific data and the sensed field data, or sensing an actual irradiance for multiple orientations. The method further includes determining a maximum predicted irradiance from the calculated predicted irradiance or a…
Interconnect for an optoelectronic device
Granted: July 22, 2014
Patent Number:
8786095
Interconnects for optoelectronic devices are described. For example, an interconnect for an optoelectronic device includes an interconnect body having an inner surface, an outer surface, a first end, and a second end. A plurality of bond pads is coupled to the inner surface of the interconnect body, between the first and second ends. A stress relief feature is disposed in the interconnect body. The stress relief feature includes a slot disposed entirely within the interconnect body…
Solar cell contact formation using laser ablation
Granted: July 22, 2014
Patent Number:
8785236
The formation of solar cell contacts using a laser is described. A method of fabricating a back-contact solar cell includes forming a poly-crystalline material layer above a single-crystalline substrate. The method also includes forming a dielectric material stack above the poly-crystalline material layer. The method also includes forming, by laser ablation, a plurality of contacts holes in the dielectric material stack, each of the contact holes exposing a portion of the…
Solar cell emitter region fabrication using silicon nano-particles
Granted: July 22, 2014
Patent Number:
8785233
Methods of fabricating solar cell emitter regions using silicon nano-particles and the resulting solar cells are described. In an example, a method of fabricating an emitter region of a solar cell includes forming a region of doped silicon nano-particles above a dielectric layer disposed above a surface of a substrate of the solar cell. A layer of silicon is formed on the region of doped silicon nano-particles. At least a portion of the layer of silicon is mixed with at least a portion…
Optoelectronic devices with all-inorganic colloidal nanostructured films
Granted: July 15, 2014
Patent Number:
8779413
Optoelectronic devices and methods of producing the same are disclosed. Methods may include forming a film from fused all-inorganic colloidal nanostructures, where the nanostructures may include inorganic nanoparticles and functional inorganic ligands, and the fused nanostructures may form an electrical network that is photoconductive. Other methods may provide an optoelectronic device which may include an integrated circuit or large panel thin-film transistor matrix, an array of…
Method of forming contacts for a back-contact solar cell
Granted: July 15, 2014
Patent Number:
8778787
Methods of forming contacts for solar cells are described. In one embodiment, a method includes forming a silicon layer above a substrate, forming and patterning a solid-state p-type dopant source on the silicon layer, forming an n-type dopant source layer over exposed regions of the silicon layer and over a plurality of regions of the solid-state p-type dopant source, and heating the substrate to provide a plurality of n-type doped silicon regions among a plurality of p-type doped…
Variable tilt tracker for photovoltaic arrays
Granted: July 15, 2014
Patent Number:
8776781
A solar tracking system is disclosed. The tracking system includes a tube rotatable around its end-to-end axis. A first support is coupled to the tube at a first location of the tube, and is coupled with a first base. A second support is coupled to the tube at a second location of the tube, and is coupled with a second base. A translation mechanism is coupled with the tube and provided to change the position of the first support relative to the second support.
Apparatus and method for data communication in an energy distribution network
Granted: July 8, 2014
Patent Number:
8774007
A system for communicating information on an energy distribution network is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes a local supervisor on a communication network, wherein the local supervisor can collect data from one or more energy generation/monitoring devices. The system also includes a command center on the communication network, wherein the command center can generate one or more commands for controlling the one or more energy generation devices. The local supervisor can…
Trench process and structure for backside contact solar cells with polysilicon doped regions
Granted: July 8, 2014
Patent Number:
8772894
A solar cell includes polysilicon P-type and N-type doped regions on a backside of a substrate, such as a silicon wafer. A trench structure separates the P-type doped region from the N-type doped region. Each of the P-type and N-type doped regions may be formed over a thin dielectric layer. The trench structure may include a textured surface for increased solar radiation collection. Among other advantages, the resulting structure increases efficiency by providing isolation between…
Active fire-blocking wind deflector
Granted: July 1, 2014
Patent Number:
8763316
A rooftop photovoltaic solar system is disclosed. The solar system comprises a plurality of photovoltaic modules forming a rooftop array, the rooftop array having at least one edge and a wind deflector positioned along the edge of the rooftop array, the wind deflector constrained in a first configuration by a fuse. In the first configuration the wind deflector comprises a deflecting portion adapted to deflect wind blowing on the rooftop above the rooftop array and a ventilation portion…
Bracket for photovoltaic modules
Granted: June 24, 2014
Patent Number:
8757567
Brackets for photovoltaic (“PV”) modules are described. In one embodiment, a saddle bracket has a mounting surface to support one or more PV modules over a tube, a gusset coupled to the mounting surface, and a mounting feature coupled to the gusset to couple to the tube. The gusset can have a first leg and a second leg extending at an angle relative to the mounting surface. Saddle brackets can be coupled to a torque tube at predetermined locations. PV modules can be coupled to the…
Anti-reflective coating with high optical absorption layer for backside contact solar cells
Granted: June 10, 2014
Patent Number:
8748736
A multilayer anti-reflection structure for a backside contact solar cell. The anti-reflection structure may be formed on a front side of the backside contact solar cell. The anti-reflection structure may include a passivation level, a high optical absorption layer over the passivation level, and a low optical absorption layer over the high optical absorption layer. The passivation level may include silicon dioxide thermally grown on a textured surface of the solar cell substrate, which…
