Photovoltaic panel
Granted: May 11, 2021
Patent Number:
11005416
Modular photovoltaic (PV) panel, system, and method of mounting. The system including a mounting flashing configured to mounted to a mounting surface and a folding PV panel. The folding PV panel including: a first subpanel including first PV cells, wherein the first subpanel extends along a first lateral plane and comprises a plurality of mounting hooks extending laterally from and affixed to a backside of the first subpanel, the mounting hooks configured to couple to the mounting…
Metallization of conductive wires for solar cells
Granted: May 11, 2021
Patent Number:
11004987
Methods of fabricating a solar cell, and system for electrically coupling solar cells, are described. In an example, the methods for fabricating a solar cell can include placing conductive wires in a wire guide, where conductive wires are placed over a first semiconductor substrate having first doped regions and second doped regions. The method can include aligning the conductive wires over the first and second doped regions, where the wire guide aligns the conductive wires substantially…
Rapid shutdown of photovoltaic systems
Granted: May 4, 2021
Patent Number:
10998761
A photovoltaic system includes groups of solar cells that can be switched in and out of the photovoltaic system. In response to detecting initiation of rapid shutdown, a control circuit controls a switch device to switch out a group of solar cells to lower the output voltage of the photovoltaic system below a safety level. In response to detecting a release trigger that indicates resumption of normal operation, the control circuit controls the switch device to switch back the group of…
Photovoltaic module or array shutdown
Granted: April 27, 2021
Patent Number:
10992255
A photovoltaic (PV) system can include a plurality of PV modules and circuitry configured to receive an indication of a status of the PV system and to, in response to the indication, determine whether to switch between a first state in which the PV modules output DC power and a second state in which the PV modules do not output power.
Inverter coupling and decoupling management
Granted: April 27, 2021
Patent Number:
10992237
A multi-inverter system with at least a string of inverters sharing a DC bus and outputting to a shared AC bus. Inverters are hot-swappable and configured to be turned on or off during powered cycles. Central control may comprise reducing power point tracking redundancies or promoting other operational changes at individual inverters of a group.
Solar panel
Granted: April 20, 2021
Patent Number:
D916651
Circuits and methods for controlling current in a parallel-connected array
Granted: April 6, 2021
Patent Number:
10972046
A solar device system includes one or more solar devices shingled into an array of solar devices. Each solar device includes one or more current generation cells configured to generate electric current, a plurality of current buses, and a control circuit configured to distribute the generated electric current to the plurality of current buses, and route the generated electric current to an adjacent solar device. Additionally, the solar device system includes an array collector…
Laser techniques for foil-based metallization of solar cells
Granted: April 6, 2021
Patent Number:
10971638
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…
Monitoring electric systems for wiring faults
Granted: April 6, 2021
Patent Number:
10969414
Methods, systems, and computer readable media are disclosed for monitoring electric systems for wiring faults. In some examples, a system includes a production power meter coupled to a power generation system of a building and configured for measuring electric power generated by the power generation system, one or more consumption power meters coupled to an electric system of the building and configured for measuring electric power consumed by the electric system, and a computer system…
Solar panel
Granted: March 30, 2021
Patent Number:
D914589
Photovoltaic module mounting assembly having a pin constraint
Granted: March 23, 2021
Patent Number:
10958208
A mounting assembly for a photovoltaic (PV) module, and systems including such mounting assemblies, are described. In an example, the mounting assembly includes a top support and a bottom support having respective mounting walls, and holes through the mounting walls. A pin assembly may extend through the holes in the mounting walls to constrain the supports, for example, relative to a torque member of a solar-tracking PV system. The pin assembly may include end collars to engage and…
Solar cell having an emitter region with wide bandgap semiconductor material
Granted: March 23, 2021
Patent Number:
10957809
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…
Solar cells having differentiated P-type and N-type architectures
Granted: March 16, 2021
Patent Number:
10950740
Methods of fabricating solar cell emitter regions with differentiated P-type and N-type region architectures, and the resulting solar cells, are described herein. In an example, a solar cell includes an N-type semiconductor substrate having a light-receiving surface and a back surface. A plurality of N-type polycrystalline silicon regions is disposed on a first thin dielectric layer disposed on the back surface of the N-type semiconductor substrate. A plurality of P-type polycrystalline…
Solar panel
Granted: March 16, 2021
Patent Number:
D913210
Solar tracker system
Granted: March 2, 2021
Patent Number:
10938218
Solar tracker systems having several rows of photovoltaic strings individually actuated by respective tracker control systems, are described. In an example, a solar tracker system includes a tracker control system having a tracker controller powered by forward-fed power from a photovoltaic string, e.g., during daytime, and powered by back-fed power from a station hub, e.g., during nighttime. Methods of operating the solar tracker system to forward-feed or back-feed power to the tracker…
Single-walled connecting key framesets
Granted: March 2, 2021
Patent Number:
10935282
Frames and processes of manufacture using single-wall frame sections coupled to other single-wall frame sections or double-wall frame sections using a connecting key are provided. The connecting key can be metallic, polymer, ceramic, a laminate, and combinations thereof.
Solar panel support
Granted: March 2, 2021
Patent Number:
D911921
Metallization of solar cells using metal foils
Granted: February 23, 2021
Patent Number:
10930804
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…
Bonds for solar cell metallization
Granted: February 16, 2021
Patent Number:
10923616
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.
Door
Granted: February 9, 2021
Patent Number:
D909974
