Gaf Energy LLC

Bmic LLC

Babak Farhangi

Richard Perkins

Lewis C Abra

Hasib Amin

Thierry Nguyen

Gabriela Elena Bunea

Henry Pham

Kishan Gondalia

A system includes photovoltaic modules including a plurality of substrings installed on a roof deck. A printed circuit board of the system includes a bypass diode, a plurality of solder pads, and first and second low melting alloys connecting first and second solder pads. When the first and second low melting alloys reach a threshold temperature based on the occurrence of an event affecting the bypass diode, the first and second low melting alloys melt towards each other in a channel such that the first and second low melting allows connect to each other to form a continuous path between the first and second solder pads. The formed continuous path causes shorting of circuitry connecting at least one of the plurality of photovoltaic substrings to the first and second solder pads to provide a failsafe for at least one of the plurality of substrings.

Failsafe functionality for photovoltaic modules

A system includes a plurality of building integrated photovoltaic modules installed on a roof deck and arranged in an array. The plurality of building integrated photovoltaic modules includes a first building integrated photovoltaic module and a second building integrated photovoltaic module, with the first building integrated photovoltaic module being vertically adjacent to the second building integrated photovoltaic module. Each of the building integrated photovoltaic modules includes a plurality of solar cells arranged in at least one row, and a power electronics unit. The power electronics unit is adjacent to a first end of one of the at least one row of the plurality of solar cells. The power electronics unit is electrically connected to the plurality of solar cells. The power electronics unit of the first building integrated photovoltaic module is electrically connected to the power electronics unit of the second building integrated photovoltaic module.

Photovoltaic shingles with multi-module power electronics

A rapid shutdown device for rapidly de-energizing a photovoltaic module system is disclosed. The rapid shutdown device includes power lines connected to a photovoltaic string of modules on a roof of a structure. A high voltage switch on a first power line is disconnected when the high voltage switch is open. The rapid shutdown device includes a gate drive circuit that receives an electronic photovoltaic string status signal associated with an operating status of the photovoltaic string. The date drive circuit may determine that the operating status indicates the presence of a hazard based on the electronic photovoltaic string status signal. Based on the presence of the hazard, the rapid shutdown device generates a high voltage switch command signal to cause the high voltage switch to open to disconnect the photovoltaic string from an electrical connection to a grid power supply, thereby enhancing protection of the string and safety for responders.

Rapid shutdown device for photovoltaic modules

A system includes a plurality of photovoltaic modules installed and arranged in an array on a roof deck. Each of the photovoltaic modules includes a wire cover bracket configured to receive at least one electrical component. A rapid shutdown device is electrically connected to the at least one electrical component. The rapid shutdown device is configured to reduce an electrical voltage of the system to a predetermined voltage level. At least one visible indicator is electrically connected to the plurality of photovoltaic modules. The at least one visible indicator is activated when the electrical voltage of the system is less than or equal to the predetermined voltage level.

Active component indicators for photovoltaic systems

A photovoltaic module incorporates a lamination including a back-sheet, an array of solar cells supported on the back-sheet, and a transparent protective covering over the array of solar cells. The solar cells are arranged in offset or staggered patterns on the back-sheet to present a more random and less rigid industrial appearance to an observer. In some cases, cleaved solar cell segments are arranged into groups that are staggered on the back-sheet. This allows for finer control of the net voltage produced by a module. In other embodiments, full single wafer solar cells are arranged into larger groups, which themselves are staggered on the back-sheet. In either case, the result is a photovoltaic module with an appearance that is more organic and acceptable to homeowners and architects than traditional modules having cells arranged in rigid aligned rows and columns.

Patterned photovoltaic cell arrangements in solar module laminations

A system, including: a plurality of photovoltaic modules installed above a roof deck, where the plurality of photovoltaic modules includes at least a first photovoltaic module and a second photovoltaic module, where each of the plurality of photovoltaic modules includes: a top surface; a bottom surface opposite the top surface; a plurality of solar cells; a first receptacle on the top surface, where the first receptacle has: a plurality of first non-conductive openings, and a plurality of first conductive members in the plurality of first non-conductive openings; and a second receptacle on the bottom surface, where the second receptacle has: a plurality of second non-conductive openings, and a plurality of second conductive members in the plurality of second non-conductive openings, where at least a portion of the second photovoltaic module overlaps at least a portion of the first photovoltaic module, where the first receptacle of the first photovoltaic module is in mechanical connection with the second receptacle of the second photovoltaic module, and where the first conductive members are in electrical communication with the second conductive members.

Low profile connector for solar roofing systems

A system includes first and second photovoltaic modules, each of which includes a first side lap portion, a plurality of solar cells arranged in a plurality of rows, a first electrical connector on the first side lap portion and electrically connected to the first row of the solar cells, and a second electrical connector on the first side lap portion electrically connected to the second row of the solar cells. The system includes a first power electronics unit connected to the first and second electrical connectors of the first photovoltaic module; and a second power electronics unit connected to the first and second electrical connectors of the second photovoltaic module. The first power electronics unit is electrically connected to the second power electronics unit.

A roof mountable photovoltaic system, wherein electrical energy is transferred from multiple direct current generating sources to at least one wireless energy receiver device through some separated distance. The system is configured such that electrical energy can be transferred even through an obstruction, such as several layers of roofing material, to the wireless energy receiver device. In some embodiments, there are fewer wireless energy receiver devices than the direct current generating sources. In some embodiments, the wireless energy receiver device can include one or more inductive windings, antennae, or a combination thereof, which can couple with the windings, antennae, or a combination thereof of the wireless transmitter(s) to transfer electrical energy from the transmitters to the one or more receivers without direct electrical or physical connection.

Roof mounted photovoltaic system and method for wireless transfer of electrical energy

A rapid shutdown device for rapidly de-energizing a photovoltaic module system is disclosed. The rapid shutdown device includes power lines connected to a photovoltaic string of modules on a roof of a structure. A high voltage switch on a first power line is disconnected when the high voltage switch is open. The rapid shutdown device includes a gate drive circuit that receives an electronic photovoltaic string status signal associated with an operating status of the photovoltaic string. The gate drive circuit may determine that the operating status indicates the presence of a hazard based on the electronic photovoltaic string status signal. Based on presence of the hazard, the rapid shutdown device generates a high voltage switch command signal to cause the high voltage switch to open to disconnect the photovoltaic string from an electrical connection to a grid power supply, thereby enhancing protection of the string and safety for responders.

Growing community of inventors

Kew Gardens Hills, NY, United States of America

Babak Farhangi