Nanosolar, Inc.

Gaf Energy LLC

Alion Energy, Inc.

Elo Touchsystems, Inc.

Pmd Holdings Corp.

Aeris Capital Sustainable IP Ltd.

Paul Martin Adriani

Martin R Roscheisen

Ryan Lemon Devine

Alexander Sharenko

Thomas Peter Hunt

Kevin Hennessy

Anders Swahn

Jeremy H Scholz

Neil Morris

Brian M Sager

James R Sheats

Robert Stancel

Luis Francisco Castro Hernandez

Philip Capps

Joel Christopher Kent

Robert J Adler

A photovoltaic module includes at least one solar cell, an encapsulant encapsulating the at least one solar cell, a frontsheet juxtaposed with the encapsulant, and backsheet juxtaposed with the encapsulant. The frontsheet includes a glass layer, a polymer layer attached to the glass layer, and an adhesive layer attaching the polymer layer to the glass layer. The backsheet includes a single-layer, moisture-resistant, fire-retardant membrane.

Photovoltaic module frontsheet and backsheet

Rotatable support system for mounting one or more photovoltaic modules and method thereof. The system includes a stiffener configured to be attached to the one or more photovoltaic modules, a column connected to the stiffener through at least a rotatable component, and a foot connected to the column. The column is configured to rotate from a folded position towards an unfolded position, and stop at the unfolded position separated from the folded position by an angle difference. The angle difference represents the maximum range of rotation for the column.

Rotatable support systems for photovoltaic modules and methods thereof

Rotatable support system for mounting one or more photovoltaic modules. The system includes a stiffener configured to be attached to the one or more photovoltaic modules, a column connected to the stiffener through at least a rotatable component, and a foot connected to the column. The column is configured to rotate from a folded position towards an unfolded position, and stop at the unfolded position separated from the folded position by an angle difference. The angle difference represents the maximum range of rotation for the column.

Rotatable support system for mounting one or more photovoltaic modules

System and method for mounting one or more photovoltaic modules includes one or more flexible rods, including a first end and a second end opposite the first end, each of the one or more flexible rods further including an inner core and a first jacket surrounding the inner core between the first end and the second end. The first end is configured to be attached to at least one photovoltaic module using one or more first adhesive materials. The second end is configured to be inserted into at least one hole of a modular rail and attached to at least the modular rail using one or more second adhesive materials. The one or more flexible rods are configured to allow at least a lateral movement in a first direction between the photovoltaic module and the modular rail and support at least the photovoltaic module in a second direction.

Systems for mounting photovoltaic modules

Methods and devices are provided for improved large-scale solar installations. In one embodiment, a photovoltaic module is provided comprising a module front layer comprising a glass plate, a module back layer comprising an electrically conductive foil, and a plurality of solar cells arranged to be protected by the front layer and the back layer. In some embodiments, the module back layer is aluminum foil. The module back layer may have an externally exposed surface. The module back layer may be electrically grounded. An electrically insulating pottant material may be used with the solar cells to separate them from the module back layer. This allows for a high voltage withstand between the cells and the outer surface of the back layer.

Structures for low cost, reliable solar modules

Improved photovoltaic devices, and more specifically, improved building integrated photovoltaic devices are described herein. In one embodiment, the photovoltaic roofing structure may be comprised of a roofing tile having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a recessed portion; a photovoltaic module sized to fit within the recessed portion of the roofing structure.

Structures for low cost, reliable solar roofing

Methods and devices are provided for improved roofing devices. In one embodiment of the present invention, a photovoltaic roofing assembly is provided that comprises of a roofing membrane and a plurality of photovoltaic cells supported by the roofing membrane. The photovoltaic cells may be lightweight, flexible cells formed on a lightweight foil and disposed as a layer on top of the roofing membrane. The roofing assembly may include at least one flexible encapsulant film that protects the plurality of photovoltaic cells from environmental exposure damage, wherein the encapsulant film is formed using a non-vacuum process. Optionally, the process may be a lamination process. In other embodiments, the process is a non-vacuum, non-lamination process. The resulting roofing membrane and the photovoltaic cells are constructed to be rolled up in lengths suitable for being transported to a building site for unrolling and being affixed to a roof structure.

Barrier films and high throughput manufacturing processes for photovoltaic devices

Methods and devices are provided for improved environmental protection for photovoltaic devices and assemblies. In one embodiment, the device comprises of an individually encapsulated solar cell, wherein the encapsulated solar cell includes at least one protective layer coupled to at least one surface of the solar cell. The protective layer has a chemical composition that prevents moisture from entering the solar cell and wherein light passes through the protective layer to reach an absorber layer in the solar cell.

Individually encapsulated solar cells and solar cell strings

Solar module

Methods and devices are provided for improved thermal management for photovoltaic devices and assemblies. In one embodiment, the photovoltaic device comprises of at least one photovoltaic cell based on a thin-film photovoltaic stack deposited directly onto a thermally conductive substrate. The thermally conductive substrate is connected to a heat sink in a configuration to allow sufficient heat transfer that lowers a normal operating cell temperature (NOCT) of the photovoltaic cell, thus increasing the efficiency of the cell and the module.

Growing community of inventors

Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Paul Martin Adriani