Gaf Energy LLC

Maxeon Solar Pte. Ltd.

Sunpower Corporation

Thierry Nguyen

Gabriela Elena Bunea

Richard Perkins

Lewis C Abra

Evan Michael Wray

Brian L West

Peter Clemente

Michael David Kuiper

Anna Wojtowicz

Brian Edward Atchley

David C Okawa

Tamir Lance

Alex Sharenko

David Kavulak

Jonathan Hewlett

Ryan Reagan

Babak Farhangi

Mike Kuiper

David Aaron Randolph Barkhouse

Benjamin I Hsia

Dan Hua

Pei Hsuan Lu

Nicholas Boitnott

Matthew Peterson Grigsby

Hasib Amin

Daniel East

George G Correos

Gary Rossi

Caleb David Cheung

William Sirski

Henry Pham

Rory Runser

Toby Tonascia

Michele Guide

Paul Loscutoff

Ryan Lemon Devine

Marc Robinson

Duncan Cleminshaw

Sunny Sethi

Ray Lu

Henry Krevor

Ming-Liang Shiao

Richard Hamilton Sewell

Zachary Steele Judkins

Jonathan Ehlmann

Lee J Gorny

Igor Alovert

Jason C Kalus

Tyler D Newman

Emma Dohner

Nate Peterson

Cameron Hosken

Angelo Bossini

Janany Kugathasan

Kishan Gondalia

A system includes at least one photovoltaic module installed on a roof deck, at least one electrical connector electrically connected to the photovoltaic module, and at least one electrical component electrically and removably connected to the electrical connector. The electrical component includes a housing and an electronic component located within the housing. The electronic component includes at least one of an optimizer, a rapid shutdown device, or an inverter. The electrical component is separate from the photovoltaic module and is configured to be disconnected from the electrical connector while the photovoltaic module remains installed on the roof deck.

Electrical components for photovoltaic systems

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 photovoltaic shingles and a plurality of roofing shingles installed on a roof deck. Each of the roofing shingles includes a headlap portion and a nail zone on the headlap portion. The nail zone includes at least one nail receiving portion, and at least one opening defining a perimeter of at least a portion of the at least one nail receiving portion. Each of the roofing shingles is installed on the roof deck by at least one fastener, which extends through the at least one nail receiving portion.

Roofing system for prevention of roofing shingle deformation

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

Photovoltaic (PV) cells that can be interconnected with improved interconnect joints to form PV cell strings and PV modules. The improved interconnect joints comprise at least two types of adhesive bonding regions to maximize both electrical conductivity and mechanical strength of interconnect joints coupling terminals of PV cells. The disclosed approaches to PV cell interconnection provide greater manufacturing rates and higher quality PV cell strings and PV modules.

Photovoltaic module interconnect joints

A system includes a plurality of photovoltaic modules configured to be installed on a roof deck and a plurality of roofing shingles. Each of roofing shingles includes a cap layer composed of a first polymer material, and a core layer underneath the cap layer. The core layer includes a first layer composed of a continuous fiber thermoplastic composite tape (CFT), a second layer composed of a continuous fiber thermoplastic composite tape (CFT), and a third layer between the first layer and the second layer. The third layer is composed of a second polymer material.

Solar roofing system with fiber composite roofing shingles

A roofing system includes a roof deck and at least one photovoltaic module installed on the roof deck. The first photovoltaic module includes at least one solar cell and a sealant. At least one fastener penetrates the sealant and the roof deck.

Roofing systems with water ingress protection

A system including a plurality of photovoltaic modules and a plurality of roofing shingles installed on a roof deck. Each of the photovoltaic modules includes a plurality of solar cells. Each of the plurality of roofing shingles includes a core layer and a cap layer composed of a first polymer material and having a first surface and a pattern printed on the first surface. The pattern includes a depiction of a plurality of solar cells that extends between the first end and the second end.

Roofing shingles for mimicking the appearance of photovoltaic modules

A system includes a plurality of photovoltaic modules, each having a mat with an edge and a spacer with an edge, the edge of the mat being attached to the edge of the spacer. The spacer includes a plurality of support members and a solar module mounted to the support members. Each of the support members includes a ledge. The solar module and the ledge form a space therebetween. The space is sized and shaped to receive an edge of a solar module of another of the photovoltaic modules. The spacer of one of the photovoltaic modules overlays the mat of another of the photovoltaic modules.

Mounting apparatus for photovoltaic modules

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.

Aspects of the disclosure provide a solar device and a method for making the solar device. The solar device can include solar cells configured to form a solar cell string with at least a string terminal, and an insulated interconnector including two conductive ends configured to connect the string terminal to peripheral circuitry of the solar device. The method can include disposing the solar cells to form a solar cell string with at least a string terminal, and disposing an insulated interconnector with two conductive ends to connect the string terminal to peripheral circuitry of the solar device.

Solar device with insulated interconnectors

A method of making a photovoltaic module includes the step of obtaining a frontsheet having a glass layer, a light scattering encapsulant layer, and a polymer layer. The light scattering encapsulant layer includes a first region, a plurality of first portions extending from the first region, and at least one area located between the first portions. The first portions of the light scattering encapsulant layer has a first light scattering value and a second portion defined by the area has a second light scattering value different from the first light scattering value. The method includes the steps of obtaining at least one solar cell, an encapsulant, and a backsheet, and laminating the frontsheet, the encapsulant, the at least one solar cell, and the backsheet.

Photovoltaic module with light-scattering encapsulant providing shingle-mimicking appearance

Metallization of semiconductor substrates using a laser beam, and the resulting structures, e.g., micro-electronic devices, semiconductor substrates and/or solar cells, solar cell circuit, solar cell strings, and solar cell arrays are described. A solar cell string can include a plurality of solar cells. The plurality of solar cells can include a substrate and a plurality of semiconductor regions disposed in or above the substrate. A plurality of conductive contact structures is electrically connected to the plurality semiconductor regions. Each conductive contact structure includes a locally deposited metal portion disposed in contact with a corresponding one of the semiconductor regions.

Laser assisted metallization process for solar cell stringing

Growing community of inventors

San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Thierry Nguyen