High efficiency solar panel
AssigneeSilevo, Inc.
InventorsBobby Yang, Peter P. Nguyen, Jiunn Benjamin Heng, Anand J. Reddy, Zheng Xu
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Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention provides a solar panel. The solar panel includes a plurality of subsets of solar cells. The solar cells in a subset are coupled in series, and the subsets of solar cells are coupled in parallel. The number of solar cells in a respective subset is sufficiently large such that the output voltage of the solar panel is substantially the same as an output voltage of a conventional solar panel with all of its substantially square shaped solar cells coupled in series.
Claims22
A solar panel, comprising:
- a plurality of solar cells, the solar cells arranged into a plurality of subsets, each subset comprising a number of solar cells;
- wherein solar cells in a respective subset are electrically coupled in series;
- wherein the subsets of solar cells are electrically coupled in parallel;
- wherein a number of solar cells in each subset is sufficiently large such that an output voltage of the solar panel is substantially the same as an output voltage of a conventional solar panel with all of its substantially square shaped solar cells coupled in series.
A method for fabricating a solar panel, comprising:
- obtaining a plurality of substantially square shaped solar cells;
- dividing each substantially square shaped solar cell into multiple smaller solar cells;
- electrically coupling a plurality of smaller cells in series to form a string;
- electrically coupling multiple strings in parallel;
- and
- applying a front-side cover and a back-side cover over the strings.
A solar cell, comprising:
- a Si base layer;
- a first and second quantum tunneling barrier (QTB) layers deposited on a first and second surfaces of the base layer, respectively;
- an amorphous silicon emitter layer;
- an amorphous silicon surface field layer;
- a first metal grid;
- and
- a second metal grid;
- wherein the solar cell is substantially square shaped;
- and
- wherein the first metal grid and the second metal grid each include a plurality of grid patterns that are separate from one another by a space that is not covered by metal, which facilitates subsequent division of the solar cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.