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US 2018/0019349 A1Published application
Gridless photovoltaic cells and methods of producing a string using the same
AssigneeSolarCity Corporation
InventorChristoph G. Erben
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Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention provides a photovoltaic module. The photovoltaic module includes a front-side cover, a back-side cover, and a plurality of photovoltaic strings situated between the front- and back-side covers. A respective photovoltaic string includes a plurality of gridless photovoltaic cells sharing one or more metallic grids while coupled in series. The photovoltaic strings are in turn coupled in parallel to form the photovoltaic module.
Claims20
A photovoltaic module comprising:
- a first photovoltaic structure;
- a second photovoltaic structure;
- and
- at least one common, continuous, and conductive grid;
- wherein a hole-collection side of the first photovoltaic structure is coupled to a first side of the conductive grid;
- and
- wherein an electron-collection side of the second photovoltaic structure is coupled to a second side of the conductive grid.
4 more elements
A method for fabricating a photovoltaic module comprising:
- obtaining a plurality of gridless photovoltaic structures;
- obtaining a plurality of continuous and conductive grids;
- electrically coupling each pair of the gridless photovoltaic structures in series using a respective continuous and conductive grid to form a string;
- electrically coupling multiple strings to form the photovoltaic module;
- and
- applying a frond-side cover and a back side cover over the multiple electrically coupled strings.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.