Photovoltaic devices including cover elements, and photovoltaic systems, arrays, roofs and methods using them
AssigneeCertainTeed Corporation
InventorsGregory F. Jacobs, Wayne E. Shaw, Maryann C. Kenney
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides a photovoltaic device having an active face, an active area on the active face and an operating wavelength range; and a cover element attached to the photovoltaic device and disposed over the active area of the active face of the photovoltaic element, the cover element having an opacity of at least about 25%. The present invention also provides photovoltaic systems, arrays, roofs and methods using such photovoltaic devices. In one embodiment of the invention, the photovoltaic device is a photovoltaic roofing element in which a photovoltaic element is integrated with a roofing substrate.
Claims17
A photovoltaic roofing element comprising:
- an asphalt shingle or metal roofing substrate having a top face and a bottom face;
- a photovoltaic element having an active face, an active area on the active face and an operating wavelength range, the photovoltaic element being disposed on the top face of the asphalt shingle or metal roofing substrate;
- and
- a cover element disposed over the active area of the active face of the photovoltaic element, the cover element comprising an electrochromic material, a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein the first electrode and second electrode are above the photovoltaic element, wherein the electrochromic material is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, and wherein the electrochromic material has at least 25% opacity within the operating wavelength range of the photovoltaic element in the presence of an electric field or in the absence of an electric field.
A photovoltaic power generation system comprising:
- one or more photovoltaic roofing elements, each photovoltaic roofing element comprising
- an asphalt shingle or metal roofing substrate having a top face and a bottom face;
- a photovoltaic element disposed on the top face of the asphalt shingle or metal roofing substrate, the photovoltaic element having an active face and an operating wavelength range;
- and
- a cover element disposed over the active face of the photovoltaic element, the cover element comprising an electrochromic material, a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein the first electrode and second electrode are above the photovoltaic element, wherein the electrochromic material is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, and wherein the electrochromic material has at least 25% opacity within the operating wavelength range of the photovoltaic element in an electric field-free state or in the presence of an electric field;
- and
- an electrical switching system connected to each cover element through its first electrode and second electrode, and configured to adjust the opacity of the electrochromic material of each photovoltaic roofing element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.