Patents Assigned to Renewable Energy Corporation ASA
  • Publication number: 20130240023
    Abstract: The present invention relates to cost effective methods for metallisation and or metallisation and interconnection of high efficiency silicon based back-contacted back-junction solar panels and solar panels thereof having a multiplicity of alternating rectangular emitter- and base regions on the back-side of each cell, each with rectangular metallic electric finger conductor above and running in parallel with the corresponding emitter- and base region, a first insulation layer in-between the wafer and finger conductors, and a second insulation layer in between the finger conductors and cell interconnections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: RENEWABLE ENERGY CORPORATION ASA
    Inventors: Richard Hamilton SEWELL, Alan Francis LYON, Andreas BENTZEN
  • Publication number: 20130244371
    Abstract: The present invention relates to cost effective production methods of high efficiency silicon based back-contacted back-junction solar panels and solar panels thereof having a multiplicity of alternating rectangular emitter- and base regions on the back-side of each cell, each with rectangular metallic electric finger conductor above and running in parallel with the corresponding emitter- and base region, a first insulation layer in-between the wafer and finger conductors, and a second insulation layer in between the finger conductors and cell interconnections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: RENEWABLE ENERGY CORPORATION ASA
    Inventors: Richard Hamilton SEWELL, Andreas BENTZEN
  • Publication number: 20130240022
    Abstract: The present invention relates to cost effective production methods of high efficiency silicon based back-contacted back-junction solar panels and solar panels thereof having a multiplicity of alternating rectangular emitter- and base regions on the back-side of each cell, each with rectangular metallic electric finger conductor above and running in parallel with the corresponding emitter- and base region, a first insulation layer in-between the wafer and finger conductors, and a second insulation layer in between the finger conductors and cell interconnections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: RENEWABLE ENERGY CORPORATION ASA
    Inventors: Richard Hamilton SEWELL, Andreas BENTZEN, Lawrence Frederick SCHLOSS, Young Seen LEE, Hiroaki HAYASHIGATANI, Toshio ITOH, Alan Francis LYON, Roger THOMPSON, Nemia GRUBISICH
  • Publication number: 20120085403
    Abstract: Method for providing at least one contact on a back surface of a solar cell comprising a silicon substrate comprising depositing a passivating layer onto the silicon substrate and thereafter providing at least one contact site and further providing a patterned exposed silicon surface. Then depositing a metal layer and annealing the structure to form metal silicide. Thereafter the process involves optionally removing excess metal and finally applying metal onto the silicide to form at least one contact. A solar cell comprising a back surface, the back surface comprising a contact, produced by the above mentioned method. A contact for back surface of a solar cell comprising a silicon substrate, an amorphous silicon layer deposited onto the silicon substrate, a reflective layer with at least one opening deposited onto the amorphous silicon layer, in the at least one opening there resides silicide, with additional metal covering the silicide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: RENEWABLE ENERGY CORPORATION ASA
    Inventors: Erik Sauar, Andreas Bentzen, Karl Ivar Lundahl
  • Publication number: 20120024368
    Abstract: Method for producing back contacts on silicon solar cells and an interconnection between silicon solar cells where the front surface has been fully treated and the back surface has been processed to the point where the said solar cells can be contacted on the back surface. The method further includes: a) attaching the solar cells onto a transparent superstrate, thereby forming a structure, b) depositing a passivating layer onto the back surface of the structure, c) depositing a silicon material layer onto the back surface of the structure, d) separating the silicon material layer by first areas, e) providing contact sites in areas, f) depositing a metal layer onto the back surface of the structure, g) heating the structure to form silicide, h) optionally opening the metal layer in areas, and i) depositing metal onto the silicide. Device includes solar cells with back contacts and interconnections produced by the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: RENEWABLE ENERGY CORPORATION ASA
    Inventors: Erik Sauar, Andreas Bentzen
  • Publication number: 20110120531
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method for producing solar cells, and photovoltaic panels thereof. The method for producing solar panels comprises employing a number of semiconductor wafers and/or semiconductor sheets of films prefabricated to prepare them for back side metallization, which are placed and attached adjacent to each other and with their front side facing downwards onto the back side of the front glass, before subsequent processing that includes depositing at least one metal layer covering the entire front glass including the back side of the attached wafers/sheets of films. The metallic layer is then patterned/divided into electrically isolated contacts for each solar cell and into interconnections between adjacent solar cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: Renewable Energy Corporation ASA
    Inventors: Martin Nese, Erik Sauar, Andreas Bentzen, Paul Alan Basore
  • Patent number: 7920738
    Abstract: The invention regards a method and a system for establishing correspondence between wafers and solar cells produced from said wafers. The method comprises for each wafer and each solar cell, providing an image of the wafer, providing an image of the cell, comparing the wafer image to the cell image, upon match between a cell image and a wafer image, assigning the current cell to the current wafer. The system comprises at least one imaging device for providing images of the wafers and the cells, a processing unit for comparing a wafer image to a cell image, and upon match between a cell image and a wafer image, assigning the current cell to the current wafer, and a memory unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Renewable Energy Corporation ASA
    Inventors: Erik Sauar, Tor Christian Tuv
  • Publication number: 20110005569
    Abstract: Method for manufacturing an solar cell device, characterized in that the method comprises among others the following steps: arranging solar cell units (1) and electrically insulating units (2) alternatingly next to each other; applying rear soldering ribbons (3) to the rear side of the solar cell units (1) and the electrically insulating units (2); applying front soldering ribbons (4) to the front side of the solar cell units (1) and the electrically insulating units (2); soldering the rear soldering ribbons (3) and the front soldering ribbons (4) to the solar cell units (1), thereby providing an assembled solar cell. The invention also comprises a solar cell manufactured by means of the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2008
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: Renewable Energy Corporation ASA
    Inventors: Erik Sauar, Eckehard Hofmüller
  • Publication number: 20100319767
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a solar cell which includes a silicon layer (1), and a method for providing a contact on the back surface of such a solar cell. The method comprises the following steps: a) adding a passivation layer (2) over the back surface of the silicon layer (1); b) adding a plating seed layer (4) over the passivation layer (2); c) separating the plating seed layer (4) by a first area (A) into first and second electrode areas; d) opening a second area (B) of the plating seed layer (4); e) opening the second area (B) of the passivation layer (2); f) applying a contact plating (3) to the opening of the second area (B) of the passivation layer (2) as well as to the plating seed layer (4) surrounding the second area (B).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: RENEWABLE ENERGY CORPORATION ASA
    Inventor: Erik Sauar
  • Publication number: 20100307926
    Abstract: Method and device for supplying electrical power to a wafer that is at least partially submerged in a liquid. The device comprises: —a container filled with the liquid; —a transportation device comprising a wafer carrier device for transporting the wafer at least partially submerged through the liquid; —a power supply device for supplying electrical power to the wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicant: Renewable Energy Corporation ASA
    Inventors: Erik Sauar, Robertus Antonius Steeman, Karl Ivar Lundahl
  • Publication number: 20100200046
    Abstract: The present invention relates to photovoltaic modules with a plurality of separated photovoltaic elements (3). There is provided a product which utilizes the incident light in the areas in between the elements and a method for production thereof. The area in between the elements is covered by a liquid polymer (2) which is formed into V-grooves and cured and may be covered by a reflective layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: Renewable Energy Corporation ASA
    Inventors: Erik Sauar, Eckehard Hofmüller
  • Publication number: 20100108123
    Abstract: A solar cell module comprises a light receiving structure with a substantially transparent front cover and a plurality of active elements placed behind the said front cover. At least one interconnector is situated between adjacent active elements, the interconnectors having a reflective structure facing towards said front cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: Renewable Energy Corporation ASA
    Inventors: Ingemar Åsberg, Erik Sauar, Eckehard Hofmüller
  • Publication number: 20090314338
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method for producing thin film solar cells with a back-side reflective layer, wherein the solar module is a silicon thin film device placed in-between a back side planar substrate and a front side planar glass superstrate placed in parallel and a distance from the back side planar substrate, wherein the silicon thin film device comprises in successive order from the front side: a front side transparent conductive (TCO) layer, a multi junction thin-film solar conversion layer comprising amorphous and microcrystalline silicon or alloys thereof, a back side TCO-layer, a diffuse reflective layer with one or more local through-going apertures, and a metal layer covering the reflective layer and which is in contact with the back side TCO-layer through the one or more apertures in the reflective layer. The invention also relates to a method for forming the solar cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: Renewable Energy Corporation ASA
    Inventors: Paul Alan BASORE, Andreas BENTZEN, Erik SAUAR
  • Publication number: 20090283141
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method for contacting solar wafers containing one or more layers of temperature sensitive passivation layers by first creating local openings in the passivation layer(s) and then fill the openings with an electric conducting material. In this way, it becomes possible to avoid the relatively high temperatures needed in the conventional method for contacting solar wafers containing one or more passivation layer(s), and thus maintain the excellent passivation properties of newly developed temperature sensitive passivation layer(s) during and after the contacting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: Renewable Energy Corporation ASA
    Inventors: Andreas Bentzen, Erik Sauar
  • Publication number: 20090056800
    Abstract: The surface recombination velocity of a silicon sample is reduced by deposition of a thin hydrogenated amorphous silicon or hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide film, followed by deposition of a thin hydrogenated silicon nitride film. The surface recombination velocity is further decreased by a subsequent anneal. Silicon solar cell structures using this new method for efficient reduction of the surface recombination velocity is claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2006
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicants: Renewable Energy Corporation ASA, Universitetet I Oslo, Institutt for Enerfiteknikk
    Inventors: Alexander Ulyashin, Andreas Bentzen, Bengt Svensson, Arve Holt, Erik Sauar