Abstract: The invention provides a solar energy system. A flexible transparent body includes a top surface, a bottom surface and two edges, wherein the top surface is a light receiving surface for receiving light with a first wave-length. A plurality of solar cells is disposed on at least one of the edges of the flexible transparent body, wherein the solar cells can covert light having a second wave-length into electrical energy. A wavelength converting layer is provided for converting light with the first wave-length to light with the second wave-length.

Abstract: A photovoltaic apparatus includes an absorber including a first quantum dot layer having a first plurality of quantum dots of a first quantum dot material in a first matrix material, and an up-converter layer positioned adjacent to the absorber layer, the up-converter layer including a second quantum dot layer having a second plurality of quantum dots of a second quantum dot material and a second matrix material.

Abstract: There is provided a dye-sensitized solar cell high in power generation efficiency. A dye-sensitized solar cell 10 includes: a transparent substrate 12; a conductive substrate 14; a porous semiconductor layer 16 containing a dye adsorbed thereto; and a conductive metal layer 18 arranged in contact with a side of the porous semiconductor layer 16 opposite to the transparent substrate 12 and serving as an anode electrode. The conductive metal layer 18 is formed of a metallic porous body having through-holes, and a multitude of holes of the metallic porous body are isotropically communicated with one another. The metallic porous body has a specific surface area of 0.1 m2/g or larger, a porosity of 30 to 60 vol. %, and a pore diameter of 1 ?m to 40 ?m, and is formed of a metal material, such as Ti, W, Ni, Pt or Au.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thick-film paste for printing the front side of a solar cell device having one or more insulating layers. The thick-film paste comprises an electrically conductive metal and a lead-tellurium-boron-oxide dispersed in an organic medium.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device includes a silicon substrate, an intrinsic layer, a carbon nanotube structure and a first electrode. The silicon substrate has a front surface and a rear surface. The intrinsic layer is disposed on the front surface of the silicon substrate. The carbon nanotube structure is disposed on the intrinsic layer. The first electrode is disposed on the rear surface of the silicon substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thick-film paste for printing the front side of a solar cell device having one or more insulating layers. The thick-film paste comprises an electrically conductive metal, and a lead-tellurium-lithium-oxide dispersed in an organic medium.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thick-film paste for printing the front side of a solar cell device having one or more insulating layers. The thick-film paste comprises an electrically conductive metal, and a lead-tellurium-lithium-titanium-oxide dispersed in an organic medium.

Abstract: An ultra-efficient device for converting light into electricity has a dielectric medium for input light propagation, a metallic medium having an array of surface-plasmon-polariton (SPP) resonator cavities formed at nano-scale and distributed in the metallic medium below the dielectric-metal interface, each nano-scale resonator cavity having a hollow interior as a metal cathode in which a metal anode is disposed, another metallic medium electrically coupled to the anode, and another dielectric medium insulating the anode medium from the cathode medium. In each cavity, the cathode is shaped, dimensioned and spaced from the anode so that standing waves of SPP excitations generated by the input light cause quantum field emission of electrons to be rectified as an electrical output. The SPP resonator cavities may be formed in a plurality of diametral sizes corresponding to component light wavelengths to allow full spectrum energy conversion of broadband light input.

Abstract: A solar cell includes a back electrode, a silicon substrate, a doped silicon layer and an upper electrode. The back electrode is located on and electrically connected to a lower surface of the silicon substrate. A number of cavities are formed on an upper surface of the silicon substrate. The doped silicon layer is located on the inside surface of the cavities. The upper electrode is located on the upper surface of the silicon substrate. The upper electrode includes a carbon nanotube structure.

Abstract: A photovoltaic a substrate having a plurality of individual serially connected solar cells defined thereon. A bus tape is applied along respective ones of said cells at generally opposite longitudinal ends of the substrate for collecting the charge generated by the plurality of solar cells. A conductive member is interconnected between the bus tapes and is disposed beneath the bus tapes and in direct conductive contact with the respective cells. A junction box is configured for delivering the generated charge to an external load or other component, with the conductive member connected to the junction box.

Abstract: The invention provides a photovoltaic power converter that includes a plurality of spatially separated device segments supported by a substrate, wherein the device segments are arranged in a circular pattern wherein a first group of the device segments consisting of one or more of the device segments is centrally positioned and is surrounded by a second group of the device segments comprising at least two device segments and wherein two or more of the plurality of the device segments are connected in series for developing a voltage when radiation of selected wavelengths is incident on the device.

Abstract: A solar concentrator comprises a pair of concentric reflectors having a spindle toroid geometry for focusing the collected solar radiation into a ring-shaped focal area, as opposed to the “point” or “line” focus of prior art configurations. In a preferred embodiment, each reflector is formed of a plurality of curved petals that are disposed in a contiguous, keystone arrangement that requires no additional fixturing to hold the petals in place. Such an arrangement reduces the weight, complexity and cost of the final solar concentrator structure.

Abstract: Provided in this invention is a low-cost substrate provided with a transparent conductive film for photoelectric conversion device, which can improve performance of the photoelectric conversion device by enhanced light confinement effect achieved with effectively increased surface unevenness of the substrate. A method for manufacturing said substrate and a photoelectric conversion device using said substrate which can show improved performance are also provided. The substrate provided with the transparent conductive film for the photoelectric conversion device comprises a transparent insulating substrate and a transparent electrode layer containing at least zinc oxide deposited on the transparent insulating substrate, wherein the transparent electrode layer is composed of a double layer structure wherein first and second transparent conductive films are deposited in this order from a substrate side.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for fabricating a solar cell. The method includes: melting a metallurgical-grade (MG) Si feedstock, lowering a single-crystalline Si seed to touch the surface of the molten MG-Si, slowly pulling out a single-crystal Si ingot of the molten MG-Si, processing the Si ingot into single crystal Si wafers to form MG-Si substrates for subsequent epitaxial growth, leaching out residual metal impurities in the MG-Si substrate, epitaxially growing a layer of single-crystal Si thin film doped with boron on the MG-Si substrate, doping phosphor to the single-crystal Si thin film to form an emitter layer, depositing an anti-reflection layer on top of the single-crystal Si thin film, and forming the front and the back electrical contacts.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thick-film paste for printing the front-side of a solar cell device having one or more insulating layers. The thick-film paste comprises an electrically conductive metal, and a lead-tellurium-oxide dispersed in an organic medium.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing Peltier modules, each of which comprises several Peltier elements that are arranged between at least two substrates. The substrates are made of an electrically insulating material at least on the sides facing the Peltier elements while being provided with contact areas on said surfaces. The contact areas, to which the Peltier elements are connected by means of terminal sure during the production process, are formed by metallic areas.

Abstract: A solar cell element and method of manufacturing same is disclosed. A reverse-conductive-type layer is formed on at least one part of a first surface side of a one-conductive-type semiconductor substrate. A conductive layer is formed on the reverse-conductive-type layer. A contact region for electrically connecting the conductive layer and the one-conductive-type semiconductor substrate is formed by heating and melting at least one part of the conductive layer. The solar cell element can be manufactured without conducting complicated treatments, such as removal by etching and re-growing of a silicon thin layer.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device having a first electrode layer, a high resistivity transparent film disposed on the first electrode, a second electrode layer, and an inorganic photoactive layer disposed between the first and second electrode layers, wherein the inorganic photoactive layer is disposed in at least partial electrical contact with the high resistivity transparent film, and in at least partial electrical contact with the second electrode. The photoactive layer has a first inorganic material and a second inorganic material different from the first inorganic material, wherein the first and second inorganic materials exhibit a type II band offset energy profile, and wherein the photoactive layer has a first population of nanostructures of a first inorganic material and a second population of nanostructures of a second inorganic material.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device includes a silicon substrate, a doped silicon layer, a first electrode and a second electrode. The silicon substrate has a plurality of cavities defined therein. The doped silicon layer is formed in contact the silicon substrate. The first electrode including a plurality of carbon nanotube cables is adjacent to the silicon substrate. The second electrode is attached to the silicon substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating electrical power from the waste heat generated by an internal combustion engine includes a first pipe wall through which a heated medium flows, a thermoelectric generator disposed exteriorly to the inner pipe wall, and a second pipe wall disposed exteriorly to the thermoelectric generator. The first pipe wall and the second pipe wall form at least a partially double-walled pipe. The first pipe wall saves as a high-temperature source. The second pipe wall serves as a low-temperature source.