Abstract: A photovoltaic thermal hybrid solar receiver includes a thermal collector, extending in a first plane and comprising an aperture; and a photovoltaic module, configured for electrical output power delivery, comprising a photo-active area that extends in a second plane at a distance from the first plane, the photo-active area being vis-à-vis the aperture, a projection of the aperture perpendicularly to the second plane corresponding to the photo-active area.

Abstract: A potentiometric sensor includes a housing, in which a reference half cell space and a separated, measuring half cell space are formed. The reference half cell space contains a reference electrolyte and at least one part of a first potential sensing electrode for sensing a reference potential, and the measuring half cell space is liquid-tightly sealed by a measuring membrane, and contains an inner electrolyte and at least one part of a second potential sensing electrode for sensing a measuring half cell potential. A passageway extends through a wall of the housing, and opens into the reference half cell space, and is sealed relative to a medium surrounding the housing. The potentiometric sensor has a way for producing through the passageway an electrolytic contact between the reference electrolyte and the medium surrounding the housing.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a gas barrier characteristic film that has a gas barrier characteristic and that is excellent in the repetitive reproducibility of the gas barrier characteristic. The film is a gas barrier characteristic film in which an [A] layer and a [B] layer mentioned below are sequentially layered on at least one surface of a macromolecular base, the [A] layer being a crosslinked resin layer whose pencil hardness is greater than or equal to H and whose surface free energy is less than or equal to 45 mN/m, and the [B] layer being a silicon-containing inorganic layer whose thickness is 10 to 1000 nm.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a solar module. The solar module includes a front-side cover, a back-side cover, and a plurality of solar cells situated between the front- and back-side covers. A respective solar cell includes a multi-layer semiconductor structure, a front-side electrode situated above the multi-layer semiconductor structure, and a back-side electrode situated below the multi-layer semiconductor structure. Each of the front-side and the back-side electrodes comprises a metal grid. A respective metal grid comprises a plurality of finger lines and a single busbar coupled to the finger lines. The single busbar is configured to collect current from the finger lines.

Abstract: An organic photovoltaic cell, containing a first electrode; a second electrode; and a photoelectric conversion layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the photoelectric conversion layer contains a polymer having a structural unit represented by formula (I): wherein X represents S, NR2, O, Se or Te; Y represents NR2, O, Te, SO, SO2 or CO; and R1 and R2 represent a hydrogen atom or a substituent.

Abstract: A solar cell system includes two solar cells. The two solar cells are located in contact with each other and connected in parallel. Each of the two solar cells includes a first electrode layer, a P-type silicon layer, an N-type silicon layer, and a second electrode layer. The first electrode layer, the P-type silicon layer, the N-type silicon layer, and the second electrode layer are arranged in series side by side along a first direction and in contact with each other, thereby cooperatively forming a integrated structure. A P-N junction is formed near an interface between the P-type silicon layer and the N-type silicon layer. The integrated structure has a first surface substantially parallel to the first direction and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The first surface is used as a photoreceptive surface to directly receive incident light.

Abstract: A thermoelectric module includes an inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface each being assigned to a respective hot side or cold side and forming an intermediate space therebetween, a geometric axis and at least one sealing element. The sealing element at least partially forms the inner circumferential surface or is separated from the hot side or cold side disposed there only by an electric insulation layer. The sealing element seals the intermediate space at least with respect to the cold side and has at least one electric conductor connecting at least one thermoelectric element disposed in the thermoelectric module to at least one other electric conductor disposed outside the thermoelectric module. A vehicle having the thermoelectric module is also provided.

Abstract: A solar cell module includes an encapsulant and a solar cell in the encapsulant. The encapsulant includes a light-receiving side encapsulant at a light-receiving surface side of the solar cell, and a colored rear side encapsulant at a rear surface side of the solar cell. The rear side encapsulant contains an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer. An interface between the rear side encapsulant and the light-receiving side encapsulant is in contact with a side surface of the solar cell. In a part of an area where no solar cell is provided, the rear side encapsulant bulges to the light-receiving surface side.

Abstract: A system and method for the thermal management of a battery-based energy storage is described. One embodiment includes a thermal management system for a battery-based energy storage system, the thermal management system comprising a residual heat source, such as a geothermal heat source, and a battery-based energy storage system thermally connected to the residual heat source The thermal connection between the energy storage system and the residual heat source may be direct (i.e., the energy storage system may be adjacent to, partially located within, or fully located within the residual heat source) or indirect (e.g., the energy storage system and residual heat source may use a heat conduit to transfer heat). In embodiments using a heat conduit to transfer heat, the thermal management system may further comprise a control system for controlling the circulation of a fluid in the heat conduit in order to regulate the temperature of the energy storage system.

Abstract: An apparatus and a system for embedded thermoelectric generators are disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus is embedded in an interface where the ambient temperatures on two sides of the interface are different. In one embodiment, the apparatus is fabricated with the interface in integrity as a unitary piece. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a first thermoelectric material embedded through the interface. The apparatus further includes a second thermoelectric material embedded through the interface. The first thermoelectric material is electrically coupled to the second thermoelectric material. In one embodiment, the apparatus further includes an output structure coupled to the first thermoelectric material and the second thermoelectric material and configured to output a voltage.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electrode body for a solar cell, which is capable of being used as a component of both an organic thin-film solar cell and a dye-sensitized solar cell, and has excellent heat resistance. This electrode body for a solar cell is provided with a substrate with a conductive part at least on the surface and a conductive polymer layer located on the conductive part of the substrate, in which the conductive polymer layer includes: a polymer which is obtained by polymerizing a monomer selected from the group consisting of 3,4-disubstituted thiophenes; and an anion as a dopant to the polymer generated from at least one organic non-sulfonate compound having an anion with the molecular weight of 200 or more. Since the anion of the organic non-sulfonate compound is included as a dopant in the conductive polymer layer, the heat resistance of the conductive polymer layer is improved.

Abstract: In various embodiments, an array of discrete solar cells with associated devices such as bypass diodes is formed over a single substrate.

Abstract: A solar battery according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a rear electrode formed on a substrate and separated by a first through-hole; a light absorbing layer formed on the rear electrode including the first through-hole; a second through-hole exposing the rear electrode through the light absorbing layer; a buffer layer formed on the upper surface and the side surface of the light absorbing layer; a front electrode layer formed on the buffer layer; and a connection wiring extending from the front electrode layer and formed within the second through-hole.

Abstract: A solar cell element is disclosed. The solar cell element comprises a semiconductor substrate and electrodes. The semiconductor substrate with a first and second main surface comprises a body and a first layer. The electrodes comprise first electrodes on the first layer and second electrodes on the second main surface. At least one of the first electrodes and the second electrodes comprises silver, copper and nickel as a main component. A method for manufacturing a solar cell element is disclosed. An electrically conductive paste containing silver, copper and nickel is prepared. The electrically conductive paste is applied on the semiconductor substrate. The electrically conductive paste is fired to form the solar cell element.

Abstract: Photovoltaic structures are provided with field-effect inversion/accumulation layers as emitter layers induced by work-function differences between gate conductor layers and substrates thereof. Localized contact regions are in electrical communication with the gate conductors of such structures for repelling minority carriers. Such localized contact regions may include doped crystalline or polycrystalline silicon regions between the gate conductor and silicon absorption layers. Fabrication of the structures can be conducted without alignment between metal contacts and the localized contact regions or high temperature processing.

Abstract: Disclosed are a solar cell apparatus and a method for manufacturing the same. The solar cell apparatus includes a substrate including a cell region and an outer peripheral region surrounding the cell region, a cell in the cell region, and a connection electrode connected to the cell and provided in the outer peripheral region. The cell includes a back electrode on the substrate, a light absorbing part on the back electrode, and a front electrode on the light absorbing part. The connection electrode extends from the back electrode.

Abstract: A solar panel rack may comprise one or more sheet metal brackets configured to attach solar panels to the solar panel rack. The sheet metal brackets may include clinching tabs configured to be clinched to features on the solar panels to attach the solar panels to the solar panel rack. The sheet metal brackets may further include protrusions configured to facilitate electrical contact between the brackets and the solar panels when the clinching tabs are clinched to features on the solar panels. The sheet metal brackets may additionally or alternatively include positioning tabs configured to contact features on the solar panels to position the solar panels in desired locations on the solar panel rack.

Abstract: A solar cell is formed to have a silicon semiconductor substrate of a first conductive type; an emitter layer having a second conductive type opposite the first conductive type and formed on a first surface of the silicon semiconductor substrate; a back surface field layer having the first conductive type and formed on a second surface of the silicon semiconductor substrate opposite to the first surface; and wherein the emitter layer includes at least a first shallow doping area and the back surface field layer includes at least a second shallow doping area, and wherein a thickness of the first shallow doping area of the emitter layer is different from a thickness of the second shallow doping area of the back surface field layer.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device and method include a substrate, a conductive layer formed on the substrate and an absorber layer formed on the conductive layer from a Cu—Zn—Sn containing chalcogenide material. An emitter layer is formed on the absorber layer and a buffer layer is formed on the emitter layer including an atomic layer deposition (ALD) layer. A transparent conductor layer is formed on the buffer layer.

Abstract: Back contact solar cell modules and methods of manufacturing the same. The solar cell module comprises a back surface with a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes formed thereon, the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes being of opposite polarities, the back surface being configured to form an electric field thereon of the opposite polarity as the plurality of first electrodes; a first connecting strip electrically connecting the plurality of first electrodes; and an insulative member between the back surface and the first connecting strip.