Abstract: A photovoltaic element has a first collecting electrode and a second collecting electrode on a light-receiving surface and has a configuration in which the first and the second collecting electrodes are electrically joined to each other on an insulating member. In the photovoltaic element, a second resin layer having a high compatibility with a component of the insulating member covers a boundary between the insulating member and a first resin layer formed on the light-receiving surface, thereby achieving cost reduction and improvement in durability.

Abstract: A solar-cell-installed structure is disclosed in which a solar cell at least part of active electric portions of which stands exposed to surroundings is fixed onto a support placed on the ground, and the support is in only spot or line contact with the ground so that any leakage current can be small and the power loss can be lessened.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a solar cell module having photovoltaic elements in each of which a metal oxide layer made of a metal oxide forms an outermost surface part thereof at a light incident side, and a sealing resin layer formed on the metal oxide layer. The method includes the steps of providing water on a surface of the metal oxide layer, the water being chemically adsorbed thereto; irradiating the metal oxide layer with electromagnetic waves for a predetermined time so that the contact angle of the water on the surface of the metal oxide layer is 60° or less, the electromagnetic waves having energy larger than the band gap of the metal oxide; and subsequently forming the sealing resin layer on the metal oxide layer.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of producing a solar cell module comprising the steps of: mounting a body to be laminated onto a tabular member, carrying in the body to be laminated along with the tabular member onto a heated mounting board; heat-bonding the body to be laminated by pressing with an expanding unit; carrying out the body to be laminated along with the tabular member from the mounting board after parting the expanding unit from the body to be laminated; and separating the body to be laminated from the tabular member. By using the method, a temperature of the body to be laminated does not increase rapidly and a foaming phenomenon is suppressed, thereby allowing manufacturing of the solar cell module with a high yield.

Abstract: There are provided a restricted area including an area in which solar cell modules are installed, a preventer for preventing intrusion of an intruder into the restricted area, and a detector capable of detecting the intrusion of the intruder into the restricted area, and a predetermined electric shock preventer is activated by a signal outputted from the detector upon detection of the intruder to prevent the intruder from receiving an electric shock.

Abstract: The present invention provides a coating material that resin-coats a light-receiving plane side of a photovoltaic element, and which can increase a conversion efficiency by effectively using light incident on the photovoltaic element and is excellent in weatherability, because the coating material comprises a resin that is a polymer blend containing at least a first polymeric material, and a second polymeric material made by bonding a polymer component (A) and a polymer component (B), wherein the polymer component (A) includes a functional group with comparatively high compatibility with the first polymeric material, and a polymer component (B) includes a functional group with compatibility with the first polymeric material that is lower than the compatibility of the functional group of the polymer component (A), and wherein the polymer component (B) forms an aggregate.

Abstract: In a solar cell module-mounting structure, a solar cell module 101 is fixed on one surface of a plate-shaped member 102, the plate-shaped member 102 is placed on an installation surface so that one side of the plate-shaped member is in contact with the installation surface, a surface of the plate-shaped member 102 opposite to the solar cell module-fixing surface is in contact with a first support member 103, and out of surfaces including the one side of the plate-shaped member 102, at least a part of the surfaces in no contact with the first support member 103 is in contact with a second support member 103, thereby effectively preventing a solar cell module-mounting rack from being moved by a wind load.

Abstract: The solar cell string of the present invention comprises a plurality of solar cells interconnected in series and/or parallel, one positive terminal, and one negative terminal, wherein at least a part of an electric line thereof is not housed in an insulating envelope, and the line is grounded at an electrical middle point between the positive and negative terminals or a point on the side of the negative terminal with respect to the electrical middle point, whereby an environmental resistant coating significantly responsible for a cost of a solar cell module and an insulating coating of a member for interconnecting solar cells in series and/or parallel can be simplified, and safety of an exposed electric line resulting from the simplification of the environmental resistant coating and the insulating coating can be improved.

Abstract: A portion of one conductor is bent to form a facing portion where two regions face each other, the facing portion and another conductor are inserted into a ring-shaped caulking member, and crimping is effected. This obviates the need for cutting a conductor in the work of coupling the conductor with a plurality of branch lines and the need for preliminarily threading the conductor through ring-shaped caulking members. Thus, it is feasible to improve reliability of electrical connection and to add a new branch line readily.

Abstract: In a power generation system of this invention, the outputs from power generation layers electrically connected in series are input to corresponding power conversion devices, and boosted outputs are connected in parallel and fed to a load. Alternatively, the output from one of power generation layers electrically connected in series is input to a first power conversion device, and the serial output and the boosted output from the first power conversion device are connected in parallel, input to a second power conversion device, boosted, and fed to the load. Since the two power generation layers can be individually output-controlled, each power generation layer can be optimized basically without considering current balance. Since the optical spectrum utilization efficiency increases, the power generation efficiency increases. In addition, since the power can be fed not to separate loads but to one load, the convenience largely increases.

Abstract: There are provided a restricted area including an area in which solar cell modules are installed, a preventer for preventing intrusion of an intruder into the restricted area, and a detector capable of detecting the intrusion of the intruder into the restricted area, and a predetermined electric shock preventer is activated by a signal outputted from the detector upon detection of the intruder to prevent the intruder from receiving an electric shock.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion layer 13, a transparent electrode layer 14, an insulating layer 15, and a back electrode layer 16 are successively formed in this order on a conductive substrate 11 having a through-hole 17 formed therein, and the transparent electrode layer 14 and the back electrode layer 16 are electrically communicated with each other through the through-hole 17 so as to provide a photovoltaic element in which no grid is employed and improve the productivity and the production yield.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus for producing a substrate having a resin-sealed structure which excels in the weather resistance and durability, characterized in that a weir member is arranged in the vicinity of edges of a substrate to be coated so that a resin layer-forming precursor which is spouted in order to form a resin layer which coats said substrate stays in edges of said substrate, where the edges of the substrate are coated with said resin layer-forming precursor.

Abstract: A solar cell array having an exposed electroactive portion is connected to a system power supply through an insulation transformer, a ground-fault interrupter is provided between the solar cell array and the system power supply, and a ground-fault detector is provided at the grounded line of the solar cell array. A set current value at which the ground-fault detector judges a ground-fault is larger than an amount of a set current value at which the ground-fault interrupter interrupts a circuit. The insulation transformer is provided between the solar cell array and the system power supply.

Abstract: A computer processing method for designing an installation layout of solar cell modules on an installation surface of a photovoltaic power generation system is provided. Installation information of the solar cell modules are automatically calculated so as to be fit within the installable area of the installation surface on the basis of information on the solar cell module, information on the installation surface, and information on installation conditions of the solar cell modules, and the calculated installation information is outputted.

Abstract: A solar cell module comprises a photovoltaic device having a flexible substrate. The photovoltaic device has a strain at least partly in the planar direction of the flexible substrate, and the strain is not greater than a critical value at which the photovoltaic device cracks. The solar cell module may further comprise a strain holding means for holding the strain. A deformable region where the photovoltaic device can be deformed when a region embracing the photovoltaic device is worked is defined so that a great variety of solar cell modules having a high reliability, also taking account of manufacture, can be designed with good efficiency.

Abstract: To optimally arrange roofing material integrated solar battery modules having a rectangular form and same size on a roof setting surface, an arrangement range in which the solar battery modules can be arranged on the roof setting surface is determined. An arranging direction of the solar battery modules is determined. The number of solar battery modules which can be arranged almost horizontally in a line in the determined arranging direction and within the arrangement range is calculated. Solar battery modules of a line in a number not more than the calculated number are combined to form a solar battery module group. The solar battery module groups are arranged to set a center of the solar battery module group within the determined arrangement range and near a line almost vertically dividing the surface into two parts.

Abstract: A solar-battery array comprising a plurality of solar batteries, which is characterized by satisfying the relationship of V2<0 and V1+V2>0, where V1 is the voltage to ground of the positive-pole terminal at the time of maximum output of the solar-battery array, and V2 is the voltage to ground of the negative-pole terminal at the time of maximum output of the same and a photovoltaic power generation system having such an array are disclosed, whereby the effects of an electric shock on the human body can lessen even when you touch any electric circuit of the solar-battery arrays.

Abstract: A photovoltaic element has a first collecting electrode and a second collecting electrode on a light-receiving surface and has a configuration in which the first and the second collecting electrodes are electrically joined to each other on an insulating member. In the photovoltaic element, a second resin layer having a high compatibility with a component of the insulating member covers a boundary between the insulating member and a first resin layer formed on the light-receiving surface, thereby achieving cost reduction and improvement in durability.

Abstract: A solar cell structural body having a solar cell arranged on a concrete retaining body comprising a concrete prepared from a mixture comprising at least a cement, water and an aggregate, such that part of a conductor portion of said solar cell is contacted with said concrete retaining body, characterized in that said concrete has a resistivity in a range of from 9×103 to 120×103 &OHgr;·cm.