Patents by Inventor Christopher HERRERA

Christopher HERRERA has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Transparent solar cells for agrivoltaics
    Patent number: 12635261
    Abstract: A transparent solar panel includes a transparent substrate and a transparent photoactive material. An average photosynthetic transmittance (APT) of the entire transparent solar panel is greater than or equal to about 45%. The transparent solar panel is configured to transmit light to a region containing a plant at a daily light integral (DLI) of greater than or equal to about 10 mol·m?2·d?1. The transparent solar panel may be a transparent photovoltaic (TPV) or a transparent luminescent solar concentrator (TLSC).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2026
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of Michigan State University
    Inventors: Richard Royal Lunt, III, Christopher Herrera, Eric J. Stallknecht, Thomas D. Sharkey, Erik S. Runkle, Matthew Bates
  • Transparent Solar Cells For Agrivoltaics
    Publication number: 20240372023
    Abstract: A transparent solar panel includes a transparent substrate and a transparent photoactive material. An average photosynthetic transmittance (APT) of the entire transparent solar panel is greater than or equal to about 45%. The transparent solar panel is configured to transmit light to a region containing a plant at a daily light integral (DLI) of greater than or equal to about 10 mol·m?2·d?1. The transparent solar panel may be a transparent photovoltaic (TPV) or a transparent luminescent solar concentrator (TLSC).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2024
    Publication date: November 7, 2024
    Applicant: Board of Trustees of Michigan State University
    Inventors: Richard Royal LUNT, III, Christopher HERRERA, Eric J. STALLKNECHT, Thomas D. SHARKEY, Erik S. RUNKLE, Matthew BATES
  • ENHANCING THE LIFETIME OF MOLECULAR AND MOLECULAR SALT PHOTOVOLTAICS & LUMINESCENT SOLAR CONCENTRATORS
    Publication number: 20230209845
    Abstract: A solar panel includes a substrate and a photoactive material. The photoactive material includes an ion and a counterion. An absolute magnitude of a binding energy between the ion and the counterion is less than or equal to about 6.5. A majority of available hydrogen sites on the counterion may be halogenated. A water contact angle of the photoactive material may be greater than or equal to about 65°. The solar panel may be a photovoltaic or a luminescent solar concentrator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2023
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: Richard Royal LUNT, III, Christopher HERRERA, Chenchen YANG, Aria VAHDANI, Babak BORHAN