Abstract: This photovoltaic module includes: a power generating element configured to receive sunlight to generate power; and a housing which is closed, the housing having: a concentrating portion provided with a lens configured to concentrate sunlight; a bottom portion in which the power generating element is disposed; and a side wall serving as an outer frame for the bottom portion and supporting the concentrating portion. The side wall is a resin molded body including a resin and glass fibers dispersed in the resin, the resin is one of PET (Polyethylene terephthalate), PBT (Polybutylene Terephthalate), and PP (Polypropylene), and the glass fibers are orientated, in the resin, along a crossing direction that crosses a direction of an optical axis of the lens.

Abstract: A concentrator photovoltaic module includes: a concentrating portion configured by arranging a plurality of Fresnel lenses that concentrate sunlight; a plurality of power generating elements arranged at positions corresponding respectively to the plurality of Fresnel lenses; a plurality of ball lenses corresponding respectively to the plurality of power generating elements and guide the sunlight concentrated by the plurality of Fresnel lenses to the plurality of power generating elements; and a housing that contains the plurality of ball lenses and the plurality of power generating elements. The housing includes a resin frame body, and a metal bottom plate that is fixed to the frame body, and on the inner surface of which the plurality of ball lenses and the plurality of power generating elements are arranged. The groove portion for reducing thermal expansion of the inner surface side of the bottom plate is on the inner surface of the bottom plate.

Abstract: A Fresnel lens for a concentrator photovoltaic apparatus includes: a glass substrate portion having a circular first corner portion; and a synthetic resin portion overlaid on one surface of the glass substrate portion and having a circular second corner portion having a radius equal to that of the first corner portion and coaxially overlapping the first corner portion.

Abstract: This photovoltaic module includes: a power generating element configured to receive sunlight to generate power; and a housing which is closed, the housing having: a concentrating portion provided with a lens configured to concentrate sunlight; a bottom portion in which the power generating element is disposed; and a side wall serving as an outer frame for the bottom portion and supporting the concentrating portion. The side wall is a resin molded body including a resin and glass fibers dispersed in the resin, the resin is one of PET (Polyethylene terephthalate), PBT (Polybutylene Terephthalate), and PP (Polypropylene), and the glass fibers are orientated, in the resin, along a crossing direction that crosses a direction of an optical axis of the lens.

Abstract: This photovoltaic module includes: a power generating element configured to receive light to generate power; and a housing which is closed, the housing having: a concentrating portion provided with a lens configured to concentrate sunlight; a bottom portion in which the power generating element is disposed; and a side wall serving as an outer frame for the bottom portion and supporting the concentrating portion. The side wall is formed from a resin and has at least one vent hole.

Abstract: A concentrator photovoltaic module includes: a concentrating portion configured by arranging a plurality of Fresnel lenses that concentrate sunlight; a plurality of power generating elements arranged at positions corresponding respectively to the plurality of Fresnel lenses; a plurality of ball lenses corresponding respectively to the plurality of power generating elements and guide the sunlight concentrated by the plurality of Fresnel lenses to the plurality of power generating elements; and a housing that contains the plurality of ball lenses and the plurality of power generating elements. The housing includes a resin frame body, and a metal bottom plate that is fixed to the frame body, and on the inner surface of which the plurality of ball lenses and the plurality of power generating elements are arranged. The groove portion for reducing thermal expansion of the inner surface side of the bottom plate is on the inner surface of the bottom plate.

Abstract: A concentrator photovoltaic module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a case; a substrate disposed on a bottom surface of the case and having a plurality of stacked wiring layers; and concentrator photovoltaic elements disposed on the substrate and connected to the wiring layers. The concentrator photovoltaic elements connected to different wiring layers are connected to each other in parallel. According to the concentrator photovoltaic module according to the one embodiment of the present disclosure, output voltage can be decreased.

Abstract: A concentrator photovoltaic module includes: a concentrating portion configured by arranging multiple Fresnel lenses that concentrate sunlight; multiple power generating elements arranged at positions corresponding respectively to the Fresnel lenses; multiple ball lenses corresponding respectively to the power generating elements and guide the sunlight concentrated by the Fresnel lenses to the power generating elements; and a housing that contains the ball lenses and the power generating elements. The housing includes a resin frame body, and a metal bottom plate that is fixed to the frame body, and on an inner surface of which the ball lenses and the power generating elements are arranged. Multiple columnar heat-dissipating members, extending along an outer surface of the bottom plate and dissipating the heat of the bottom plate outward, are attached to the outside surface of the bottom plate.

Abstract: In a concentrator photovoltaic unit configured to guide sunlight concentrated by a primary concentrating portion to a power generating element by means of a secondary concentrating portion, the secondary concentrating portion includes: a secondary lens having a three-dimensional shape; and a cover portion being translucent and having a refractive index higher than that of air and lower than that of the secondary lens, the cover portion covering at least a surface on which the sunlight is incident in a surface of the secondary lens, in a thin film shape extending along the surface on which the sunlight is incident. By arranging a large number of the units, a concentrator photovoltaic module can be configured. By arranging a large number of the concentrator photovoltaic modules, a concentrator photovoltaic panel can be configured. By further providing a driving device for tracking the sun, a concentrator photovoltaic apparatus can be configured.

Abstract: Provided is a photovoltaic apparatus including: a power generation part including a plurality of power generating elements each generating power in accordance with an amount of received light, the power generation part having a light receiving surface and a back surface positioned on an opposite side to the light receiving surface; a function part provided separately from the power generation part and configured to provide functions regarding the photovoltaic apparatus; and a position changeable part provided between the power generation part and the function part and capable of changing positions of the power generation part and the function part, wherein the back surface of the power generation part faces the function part face, and the position changeable part is capable of changing the positions of the power generation part and the function part while maintaining a state where the back surface of the power generation part faces the function part.

Abstract: An enclosure for a concentrator photovoltaic device according to the present disclosure includes a side wall having an upper end, a lower end, an inner surface, and an outer surface, the side wall being composed of a resin, the side wall being provided with an air hole extending through the inner and outer surfaces of the side wall, the air hole being inclined from the inner surface of the side wall to the outer surface of the side wall in a direction from the upper end of the side wall toward the lower end of the side wall. According to the present disclosure, power generation efficiency of a photovoltaic module can be further increased, and the photovoltaic module can be suppressed from being decreased in performance due to entrance of undesired matters to inside of the case, such as dusts, water droplets, and foreign matters.

Abstract: A concentrator photovoltaic module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a case; a substrate disposed on a bottom surface of the case and having a plurality of stacked wiring layers; and concentrator photovoltaic elements disposed on the substrate and connected to the wiring layers. The concentrator photovoltaic elements connected to different wiring layers are connected to each other in parallel. According to the concentrator photovoltaic module according to the one embodiment of the present disclosure, output voltage can be decreased.

Abstract: A hydrogen generation system according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises: a concentrator photovoltaic module including: a casing including a frame, and a bottom plate provided at the lower end of the frame, and a concentrator photovoltaic element disposed on the bottom plate; a hydrogen generation apparatus configured to generate hydrogen by electrolyzing water with electric power supplied from the concentrator photovoltaic module; and a heat exhauster mechanism configured to raise the temperature of the water using heat generated in the concentrator photovoltaic module.

Abstract: An enclosure for a concentrator photovoltaic device according to the present disclosure includes a side wall having an upper end, a lower end, an inner surface, and an outer surface, the side wall being composed of a resin, the side wall being provided with an air hole extending through the inner and outer surfaces of the side wall, the air hole being inclined from the inner surface of the side wall to the outer surface of the side wall in a direction from the upper end of the side wall toward the lower end of the side wall. According to the present disclosure, power generation efficiency of a photovoltaic module can be further increased, and the photovoltaic module can be suppressed from being decreased in performance due to entrance of undesired matters to inside of the case, such as dusts, water droplets, and foreign matters.

Abstract: This concentrator photovoltaic module 1M includes: a housing 11 having an open face 11a on one face thereof; a plurality of cells 21 provided in a form of an array on a bottom plate 14 of the housing 11; and a lens panel 13 being a concentrating member, being mounted on the housing 11 so as to cover the open face 11a, being disposed so as to face the bottom plate 14, and being composed of a plurality of Fresnel lenses 13f formed at positions corresponding to the cells 21 on respective optical axes of the Fresnel lenses 13f, the Fresnel lenses 13f each being a condenser lens for concentrating sunlight.

Abstract: Provided is a solar cell for which accurate mutual alignment between a condenser lens and a power generating element corresponding thereto can be performed. In a solar cell 23, a plurality of grid electrodes 31 each formed in a linear shape are arrayed on a light receiving surface 23a along the width direction of the light receiving surface 23a. The plurality of grid electrodes 31 include a first center grid electrode 31a forming a cross portion 34 exhibiting a center-specific geometry caused by electrodes crossing each other at the center of the light receiving surface 23a.