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 including: a concentrating portion formed by arranging a plurality of lens elements each configured to concentrate sunlight; and a housing configured to accommodate a plurality of power generating elements disposed at positions respectively corresponding to the lens elements, wherein the housing includes: a frame body formed from resin; and a bottom plate formed from metal, the bottom plate being mounted to the frame body and having the power generating elements mounted thereto, and the frame body includes: a frame body portion forming an outer frame; and a liner portion extending along an upper surface of the bottom plate at an inner side of the frame body portion, the liner portion having both end portions thereof formed integrally with the frame body portion.

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: A mounting structure of a housing 11 for a concentrator photovoltaic module 1M includes: a bottom plate 15 framed from an electric conductor and having a plurality of cells 12c arrayed thereat; a side wall frame 16 made of resin, the side wall frame 16 standing along the outer edge of the bottom plate 15 and configured to hold a concentrating portion 13 so as to face the bottom plate 15; a pair of the frames 8 (support member) each being a grounded electric conductor, the pair of the frames 8 configured to be in contact with the bottom plate 15 to support the module 1M; and bolts 25 and nuts 26, as a fastening member, configured to fasten the pair of the frames 8 and the bottom plate 15 to each other thereby to fix the module 1M to the pair of the frames 8, the bolts 25 and the nuts 26 each being an electric conductor thereby to serve as paths for electric connection from the bottom plate 15 to the pair of the frames 8.

Abstract: A mounting structure of a housing 11 for a concentrator photovoltaic module 1M includes: a bottom plate 15 framed from an electric conductor and having a plurality of cells 12c arrayed thereat; a side wall frame 16 made of resin, the side wall frame 16 standing along the outer edge of the bottom plate 15 and configured to hold a concentrating portion 13 so as to face the bottom plate 15; a pair of the frames 8 (support member) each being a grounded electric conductor, the pair of the frames 8 configured to be in contact with the bottom plate 15 to support the module 1M; and bolts 25 and nuts 26, as a fastening member, configured to fasten the pair of the frames 8 and the bottom plate 15 to each other thereby to fix the module 1M to the pair of the frames 8, the bolts 25 and the nuts 26 each being an electric conductor thereby to serve as paths for electric connection from the bottom plate 15 to the pair of the frames 8.

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: When upper-lower positional relationship on an optical path is defined such that the primary concentrating portion is at an upper position than the secondary concentrating portion, the secondary concentrating portion includes: a secondary lens provided above the power generating element; a lens supporting portion configured to support the secondary lens; and a shielding plate being a flat-plate-shaped member preventing sunlight to pass therethrough whereas allowing an upper portion of the secondary lens to be exposed from a hole formed in the flat-plate-shaped member, the shielding plate being fixed in a state of being mounted to the lens supporting portion, the shielding plate being configured to block light converging at a position outside the secondary lens.

Abstract: A flexible printed circuit for concentrated photovoltaics includes: a conductive layer to which a power generating element is connected; an insulating layer having an insulating property; and a reinforcing layer for reinforcing the insulating layer, the conductive layer, the insulating layer, and the reinforcing layer being joined together in this order. In the flexible printed circuit, the reinforcing layer is formed of a material identical to that of the conductive layer.

Abstract: The secondary concentrating portion includes: a secondary lens provided above the power generating element; a lens supporting portion, which surrounds the power generating element and has the secondary lens mounted thereto, supports the secondary lens in a state where the secondary lens is disposed with a gap above the power generating element; a covering portion made of translucent resin for covering a surface of the secondary lens; and a sealing portion made of translucent resin for filling a space of the gap between the power generating element and the secondary lens in the lens supporting portion, and an upper end face of the lens supporting portion includes: an inner edge in contact with the secondary lens; and a resin receiving portion extending from the inner edge to an outer side without coming into contact with the secondary lens, the resin receiving portion receiving a lower end of the covering portion.

Abstract: This photovoltaic system includes: a support portion; a photovoltaic panel supported by the support portion so as to be able to take an orientation at any angle in each of azimuth and elevation; a drive device configured to change the orientation of the photovoltaic panel; and a control device configured to cause, during power generation, the drive device to drive the photovoltaic panel such that sun light hits the photovoltaic panel, the control device configured to, when executing a cleaning mode, control the drive device such that the photovoltaic panel takes an orientation that facilitates removal of attached substance to a light receiving surface of the photovoltaic panel by use of at least one of natural phenomena including rain, wind, dew condensation, and gravity.

Abstract: A photovoltaic module includes: a flexible printed circuit; and a plurality of power generating elements mounted on the flexible printed circuit, wherein the flexible printed circuit includes a turning portion, and strip-shaped portions of the flexible printed circuit which are located on opposite sides of the turning portion are aligned so as to oppose each other.

Abstract: A concentrator photovoltaic module 1M includes a vessel-shaped housing 11 composed of a metal and a flexible printed wiring board 12 provided so as to be in contact with an inner surface of the housing 11. The flexible printed wiring board 12 includes an insulating layer 124, an insulating substrate 121a, a pattern 121b, a plurality of power generation elements 122, and an insulting layer 126. The insulating layer 124 is in contact with a bottom surface 11a of the housing 11. The insulating substrate 121a is provided on the insulating layer 124 and has flexibility. The pattern 121b is composed of a conductor and is provided on the insulating substrate 121a. The plurality of power generation elements 122 are mounted on the pattern 121b. The insulating layer 126 is provided so as to cover an entire surface of the pattern 121b except for portions where the power generation elements 122 are mounted.