The invention is directed to a photovoltaic apparatus comprising a carrier substrate. The carrier substrate carries printed structures comprising: a plurality of photovoltaic modules, each module including first and second terminals and a plurality of photovoltaic cells electrically connected between the first and second module terminals; a first bus bar extending along one side of the photovoltaic modules; a second bus bar extending along an opposite side of the photovoltaic modules; and a plurality of intermodule rails, each inter-module rail being associated with a photovoltaic module. The apparatus includes a plurality of selectively configurable junctions, one or more of the junctions being configurable to enable a photovoltaic module to be selectively connected to or disconnected from an adjacent photovoltaic module via one or more inter-module rails, and/or enable a module terminal to selectively connect with or disconnect from one of the first and second bus bars, such that the photovoltaic modules can be selectively electrically connected in series and/or parallel on demand.

Processes and formulations for manufacturing a painted circuit are disclosed. In some implementations, a painted circuit can be manufactured using a process including providing a substrate and applying one or more paint layers on a surface of the substrate, where the one or more paint layers each form an electrical component of the painted circuit. A given paint layer of the one or more paint layers can include a conductive paint formulation having a resistance that is defined by a concentration of conductive material that is included in the conductive paint formulation and a thickness of the given paint layer, and lower concentrations of the conductive material included in the conductive paint formulation provide a higher resistance than higher concentrations of conductive material.

The invention is directed to a photovoltaic apparatus comprising a carrier substrate. The carrier substrate carries printed structures comprising: a plurality of photovoltaic modules, each module including first and second terminals and a plurality of photovoltaic cells electrically connected between the first and second module terminals; a first bus bar extending along one side of the photovoltaic modules; a second bus bar extending along an opposite side of the photovoltaic modules; and a plurality of intermodule rails, each inter-module rail being associated with a photovoltaic module. The apparatus includes a plurality of selectively configurable junctions, one or more of the junctions being configurable to enable a photovoltaic module to be selectively connected to or disconnected from an adjacent photovoltaic module via one or more inter-module rails, and/or enable a module terminal to selectively connect with or disconnect from one of the first and second bus bars, such that the photovoltaic modules can be selectively electrically connected in series and/or parallel on demand.

A method for manufacturing a photoelectric conversion device, that includes: forming a laminate structure of a substrate, a transparent electrode, an active layer produced by wet-coating, and a counter electrode, stacked in this order; and thereafter forming a cavity by: (a) pressing an adhesive material just against a defect formed on the surface of said counter electrode, and then peeling off said adhesive material together with said defect and the peripheral part thereof; or (b) sucking a defect formed on the surface of said counter electrode, so as to remove said defect and the peripheral part thereof, where said cavity penetrates through the counter electrode and unreached to the transparent electrode.

A solar cell module (100) includes: one or more cells that are enclosed by a barrier packaging material (13A, 13B) and that include first and second base plates (3, 7) and a functional layer; and first and second lead-out electrodes (11A, 11B) that are respectively connected to electrodes (2, 6) disposed at the sides of the respective base plates (3, 7) via electrical connectors (12A, 12B). The electrical connectors (12A, 12B) are separated from the functional layer in a base plate surface direction. The barrier packaging material (13A, 13B) includes lead-out electrode exposing parts (16A, 16B) in an outer surface aligned with the base plate surface direction. These lead-out electrode exposing parts (16A, 16B) are sealed by an exposing part seal (15). The lead-out electrode exposing parts (16A, 16B) and the electrical connectors (12A, 12B) are separated in the base plate surface direction.

A method of forming PV layers in which, during the curing process, an additional reaction accelerates and improves curing. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, a double layer sequence having a plastic matrix in which continuous metal particles and, in the upper layer, alkaline-solubilised siloxane portions and metal particles are provided, allows, by means of combined definitive curing during the alkaline-solubilisation, the production of a PV layer sequence with which industrial waste heat/long-wave IR radiation can be utilised photovoltaically. The active exploitation of industrial waste heat/heat/body heat offers clear, financially-viable advantages in a great number of fields.

An energy storage device comprising a substrate comprising a series of grooves. Each groove having a first and a second face. Wherein there is a capacitor material in each groove of the series of grooves.

An energy storage device comprising a substrate comprising a groove having a first and a second face. A capacitor material in the groove. The first and the second face of the groove having a coat of metal. Wherein the coat of metal on the first face is not in electrical contact with the coat of metal on the second face.

A solar cell module (100) includes: one or more cells that are enclosed by a barrier packaging material (13A, 13B) and that include first and second base plates (3, 7) and a functional layer; and first and second lead-out electrodes (11A, 11B) that are respectively connected to electrodes (2, 6) disposed at the sides of the respective base plates (3, 7) via electrical connectors (12A, 12B). The electrical connectors (12A, 12B) are separated from the functional layer in a base plate surface direction. The lead-out electrodes (11A, 11B) are disposed on an outer surface of the barrier packaging material (13A, 13B). Gaps between the barrier packaging material (13A, 13B) and the lead-out electrodes (11A, 11B) are sealed by a lead-out electrode seal (15).

A textile includes a flexible substrate and a photovoltaic tape adjacent to the flexible substrate. The textile may have at least one of the following properties: a power to weight ratio of at least 10 Watts per pound, a total weight to surface area of not greater than 500 grams/square-meters, and an interconnect located at an end of the photovoltaic tape. In an embodiment, the photovoltaic tape is rollable on a length of the photovoltaic tape. In an embodiment, the flexible substrate is foldable along a length contiguous to an outside edge of the photovoltaic tape.