The solar cell includes a plurality of light-receiving-side finger electrodes on a light-receiving surface of a photoelectric conversion section having a semiconductor junction. The light-receiving surface of the photoelectric conversion section is covered with a first insulating layer. Each light-receiving-side finger electrodes include: a first metal seed layer provided between the photoelectric conversion section and the first insulating layer; and a first plating metal layer being conduction with the first metal seed layer through openings formed in the first insulating layer. The solar cell includes an isolated plating metal layer pieces contacting neither the light-receiving-side finger electrodes nor the back-side finger electrodes. On the surface of the first insulating layer, an isolated plating metal crowded region is present in a form of a band-shape extending parallel to an extending direction of the light-receiving-side finger electrodes.

A photovoltaic (“PV”) module may comprise an array of freeform micro-optics and an array of PV cells. The PV module may be a flat panel with a nominal thickness smaller than the length and width of the flat panel. An array of lenses may be embedded in an array substrate. The lenses may be coupled to light pipes. The lenses may concentrate light through the light pipes to multi-junction cells. Diffuse light may be transferred through the array substrate to a silicon cell. The lenses and light pipes may be manufactured using a molding and drawing process.

A method for manufacturing a solar cell module, the method includes a cell forming operation for forming a first solar cell and a second solar cell by, for each of the first and second solar cells, attaching a first auxiliary electrode and a second auxiliary electrode to a back surface of a semiconductor substrate on which a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes are formed; and a cell string forming operation for connecting the first auxiliary electrode of the first solar cell to the second auxiliary electrode of the second solar cell through an interconnector to form a cell string.

Provided is a field shaping multi-well photomultiplier and method for fabrication thereof. The photomultiplier includes a field-shaping multi-well avalanche detector, including a lower insulator, an a-Se photoconductive layer and an upper insulator. The a-Se photoconductive layer is positioned between the lower insulator and the upper insulator. A light interaction region, an avalanche region, and a collection region are provided along a length of the photomultiplier, and the light interaction region and the collection region are positioned on opposite sides of the avalanche region.

Provided is a field shaping multi-well photomultiplier and method for fabrication thereof. The photomultiplier includes a field-shaping multi-well avalanche detector, including a lower insulator, an a-Se photoconductive layer and an upper insulator. The a-Se photoconductive layer is positioned between the lower insulator and the upper insulator. A light interaction region, an avalanche region, and a collection region are provided along a length of the photomultiplier, and the light interaction region and the collection region are positioned on opposite sides of the avalanche region.

The present disclosure relates to adhesives useful in preventing drifting during lamination of light redirecting films applied to photovoltaic cells. The adhesives of the present disclosure have other useful applications in bonding and/or affixing other solar energy components.

A method for increasing the energy output of an already installed solar power plant is provided including at least one first solar panel, which is absorbing sunlight in a first frequency band, wherein a semi-transparent second solar panel, which absorbs light in a second frequency band, is mounted on top of at least one of the at least one first solar panel and connected to a power electronics device of the solar power plant including at least one solar inverter, wherein the first and second frequency bands do not or only partially overlap such that the second solar panel allows at least a part of the light of the first frequency band to pass.

A method for increasing the energy output of an already installed solar power plant is provided including at least one first solar panel, which is absorbing sunlight in a first frequency band, wherein a semi-transparent second solar panel, which absorbs light in a second frequency band, is mounted on top of at least one of the at least one first solar panel and connected to a power electronics device of the solar power plant including at least one solar inverter, wherein the first and second frequency bands do not or only partially overlap such that the second solar panel allows at least a part of the light of the first frequency band to pass.

A transparent photovoltaic cell is proposed. The transparent photovoltaic cell may include a transparent substrate, a plurality of micro-pillars arranged on an upper part of the transparent substrate and formed with respective transparent windows, through which incident sunlight transmits, on respective upper parts thereof. The transparent photovoltaic cell may also include a photoelectric converter formed on an upper surface of the transparent substrate between each of the plurality of micro-pillars and on side surfaces of each micro-pillar, and configured to generate power through absorption of incident sunlight.

A light redirecting film includes a first layer disposed on a second layer with structured major surfaces of the first and second layers facing each other. An optically reflective layer or a metal layer is disposed between the first and second layers. The first layer can be a hot melt adhesive layer and the second layer can be a polymeric layer. The first and second layers can be unitary layers. The first layer can be a first polymeric layer having a softening temperature T1 and the second layer can be a second polymeric layer having a softening temperature T2 greater than T1. Heating and/or applying pressure to the film changes an optical characteristic of the film by less than about 5%.