An AC trunk cable assembly and a system for coupling AC power to a power grid. In one embodiment, the AC trunk cable assembly comprises an AC trunk cable that (i) comprises at least two wires for carrying AC voltage phases, and (ii) does not have a ground wire; and a plurality of AC trunk splice connectors, spaced along the AC trunk cable, for coupling to a plurality of inverters in a one-to-one-correspondence, wherein each AC trunk splice connector of the plurality of AC trunk splice connectors comprises at least two phase-line conductors for coupling AC power from the corresponding inverter to the at least two wires of the AC trunk cable.

A bifacial solar module with enhanced power output including first and second transparent support layers, a plurality of electrically interconnected bifacial solar cells arranged between the transparent support layers with gaps between one or more of the interconnected solar cells and edges of the first and second transparent support layers, the bifacial solar cells having a first side directly exposed to solar radiation and a second side opposite the first. The bifacial solar module further includes one or more micro-structured reflective tapes positioned coincidentally with the gaps and attached to a surface of the second support layer such that light passing through the second support layer is reflected back into the second support layer at angles such that light reflecting from the tape is absorbed by either the first or second side of the bifacial solar cells.

A bifacial solar module with enhanced power output including first and second transparent support layers, a plurality of electrically interconnected bifacial solar cells arranged between the transparent support layers with gaps between one or more of the interconnected solar cells and edges of the first and second transparent support layers, the bifacial solar cells having a first side directly exposed to solar radiation and a second side opposite the first. The bifacial solar module further includes one or more micro-structured reflective tapes positioned coincidentally with the gaps and attached to a surface of the second support layer such that light passing through the second support layer is reflected back into the second support layer at angles such that light reflecting from the tape is absorbed by either the first or second side of the bifacial solar cells.

The disclosure describes a method for detecting an arc in a direct-current (DC) circuit comprising a DC load, a DC source supplying the DC load, and a circuit arrangement arranged between the DC source and the DC load. A power flow P between an input and an output of the circuit arrangement is suppressed by means of a switching circuit through cyclical interruption such that the power flow P is enabled in an active time window with the first period Δt.sub.1 and the power flow P is suppressed in an inactive time window with the second period Δt.sub.2. Via detection of an input current I.sub.in flowing at the input and/or an input voltage U.sub.in applied to the input and comparison of values of the input current I.sub.in and/or input voltage U.sub.in detected in the inactive time window with a current threshold value I.sub.TH or a voltage threshold value U.sub.TH an arc presence criterion is signaled if the input current I.sub.in detected in the inactive time window falls below the current threshold value I.sub.TH and/or the input voltage U.sub.in detected in the inactive time window does not exceed the voltage threshold value U.sub.TH. The application also describes a circuit arrangement for detecting an arc and a photovoltaic (PV) inverter including such a circuit arrangement.

The disclosure describes a method for detecting an arc in a direct-current (DC) circuit comprising a DC load, a DC source supplying the DC load, and a circuit arrangement arranged between the DC source and the DC load. A power flow P between an input and an output of the circuit arrangement is suppressed by means of a switching circuit through cyclical interruption such that the power flow P is enabled in an active time window with the first period Δt.sub.1 and the power flow P is suppressed in an inactive time window with the second period Δt.sub.2. Via detection of an input current I.sub.in flowing at the input and/or an input voltage U.sub.in applied to the input and comparison of values of the input current I.sub.in and/or input voltage U.sub.in detected in the inactive time window with a current threshold value I.sub.TH or a voltage threshold value U.sub.TH an arc presence criterion is signaled if the input current I.sub.in detected in the inactive time window falls below the current threshold value I.sub.TH and/or the input voltage U.sub.in detected in the inactive time window does not exceed the voltage threshold value U.sub.TH. The application also describes a circuit arrangement for detecting an arc and a photovoltaic (PV) inverter including such a circuit arrangement.

A solar power system may comprise a back sheet that comprises an interconnect circuit coupling a plurality of cell tiles. A tiled solar cell, comprising a solar cell and encapsulating and glass layers, is inserted into the cell tiles of the back sheet. Each solar cell is individually addressable through the use of the interconnect circuit. Moreover, the interconnect circuit of the back sheet is programmable and allows for dynamic interconnect routing between solar cells.

A solar power system may comprise a back sheet that comprises an interconnect circuit coupling a plurality of cell tiles. A tiled solar cell, comprising a solar cell and encapsulating and glass layers, is inserted into the cell tiles of the back sheet. Each solar cell is individually addressable through the use of the interconnect circuit. Moreover, the interconnect circuit of the back sheet is programmable and allows for dynamic interconnect routing between solar cells.

Reconfigurable PV panels can have features that include cut lines for separating full panels into smaller subpanels, connector ribbons for assembling several reconfigurable PV panels into a one-dimensional or two-dimensional array and can be stacked upon each other and unstacked by rotating them about a shared connection.

A method of removing a plurality of portions of a black layer of an electrical conduit for a photovoltaic cell is disclosed. The method includes providing a mandrel having the electrical conduit electroformed in the mandrel. The electrical conduit is formed in a preformed pattern on an outer surface of the mandrel. The electrical conduit has the black layer with a black layer thickness on a side opposite of the outer surface of the mandrel. A beam of a laser is controlled toward the black layer of the electrical conduit. The beam is characterized by laser parameters. The beam of the laser removes the plurality of portions of the black layer on the electrical conduit. Each removed portion of the plurality of portions of the black layer has a thickness equal to the black layer thickness, and a portion area of 5 mm.sup.2 to 20 mm.sup.2.

A method of removing a plurality of portions of a black layer of an electrical conduit for a photovoltaic cell is disclosed. The method includes providing a mandrel having the electrical conduit electroformed in the mandrel. The electrical conduit is formed in a preformed pattern on an outer surface of the mandrel. The electrical conduit has the black layer with a black layer thickness on a side opposite of the outer surface of the mandrel. A beam of a laser is controlled toward the black layer of the electrical conduit. The beam is characterized by laser parameters. The beam of the laser removes the plurality of portions of the black layer on the electrical conduit. Each removed portion of the plurality of portions of the black layer has a thickness equal to the black layer thickness, and a portion area of 5 mm.sup.2 to 20 mm.sup.2.