A method and apparatus for managing a solar array. Light is measured using a threshold sensor to generate sensor data. A selected threshold is computed for an electrical output generated by a plurality of solar cells in the solar array based on the sensor data using control logic in a control module.

A concentrating solar module comprising a device (D) for managing the moisture contained in a casing (2) of the module (M). The device comprises a housing (12) one of the walls (14) of which is provided with a window (15), a moisture absorbing material provided in the housing (12), a shield (28) provided facing the window (15) and distant therefrom so as to provide a space for the air flow between the window (15) and the shield (28), the shielding means (28) protecting the absorbing material from the concentrated solar radiation. The device is attached to a side wall (4) of the casing (2) such that said window (15) faces an aperture (16) provided inside said side wall (4) ensuring with said window (15) a fluid communication with the internal volume of the module and the shielding means (28) being located inside the solar module (M).

A photovoltaic (PV) module includes an absorber layer coupled to an optic layer. The absorber layer includes an array of PV elements. The optic layer includes a close-packed array of Keplerian telescope elements, each corresponding to one of an array of pupil elements. The Keplerian telescope substantially couple radiation that is incident on their objective surfaces into the corresponding pupil elements. Each pupil element relays radiation that is coupled into it from the corresponding Keplerian telescope element into the corresponding PV element.

A method of manufacturing a solar cell comprising: providing a growth substrate depositing on the growth substrate an epitaxial sequence of layers of semiconductor material forming at least a first and second solar subcells depositing a semiconductor contact layer on top of the second solar subcell depositing a reflective metal layer over said semiconductor contact layer such that the reflectivity of the reflective metal layer is greater than 80% in the wavelength range 850 to 2000 nm depositing a contact metal layer composed on said reflective metal layer mounting and bonding a supporting substrate on top of the contact metal layer and removing the growth substrate.

Disclosed is a tandem solar cell according to an aspect including: a silicon lower cell; a perovskite upper cell disposed on the silicon lower cell; and a bonding layer for bonding the silicon lower cell and the perovskite upper cell between the silicon lower cell and the perovskite upper cell, wherein the front surface portion of the silicon lower cell being in contact with the bonding layer includes a texture structure, the bonding layer includes a first transparent electrode layer formed on the sidewall of the texture structure, a buried layer filling concave portions of the texture structure on the first transparent electrode layer, and a second transparent electrode layer on top surfaces of the buried layer, the first transparent electrode layer and the texture structure.

The present invention relates to an optomechanical system (1) for converting light energy, comprising an optical arrangement (40) comprising one or more optical layers (41, 42), wherein at least one of the optical layers (41,42) comprises a plurality of primary optical elements (47) to concentrate incident light (80) into transmit ted light (90), wherein the primary optical elements (47) are arranged in a two-dimensional rectangular or hexagonal array; a support layer (50); a shifting mechanism (60) for moving at least one of the optical layers (41, 42) of the optical arrangement (40) relative to the support layer (50) or vice versa; and a frame element (10) to which either the optical arrangement (40) or the support layer (50) is attached, wherein the support layer (50) comprises a plurality of primary light energy conversion elements (51) arranged in a two-dimensional array corresponding to the arrangement of the primary optical elements (47) and a plurality of secondary light energy conversion elements (52), wherein the primary light energy conversion elements (51) and the secondary light energy conversion elements (52) are capable of converting the energy of transmitted light (90) into an output energy and wherein the primary light energy conversion elements (51) and the secondary light energy conversion elements (52), differ by type, and/or surface area, and/or light conversion efficiency, and/or light conversion spectrum and wherein the shifting mechanism (60) is arranged to move at least one of the layers of the optical arrangement (40) or the support layer (50) translationally relative to the frame element (10), through one or more translation element (65, 65) in such a way that the total output power of the primary light energy conversion elements (51) and of the secondary light energy conversion elements (52) is adjustable. The invention concerns also a method for converting light energy with an optomechanical system according to the present invention

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.

An insulating glazing having at least two panels made of transparent or semi-transparent material is provided. At least one of these panels is a luminescent solar concentrator.

A thin-film solar cell contains: a lens material layer, a conductive contact layer, a first n-p semiconductor layer, a second n-p semiconductor layer, an insulation layer, a transparent conducting layer, a substrate, multiple first vias, multiple insulators, and multiple electrical conductors. A respective first via passes through the lens material layer, the conductive contact layer, and the first n-p semiconductor layer. The multiple insulators are accommodated in the respective first via, a top of a respective insulator is connected with the second n-p semiconductor layer, and a bottom of the respective insulator is connected with the insulation layer. The respective insulator includes a respective second via. A respective electrical conductor is formed in the respective second via, a top of the respective electrical conductor is connected with a respective transparent conducting layer, and a bottom of the respective electrical conductor is connected with the substrate.

Provided is a solar cell. The solar cell may include a semiconductor layer and a passivation film stack provided on a back surface of the semiconductor layer. The passivation film stack may include a first passivation layer provided on the back surface of the semiconductor layer and including a silicon-rich layer with a silicon atom concentration ranging from 5×10.sup.21/cm.sup.3 to 2.5×10.sup.22/cm.sup.3; a second passivation layer provided on a surface of the first passivation layer and including an oxygen-rich and nitrogen-rich layer; and a third passivation layer provided on a surface of the second passivation layer and including at least one silicon nitride film with a gradient-varied refractive index. A first refractive index of the first passivation layer may be greater than a second refractive index of the second passivation layer and smaller than a third refractive index of the third passivation layer.