Various embodiments of mounting structures for solar photovoltaic (PV) modules and methods for constructing such mounting structures are described. A mounting structure is usable to secure PV modules in portrait orientation or landscape orientation. PV modules are secured to PV module support rails, which may be secured to purlins of a mounting structure using clamps. In some embodiments, self-adhesive grounding patches are used to establish electrical grounding paths in various embodiments of mounting structure.

The invention relates to a layer element comprising at least two layers (A) and (B), wherein layer (B) has a has a total luminous transmittance of at least 80.0%, an article, preferably abifacial photovoltaic module, comprising said layer element, a process for preparing said layer element, a process for preparing a photovoltaic module comprising said layer element and the use of said layer element as integrated backsheet element of a bifacial photovoltaic module.

Various embodiments of mounting structures for solar photovoltaic (PV) modules and methods for constructing such mounting structures are described. A mounting structure is usable to secure PV modules in portrait orientation or landscape orientation. PV modules are secured to PV module support rails, which may be secured to purlins of a mounting structure using clamps. In some embodiments, self-adhesive grounding patches are used to establish electrical grounding paths in various embodiments of mounting structure.

The invention concerns a method for producing a photovoltaic module, comprising:•—providing a plurality of bifacial photovoltaic cells each having a short-circuit current ratio (B),•—asymmetrically cutting each cell into two portions, such that the ratio between the surface areas of said portions is substantially equal to the short-circuit current ratio (B) of said cell or to the average short-circuit ratio of the set of cells,•—juxtapositioning said cell portions in a main plane of the module in order to form pairs of cell portions chosen such that the front face of the first portion has a short-circuit current substantially equal to the short-circuit current of the rear face of the second portion, said portions being arranged such that the front face of the first portion and the rear face of the second portion coincide with the front face of the module,•—creating an electrical connection of the front face of the first portion with the rear face of the second portion.

A process for manufacturing a bifacial photovoltaic cell, comprising the steps: coating a substrate with a boron containing layer; forming a cap layer over the boron containing layer which is on the second surface of the substrate; removing the boron containing layer from the surfaces of the substrate which are not covered with a cap layer; effecting the deposition of a phosphorous containing layer on the surfaces of the substrate which are not covered by the cap layer, and effecting diffusion of the phosphorous and the boron into the substrate; removing the phosphorous containing layer; texturing the substrate where there is no cap layer; effecting the deposition of a phosphorous containing layer on the first surface of the substrate and effecting diffusion of phosphorous into the substrate to form a second n-doped layer; and forming a passivating and/or antireflective coating layer covering the n-doped layer on the substrate's first surface.

A solar cell system and a flexible solar panel are disclosed herein. The solar cell system includes a glass housing, a set of rows of solar cells each defining a front side and a rear side and arranged within the glass housing. The solar cell system can also include a reflective element disposed in the glass housing and facing the rear side of the set of rows of solar cells and a first terminal coupled to a first end of the set of rows of solar cells, traversing through and sealed against the first end of the glass housing. The solar cell system can be configured with other solar cell systems into the flexible solar panel that is deployable in a wide range of potential applications.

A solar cell and a solar laminate are described. The solar cell can have a front side which faces the sun during normal operation and a back side opposite front side. The solar cell can include conductive contacts having substantially reflective outer regions disposed on the back side of the solar cell. The solar laminate can include a first encapsulant, the first encapsulant disposed on the back side of the solar cell and a second encapsulant. The solar laminate can include the solar cell laminated between the first and second encapsulant. The substantially reflective outer regions of the conductive contacts and the first encapsulant can be configured to scatter and/or diffuse light at the back side of the solar laminate for substantial light collection at the back side of the solar cell. Methods of fabricating the solar cell are also described herein.

In various embodiments, a photovoltaic module is provided. The photovoltaic module may include a plurality of electrically interconnected photovoltaic cells. The photovoltaic cell may include a substrate with a front-side and a rear-side, and a metallization on the rear-side of the substrate. At least some of the plurality of electrically interconnected photovoltaic cells are at least partially bifacial photovoltaic cells. The photovoltaic module may further include an encapsulation of the plurality of photovoltaic cells. A first transparent cover may be arranged over the encapsulation, and a second transparent cover may be arranged over the encapsulation. A diffuse rear-side reflector may be arranged over the encapsulation where the diffuse rear-side reflector is disposed at a distance from the second transparent cover in the range from approximately 0.5 cm to 20 cm from the rear-side surface of the second transparent cover.

Described herein is a photovoltaic module, which includes PV cells capable of converting light incoming from a front side and from a rear side (3) and a transparent rear side including a rear surface carrying a structured layer (9), where the lower surface of the structured layer (9) is the lower surface of the module, and where the surface of layer (9) is structured by parallel V-shaped grooves of depth h2 or less than h2, where the lateral faces of the grooves of depth less than h2 form a groove angle beta and adjacent faces of neighbouring grooves form a peak of apex angle alpha, characterized in that h2 is from the range 5 to 200 micrometer, and each pair of neighbouring grooves includes one groove of depth h2 and one groove of depth (h2−h1), where h1 ranges from 0.1 h2 to 0.9 h2.

Solar cell and method of manufacturing a solar cell. The solar cell has a silicon substrate (2) and a layer (4) disposed on a substrate side (2a) of the silicon substrate (2). It further has a contact structure (6) extending through the layer (4) from a cell side (1a) of the solar cell (1) to the silicon substrate (2). The layer (4) is composed of a polycrystalline silicon layer (8) and a tunnel oxide layer (10) interposed between the polycrystalline silicon layer (8) and the silicon substrate (2).