Bifacial crystalline solar cells and associated solar panel systems are provided. The cells include a p-type crystalline silicon layer and a barrier layer. The panels include at least two rows of cells. The cells in each row are connected to one another in series. The rows are connected in parallel. A reflector is used to reflect light towards the underside of the panel. A long axis of the reflector is arranged to be parallel to the rows of cells.

The invention provides a bifacial photovoltaic cell comprising: a semiconductor substrate, the substrate comprising an n+ layer on a first surface, and a p+ layer on a second surface. The n+ layer comprises an n-dopant and the p+ layer comprises a p-dopant. The cell further comprises a passivating and/or antireflective coating on the doped first and second surfaces. The cell is characterized in that the second surface of the semiconductor substrate has an area substantially devoid of the p-dopant on an edge of the second surface having a width in the range of 0.1-0.5 mm; wherein the area is formed by etching the semiconductor substrate.

A photovoltaic module comprises one or more spectrum splitting devices disposed adjacent a first side of the photovoltaic module; and a plurality of photovoltaic cells disposed adjacent a second side of the photovoltaic module opposite the first side and such that the photovoltaic cells are spaced from the one or more spectrum splitting devices, wherein at least one of the photovoltaic cells comprise a bifacial photovoltaic cell, wherein the one or more spectrum splitting devices are configured to selectively direct incident energy to one or more of the photovoltaic cells, and wherein a spatial configuration of the one or more spectrum splitting devices and the plurality of photovoltaic cells are configured based on an optimization parameter.

A solar cell module is discussed. The solar cell module is defined with an effective area and a dead area, and includes a solar cell, and a substrate disposed at one surface of the solar cell. The substrate includes a light refraction pattern formed to correspond to the dead area.

The invention provides a bifacial photovoltaic cell comprising: a semiconductor substrate, the substrate comprising an n+ layer on a first surface, and a p+ layer on a second surface. The n+ layer comprises an n-dopant and the p+ layer comprises a p-dopant. The cell further comprises a passivating and/or antireflective coating on the doped first and second surfaces. The cell is characterized in that the second surface of the semiconductor substrate has an area substantially devoid of the p-dopant on an edge of the second surface having a width in the range of 0.1-0.5 mm; wherein the area is formed by etching the semiconductor substrate.

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 portable solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity generator module comprises a plurality of smart power slat (SPS) units, each SPS unit comprising a plurality of solar cells electrically connected together based on a specified cell interconnection design, and, N at least one power maximizing integrated circuit collecting electricity generated by the plurality of solar cells. The plurality of SPS units are mechanically connected such that the SPS units can be retracted for volume compaction of the module, and can be expanded for increasing PV electricity generation by the module. The module can be used as part of an electric power supply with a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) power optimizer, storage battery and leads to connect to a load. The load can be AC or DC.

A photovoltaic device and method include a doped germanium-containing substrate, an emitter contact coupled to the substrate on a first side and a back contact coupled to the substrate on a side opposite the first side. The emitter includes at least one doped layer of an opposite conductivity type as that of the substrate and the back contact includes at least one doped layer of the same conductivity type as that of the substrate. The at least one doped layer of the emitter contact or the at least one doped layer of the back contact is in direct contact with the substrate, and the at least one doped layer of the emitter contact or the back contact includes an n-type material having an electron affinity smaller than that of the substrate, or a p-type material having a hole affinity larger than that of the substrate.

A bifacial solar cell includes a substrate formed of a silicon wafer having an n-type conductivity; an emitter region positioned on a front surface of the substrate and having a p-type conductivity; a front negative fixed charge layer on the emitter region, and a front positive fixed charge layer on the front negative fixed charge; a plurality of first front electrodes extending in a first direction and connected to the emitter region through the front negative fixed charge layer and the front positive fixed charge layer; a plurality of second front electrodes extending in a second direction crossing the first direction and electrically and physically connected to the plurality of first front electrodes; a back aluminum oxide layer and a back silicon nitride layer on a back surface of the substrate; a plurality of back surface field regions extending in the first direction and locally positioned on the back surface of the substrate; a plurality of first back electrodes extending in the first direction and directly positioned on the plurality of back surface field regions through the back aluminum oxide layer and the back silicon nitride layer; and a plurality of second back electrodes extending in the second direction and electrically and physically connected to the plurality of first back electrodes, wherein the front negative fixed charge layer and the back aluminum oxide layer have the same thickness.

The present invention discloses a method for preparing a bifacial PERC solar cell. The present invention has high photoelectric conversion efficiency, high appearance quality, and high EL yield, and could solve the problems of both scratching and undesirable deposition.