Semi-transparent photovoltaic module that comprises a front glass cover (1) and a rear glass cover (4), an array of bifacial cells (2) with a separation area between them and an array of rear refractive concentrators (3) that concentrate the rear light onto the rear surface of the bifacial cells. The invention is especially useful in photovoltaic agriculture applications for plantations that require a high level of insolation, or in integration into buildings that require high interior lighting.

Disclosed herein are approaches to fabricating solar cells, solar cell strings and solar modules using roll-to-roll foil-based metallization approaches. Methods disclosed herein can comprise the steps of providing at least one solar cell wafer on a first roll unit and conveying a metal foil to the first roll unit. The metal foil can be coupled to the solar cell wafer on the first roll unit to produce a unified pairing of the metal foil and the solar cell wafer. We disclose solar energy collection devices and manufacturing methods thereof enabling reduction of manufacturing costs due to simplification of the manufacturing process by a high throughput foil metallization process.

A solar cell module and method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. The solar cell module includes a first unit and a second unit. The first unit includes a first solar cell and a first protection element. The first solar cell and the first protection element are electrically coupled in parallel with each other. The second unit includes a second solar cell and a second protection element. The second solar cell and the second protection element are electrically coupled in parallel. The first unit is electrically connected to the second unit.

One embodiment of the present invention provides a double-sided heterojunction solar cell module. The solar cell includes a frontside glass cover, a backside glass cover situated below the frontside glass cover, and a number of solar cells situated between the frontside glass cover and the backside glass cover. Each solar cell includes a semiconductor multilayer structure situated below the frontside glass cover, including: a frontside electrode grid, a first layer of heavily doped amorphous Si (a-Si) situated below the frontside electrode, a layer of lightly doped crystalline-Si (c-Si) situated below the first layer of heavily doped a-Si, and a layer of heavily doped c-Si situated below the lightly doped c-Si layer. The solar cell also includes a second layer of heavily doped a-Si situated below the multilayer structure; and a backside electrode situated below the second layer of heavily doped a-Si.

Photovoltaic modules including a plurality of solar cells bonded to a module back sheet are described herein, wherein each solar cell includes a superstrate bonded to a front side of a photovoltaic device to facilitate handling of very thin photovoltaic devices during fabrication of the module. Modules may also include module front sheets and the solar cells may include bottom sheets. The modules may be made of flexible materials, and may be foldable. Fabrication processes include tabbing photovoltaic devices prior to attaching the individual superstrates.

This solar cell module comprises: a base member curved in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction; a plurality of solar cells disposed on the base member; first wiring members connecting adjacent solar cells to one another in the vertical direction and forming a plurality of strings; and second wiring members connected to the first wiring members that extend out in the vertical direction from the top of the solar cells located at an end of the columns of the strings. The interval between the at least some of the second wiring members and the solar cells of the strings connected to those wiring members is narrower toward the end portions in the horizontal direction of the string group than toward the central portion in the horizontal direction.

A compositional range of high strain point and/or intermediate expansion coefficient alkali metal free aluminosilicate and boroaluminosilicate glasses are described herein. The glasses can be used as substrates or superstrates for photovoltaic devices, for example, thin film photovoltaic devices such as CdTe or CIGS photovoltaic devices or crystalline silicon wafer devices. These glasses can be characterized as having strain points 600 C., thermal expansion coefficient of from 35 to 5010.sup.7/ C.

An object is to provide a technique capable of making the appearance of the entire roof on which a solar cell module is laid more beautiful.

In a solar cell module that includes a front side transparent plate, a rear face sealing plate made of glass, and a solar cell sealed between the front side transparent plate and the rear face sealing plate, the area of the rear face sealing plate is made larger than the light receiving area of the solar cell and the area of the front side transparent plate. That is, the glass plate that seals the rear side of the solar cell expands to the outer side with respect to the front side transparent plate located on the front face of the solar cell module. A surplus region in which neither the solar cell nor the front side transparent plate is present is formed on the front side of the rear face sealing plate.

A solar panel module is provided having a plurality of solar panels disposed in juxtaposed relation. Each of the solar panels has a positive ribbon at one side of said solar panel and a negative ribbon at the other side opposite to said one side. Two adjacent ribbons of two adjacent solar panels are both positive ribbons or both negative ribbons.

A solar panel module is provided having a plurality of solar panels disposed in juxtaposed relation. Each of the solar panels has a positive ribbon at one side of said solar panel and a negative ribbon at the other side opposite to said one side. Two adjacent ribbons of two adjacent solar panels are both positive ribbons or both negative ribbons.