A mounting system 110 for a solar panel 11 includes a base plate 114 having an elongated mounting slot 116, a spacer beam 124 with a slot 128, a first T-shaped fastener 131 having a mounting plate 132 with a width slightly smaller than the size of the slot and a length larger than the size of the slot, so that the mounting plate may be passed through the slot and then rotated so that it then cannot pass back through the slot. A second T-shaped fastener 137 having the same configuration couples the solar panel to the spacer. The system optionally has a ballast system 145 which includes a ballast tray 146 and third T-shaped fastener 155 of the same configuration for coupling the tray to the base plate. An anti-creep strip 161 is coupled to the base member through fourth T-shaped fasteners 162 of the same configuration.

Disclosed in the present invention is a solar module, comprising: a frame including at least three sidewalls; first solar cells each having both ends coupled to each of two sidewalls of the frame; and second solar cells intersecting the first solar cells and coupled to each of the two sidewalls of the frame.

Disclosed in the present invention is a solar module, comprising: a frame including at least three sidewalls; first solar cells each having both ends coupled to each of two sidewalls of the frame; and second solar cells intersecting the first solar cells and coupled to each of the two sidewalls of the frame.

A photovoltaic system includes a collection of photovoltaic modules, a base supporting the collection of photovoltaic modules, and a damper coupled between the collection of photovoltaic modules and the base. The damper resists movement of the photovoltaic modules relative to the base. The damper has a first damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a first rate relative to the base and a second damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a second rate relative to the base, and the damper passively transitions from the first damping ratio to the second damping ratio.

A photovoltaic system includes a collection of photovoltaic modules, a base supporting the collection of photovoltaic modules, and a damper coupled between the collection of photovoltaic modules and the base. The damper resists movement of the photovoltaic modules relative to the base. The damper has a first damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a first rate relative to the base and a second damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a second rate relative to the base, and the damper passively transitions from the first damping ratio to the second damping ratio.

In an aspect, an ambient light energy harvesting device includes a semiconductor structure constituting at least a first diode of the ambient light energy harvesting device. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate portion of a first doping type, a first plurality of doped regions of the first doping type over the substrate portion, and a second plurality of doped regions of a second doping type over the substrate portion. The first plurality of doped regions and the second plurality of doped regions are arranged in an alternating manner along a lateral direction.

Composite making regions are provided. These masking regions can include layers or other areas of different transparency where a first layer has a first transparency and a second layer has a different transparency. Masking regions can be positioned between adjacent photovoltaic cells of photovoltaic arrays.

A photovoltaic (PV) solar panel, made of many micro-PV cells, where each micro-PV cell has its own integrated, monolithic bypass diode. Each micro-PV cell is a multi-junction solar cell that is approximately 1 cm on a side. An array of approximately fifty micro-PV cells, all connected in series, makes up a single PV device, which generates 90-100 V at a low current. A PV solar panel includes multiple strings of these PV devices, connected in parallel, which generates a high photocurrent at 90-100 V. The multi-junction micro-PV cells can be made of stacked layers of Ge, GaAs, and InGaP PN.

The improved solar panel includes a photovoltaic collection system, a lens structure and a calliport structure. The calliport structure is a photon manifold. The calliport structure is formed in the silicon crystalline structure of the NP junction of each individual photovoltaic cell contained within the photovoltaic collection structure. The calliport structure captures a proportion of the photons that are redirected by the lens structure. The calliport structure discharges the redirected photons into the N crystalline layer and the P crystalline layer through refraction and ejection processes. The calliport structure directly injects photons into the depletion zone of the P crystalline layer such that the net electric current production of the individual photovoltaic cell is increased relative to a standard photoelectric cell.

The improved solar panel includes a photovoltaic collection system, a lens structure and a calliport structure. The calliport structure is a photon manifold. The calliport structure is formed in the silicon crystalline structure of the NP junction of each individual photovoltaic cell contained within the photovoltaic collection structure. The calliport structure captures a proportion of the photons that are redirected by the lens structure. The calliport structure discharges the redirected photons into the N crystalline layer and the P crystalline layer through refraction and ejection processes. The calliport structure directly injects photons into the depletion zone of the P crystalline layer such that the net electric current production of the individual photovoltaic cell is increased relative to a standard photoelectric cell.