A solar panel (1) includes: a plurality of semiconductor substrate based solar cells (2), a transparent front side plate (4), and a rear side plate (6). The transparent front side plate (4) is stacked on top of the rear side plate (6) and the plurality of solar cells (2) are arranged in an array in between the rear side (6) plate and the front side plate (4). Each solar cell (2) has a light receiving surface facing (8) towards the front side plate (4); the solar cells (2) being embedded in an encapsulant layer (10) between the front side plate (4) and the rear side plate (6), wherein the solar panel includes an internal light redirection unit (12; 20) for guiding light received on the solar panel (1) but not captured by the solar cells (2), towards the solar cells (2).

The present invention relates to a solar cell having nanostructures on both surfaces of a transparent substrate, and to a method for manufacturing same. The nano-structures, which face each other with respect to the substrate and which transport electrons, are formed using zinc-oxide nanowires. Also, a hole-transport layer using CIS nanoparticles is formed in order to absorb light having a short wavelength and to transport generated holes. A hole-transport layer including CIGS nanoparticles for absorbing light having a relatively long wavelength is formed on the side facing the hole-transport layer including the CIS nanoparticles.

A solar cell includes a substrate having a front surface and a back surface; an emitter formed on the front surface of the substrate; a plurality of first electrodes positioned on the emitter and extended in first direction; a plurality of first bus lines positioned on the emitter and extended in second direction crossing to the first direction; a plurality of back surface field regions formed on the back surface of the substrate and extended in the first direction; a plurality of second electrodes positioned on the plurality of back surface field regions and extended in the first direction; and, a plurality of second bus lines extended in the second direction.

A solar cell according to an embodiment includes a semiconductor substrate; a first dopant layer formed at one surface of the semiconductor substrate; and a first electrode electrically connected to the first dopant layer. At least a part of the first dopant layer includes a pre-amorphization element, and a concentration of the pre-amorphization element in one portion of the first dopant layer is different from a concentration of the pre-amorphization element in another portion of the first dopant layer.

A solar cell includes a substrate of a first conductive type, an emitter layer, of a second conductive type opposite the first conductive type, positioned at one surface of the substrate, a first electrode electrically connected to the emitter layer, a first protective layer positioned on a front surface of the emitter layer where the first electrode is not positioned, a back surface field layer positioned at another surface of the substrate, a second electrode electrically connected to the back surface field layer, and a second protective layer positioned on a back surface of the substrate where the second electrode is not positioned. Each of the first and second protective layers is formed of a material having fixed charges of the first conductive type.

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.

The invention relates to a hybrid solar collector that generates thermal and electrical energy while maintaining a comfortable indoor climate. The hybrid solar collector comprises a thermal energy collector for time-delayed transfer of thermal energy resulting from incident solar energy into building walls having a rear-vented cover arranged so that an air gap is formed between the solid collector portion and the cover, said cover comprising photovoltaic (PV) elements and being at least partially transparent and/or partially translucent so as to allow solar radiation to impinge on the solid thermal collector, wherein the air in the gap between the cover and the collector is sucked by a heat pump preferably for use in heating water or thermal storage The hybrid solar collector of the invention stores thermal energy in and releases thermal energy from the thermal collector portion, while also generating electricity using the PV elements and utilizing thermal energy from the heated air in the air gap. Operating procedures include targeted air flow and heat recuperation. The system may be used to retrofit existing thermal solar cells with incident-angle-selective structure.

A solar cell includes a substrate of a first conductive type, a plurality of first electrodes positioned on one surface of the substrate in parallel with one another, and a plurality of back surface field regions which are positioned respectively correspondingly to the plurality of first electrodes, are separated from one another, and are doped with impurities of the first conductive type at a concentration higher than the substrate. Each back surface field region includes discontinuous regions in a longitudinal direction of the first electrodes. An impurity concentration of the discontinuous regions is lower than an impurity concentration of the back surface field region.

One embodiment of the present invention provides a solar module. The solar module includes a front-side cover, a back-side cover, and a plurality of solar cells situated between the front- and back-side covers. A respective solar cell includes a multi-layer semiconductor structure, a front-side electrode situated above the multi-layer semiconductor structure, and a back-side electrode situated below the multi-layer semiconductor structure. Each of the front-side and the back-side electrodes comprises a metal grid. A respective metal grid comprises a plurality of finger lines and a single busbar coupled to the finger lines. The single busbar is configured to collect current from the finger lines.

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.