According to one or more embodiments, an intelligent solar racking system is provided. The intelligent solar racking system includes a racking frame that receives and mechanically supports solar modules. The intelligent solar racking system includes sensors distributed throughout the racking frame. Each of the sensors detects and reports parameter data by generating output signals. The sensors include module sensors positioned to associate with each of the solar modules and detect a module presence as the parameter data for the solar modules. The intelligent solar racking system includes a computing device that receives, stores, and analyzes the output signals to determine and monitor operations of the intelligent solar racking system.

A solar panel array includes at least one solar panel including a transparent substrate on which are mounted photovoltaic cells. A battery is electrically connected to the at least one solar panel, and a light is electrically connected to the at least one solar panel.

A three-dimensional thin-film semiconductor substrate with selective through-holes is provided. The substrate having an inverted pyramidal structure comprising selectively formed through-holes positioned between the front and back lateral surface planes of the semiconductor substrate to form a partially transparent three-dimensional thin-film semiconductor substrate.

Disclosed are a photovoltaic with improved visibility, which can improve optical-to-electric conversion efficiency and can be applied to a window of a building or a view window of a moving means such as a vehicle, and a method of manufacturing the same. The photovoltaic includes a transparent substrate, a transparent electrode formed on one surface of the transparent substrate, a plurality of photovoltaic cells configured to each include a first electrode formed on the transparent electrode, an optical-to-electric conversion part formed on the first electrode, and a second electrode formed on the optical-to-electric conversion part, and a separation part provided between adjacent photovoltaic cells. The separation part exposes the transparent electrode to incident sunlight.

A three-dimensional thin-film semiconductor substrate with selective through-holes is provided. The substrate having an inverted pyramidal structure comprising selectively formed through-holes positioned between the front and back lateral surface planes of the semiconductor substrate to form a partially transparent three-dimensional thin-film semiconductor substrate.

An arrangement for a thin-film photovoltaic cell stack comprises a substrate layer for a photovoltaic cell and a molybdenum grid positioned on the substrate layer, an ultra-thin alloy layer made of copper, indium, gallium and selenium positioned on the molybdenum grid, and a buffer layer positioned on the ultra-thin alloy layer made of copper, indium, gallium and selenium and a window layer positioned on the buffer layer.

An object of the invention is to provide an estimating system of heat load in a perimeter zone which can detect heat load in a perimeter zone with high accuracy without providing an exclusive detecting device for detecting heat load, such as a radiation thermometer. The estimating system of heat load in a perimeter zone in the invention includes a light-transmitting solar cell which is provided on a window face; and heat load estimating means for estimating heat load in a perimeter zone based on output characteristics of the solar cell, in which the heat load estimating means obtains an intensity of solar radiation from a window face and a temperature of the solar cell, from a short circuit current value and an open voltage value due to power generation of the solar cell, and calculates a mean radiant temperature in the perimeter zone using the intensity of solar radiation and the temperature of the solar cell.

An insulated glass unit (IGU) characterized by a transmitted IGU color (a*.sub.IGU; b*.sub.IGU) includes a photovoltaic structure characterized by a first transmitted color (a*.sub.1; b*.sub.1) and a low emissivity structure characterized by a second transmitted color (a*.sub.2; b*.sub.2). The first transmitted color and the second transmitted color are complementary.

A solar module racking system including a frame. The frame includes pre-wired receptacles for rapid assembly of solar modules. The frame receives and mechanically supports each solar module. The frame arranges the solar modules in a first planar direction, in a second planar direction, and in a vertical direction that is normal to the first and second planar directions. Each pre-wired receptacles individually and electrically connect each of the solar modules after insertion of that module into the frame. The solar module racking system provides a 2 by 1 by 1 configuration or a 1 by 2 by 1 configuration for the plurality of solar modules corresponding to the first planar direction, the second planar direction, and the vertical direction. A first module and a second module are arranged in the first planar direction or the second planar direction, respectively.

According to one or more embodiments, an intelligent solar racking system is provided. The intelligent solar racking system includes a racking frame that receives and mechanically supports solar modules. The intelligent solar racking system includes sensors distributed throughout the racking frame. Each of the sensors detects and reports parameter data by generating output signals. The sensors include module sensors positioned to associate with each of the solar modules and detect a module presence as the parameter data for the solar modules. The intelligent solar racking system includes a computing device that receives, stores, and analyzes the output signals to determine and monitor operations of the intelligent solar racking system.