Abstract

Technology for converting electricity generated by photovoltaic cells to AC or DC output power is disclosed. In some examples of the disclosed technology, a zonal power inverter has a plurality of voltage converters, the outputs of the voltage converters being connected in series and being electrically isolated from one another except for their output terminals being connected in series. The power inverter can further comprise a DC/AC converter coupled to a positive output terminal of one of the voltage converters. In some examples, an isolated multi-junction photovoltaic cell includes a plurality of photosensitive semiconductor active layers, each of the active layers being electrically isolated from the other active layers, and formed from a respective material having a different band gap than the other active layers. In some examples, the multi-junction photovoltaic cell is coupled to the input of the zonal power inverter.

IPC Classes  ?

• H10F 10/161 - Photovoltaic cells having only PN heterojunction potential barriers comprising multiple PN heterojunctions, e.g. tandem cells
• H02J 3/38 - Arrangements for parallelly feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• H10F 19/75 - Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one photovoltaic cell covered by group , e.g. photovoltaic modules comprising bypass diodes the bypass diodes being integrated or directly associated with the photovoltaic cells, e.g. formed in or on the same substrate
• H10F 77/00 - Constructional details of devices covered by this subclass
• H10F 77/20 - Electrodes

Abstract

Technology for converting electricity generated by photovoltaic cells to AC or DC output power is disclosed. In some examples of the disclosed technology, a zonal power inverter has a plurality of voltage converters, the outputs of the voltage converters being connected in series and being electrically isolated from one another except for their output terminals being connected in series. The power inverter can further comprise a DC/AC converter coupled to a positive output terminal of one of the voltage converters. In some examples, an isolated multi-junction photovoltaic cell includes a plurality of photosensitive semiconductor active layers, each of the active layers being electrically isolated from the other active layers, and formed from a respective material having a different band gap than the other active layers. In some examples, the multi-junction photovoltaic cell is coupled to the input of the zonal power inverter.

IPC Classes  ?

• H02S 40/36 - Electrical components characterised by special electrical interconnection means between two or more PV modules, e.g. electrical module-to-module connection
• H01L 31/0687 - Multiple junction or tandem solar cells
• H02J 3/38 - Arrangements for parallelly feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• H02M 1/00 - Details of apparatus for conversion
• H02S 40/32 - Electrical components comprising DC/AC inverter means associated with the PV module itself, e.g. AC modules