EP3472868A1 - A solar panel and a method for increasing safety and reliability of a solar panel - Google Patents

A solar panel and a method for increasing safety and reliability of a solar panel

Info

Publication number
EP3472868A1
EP3472868A1 EP17758430.7A EP17758430A EP3472868A1 EP 3472868 A1 EP3472868 A1 EP 3472868A1 EP 17758430 A EP17758430 A EP 17758430A EP 3472868 A1 EP3472868 A1 EP 3472868A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
solar panel
strip
photovoltaic cells
electric
potential
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP17758430.7A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Petrus Paulus Carolus Maria Stassen
Robert Schaacke
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
TULIPPS B.V.
Original Assignee
TULIPPS SOLAR INTERNATIONAL BV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by TULIPPS SOLAR INTERNATIONAL BV filed Critical TULIPPS SOLAR INTERNATIONAL BV
Publication of EP3472868A1 publication Critical patent/EP3472868A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L31/02—Details
    • H01L31/02016—Circuit arrangements of general character for the devices
    • H01L31/02019—Circuit arrangements of general character for the devices for devices characterised by at least one potential jump barrier or surface barrier
    • H01L31/02021—Circuit arrangements of general character for the devices for devices characterised by at least one potential jump barrier or surface barrier for solar cells
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L31/04—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices
    • H01L31/042—PV modules or arrays of single PV cells
    • H01L31/05—Electrical interconnection means between PV cells inside the PV module, e.g. series connection of PV cells
    • H01L31/0504—Electrical interconnection means between PV cells inside the PV module, e.g. series connection of PV cells specially adapted for series or parallel connection of solar cells in a module
    • H01L31/0516—Electrical interconnection means between PV cells inside the PV module, e.g. series connection of PV cells specially adapted for series or parallel connection of solar cells in a module specially adapted for interconnection of back-contact solar cells
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02S—GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
    • H02S40/00—Components or accessories in combination with PV modules, not provided for in groups H02S10/00 - H02S30/00
    • H02S40/30—Electrical components
    • H02S40/34—Electrical components comprising specially adapted electrical connection means to be structurally associated with the PV module, e.g. junction boxes
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02S—GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
    • H02S50/00—Monitoring or testing of PV systems, e.g. load balancing or fault identification
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Definitions

  • the invention is related to a solar panel comprising at its front side a transparent plate, wherein the edge of said transparent plate is the edge of the solar panel in front view, and wherein behind said transparent plate a number of layers are located, wherein one of said layers comprises a number of photovoltaic cells.
  • the transparent plate may be a glass plate providing for stiffness of the panel, or may be any other transparent material, for example flexible plastic material.
  • the transparent plate at the front side of the solar panel has in general a rectangular shape, but may have any other desired shape.
  • the photovoltaic cells can be fixed to the backside of the transparent plate by means of a transparent adhesive layer, for example a layer of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), being a transparent adhesive material that can be thermally activated.
  • EVA ethylene vinyl acetate
  • a photovoltaic cell can generate an electric potential difference between its front side and its backside when it is subjected to light.
  • the photovoltaic cells in a solar panel can be connected in parallel, or can arranged in one or more strings.
  • a string is an array of a certain number of photovoltaic cells being interconnected in series, and the output voltage of such string is the sum of the output voltages of each photovoltaic cell in the string.
  • a solar panel may comprise one or more strings each having a number of cells, and each string can be connected to a junction box of the solar panel providing for the output of electric current from the solar panel. The junction box can be located at the backside of the solar panel.
  • a solar panel as is described above is disclosed in publication US2011/0297208, describing a method for producing such solar panel.
  • a solar panel In general, a solar panel is located in the open air and often on top of a building or against the outside of the outer wall of a building. Therefore, a solar panel is subjected to different and changing weather conditions, such as high and low temperatures, wind, rain, lightning etc. In particular lightning may induce relative large electric current or voltages in the electric conductive parts of the solar panel and thereby may cause damage in parts of the panel.
  • An object of the invention is to provide a solar panel comprising at its front side a transparent plate, wherein the edge of said transparent plate is the edge of the solar panel in front view, whereby the solar panel is les susceptible for negative influence of lightning.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a solar panel comprising at its front side a transparent plate, wherein the edge of said transparent plate is the edge of the solar panel in front view, having an increased reliability with respect to its operation.
  • one of said layers comprises a strip of electric conductive material surrounding, in front view, one or more of said photovoltaic cells, wherein said strip of electric conductive material is connected with means for making contact with a predetermined electric potential.
  • the strip of electric conductive material may have any shape or dimension, also varying transverse dimensions along its length.
  • the additional strip of conductive material may be a metal wire adhered against the backside of the solar panel.
  • the solar panel is, at its back side, provided with a junction box in which the electric output means of said photovoltaic cells are connected with the electric conductive output means of the solar panel, wherein said strip is connected, through said means for making contact with said predetermined electric potential, with a member in said junction box having said predetermined potential.
  • said predetermined potential is the lower or higher electric potential of said photovoltaic cells.
  • Conductive elements having such potential are present in the junction box, so that the strip can be easily connected to such potential.
  • said photovoltaic cells are arranged in one or more strings, wherein each string comprises a number of photovoltaic cells being interconnected in series, and wherein said predetermined potential is the lower or higher electric potential of said string.
  • said predetermined potential is earth or is another external electric potential.
  • the strip can be provided with a high voltage (up to +1500 or -1500 Volt DC) from an external source in order to attract metal ions that may move through the system and may decrease the efficiency of the photovoltaic cells.
  • the photovoltaic cells are back contacted photovoltaic cells, wherein an interconnection foil is located behind said photovoltaic cells, and wherein the interconnection foil comprises a pattern of areas of electric conductive material contacting the back contacts of the photovoltaic cells, wherein one or more of said strips are one or more additional electric conductive areas on said interconnection foil.
  • the interconnection foil is a layer of electric insulating material and is at one side provided with said pattern of areas of electric conductive material.
  • the interconnection foil is located behind the photovoltaic cells for electrically connecting the photovoltaic cells with each other and with the junction box.
  • the interconnection foil can be attached to the backside of the photovoltaic cells by means of a layer of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), being an electrical insulating material capable of adhering the backside of the cells to the connection foil.
  • EVA ethylene vinyl acetate
  • the layer is provided with apertures at locations where the back contacts of the photovoltaic cells has to be connected to the concerning conductive areas of the connection foil.
  • the electrical connection is made by means of conductive material located in said apertures.
  • Further layers can be present for example a layer adhered to the backside of the solar panel in order to cover and protect the backside against damaging.
  • the additional strip can be formed on the interconnection foil in the same manner and at the same moment that the other conductive areas are formed on the foil. So, when producing the solar panel there is no additional production step required.
  • a back contacted photovoltaic cell is a cell whereby the electric potential at its front side is transported through one or more openings in the cell to one or more electric contacts at the backside of the cell. Therefore, the openings contain a conductive material creating back contacts at the backside of the cell. So, a back contacted photovoltaic cell has all its electric contacts for both electric potentials at its backside. Sandra of these contacts is connected with one of said areas of electric conductive material on the interconnection foil.
  • An advantage of back contacted photovoltaic cells is that the cells of the solar panel can be arranged behind the transparent plate in such manner that almost the complete surface of the solar panel can be used for receiving light radiation. Furthermore, the electric connection means of the photovoltaic cells are less visible behind the transparent plate at the front side of the solar panel.
  • At least portions of said one or more strips are located along the edge of said interconnection foil, so that along the entire edge of said interconnection foil at least a portion of a strip is present.
  • said at least a portion of a strip is located at some distance from the edge of said interconnection foil.
  • said strip of electric conductive material has an interruption, in order to form a capacitor to reduce the induced current flow through the strip in case of nearby lightning.
  • the interruption in said strip is present at the remotest location with respect to the location where the strip is connected with said means (8) for making contact with a predetermined potential.
  • said strip of electric conductive material is connected with means for receiving and/or sending radio frequency signals, in order to use said strip as an antenna.
  • signals can be sent from or to the solar panel in order to control the panel or to inspect the panel remotely.
  • means are present for measuring electric current flowing through said strip.
  • electric current can be an indication for the presence of moisture between the layers of the solar panel. Moisture may penetrate from outside between the interconnection foil and the transparent plate. Such moisture will reach said strip before it can reach the conductive areas of the interconnection foil.
  • the invention is ' related to a method for producing a solar panel having an increased reliability, the solar panel comprising at its front side a transparent plate, wherein the edge of said transparent plate is the edge of the solar panel in front view, and whereby behind said transparent plate a number of layers are located, wherein one of said layers comprises a number of photovoltaic cells, whereby a strip of electric conductive material is applied to the panel, surrounding, in front view, one or more of said
  • the figure shows a quadrant of the rectangular interconnection foil 1 of the solar panel in front view.
  • the interconnection foil 1 is present behind a rectangular glass plate being the front of the solar panel and having the same rectangular dimension as the interconnection foil 1.
  • the solar panel comprises forty-eight square back contacted photovoltaic cells between said glass plate and the interconnection foil 1.
  • the location of twelve of these photovoltaic cells are indicated in the figure with striped lines 2, and these cells are interconnected in series, so they are forming one string photovoltaic cells.
  • the solar panel comprises in each of said four quadrants such string comprising twelve photovoltaic cells.
  • Each photovoltaic cell has two back contacts, having a positive (+) and a negative (-) potential when the cell is exposed to light radiation.
  • the back contacts of the twelve cells in the shown quadrant are interconnected by electric conductive areas 3 of the interconnection foil 1.
  • Each conductive area 3 connects a positive (+) back contact of a cell with a negative (-) back contact of a neighbouring
  • the back contacted photovoltaic cells may have " more, of even much more, back contacts being connected to the electric conductive areas 3, whereby the pattern of areas 3 is more complex than in the described embodiment.
  • publication
  • WO2014/077686 describes a solar panel with back contacted photovoltaic cells having each thirteen back contacts being interconnected by electric conductive areas of an interconnection foil (see figures la and lb of that publication).
  • junction box Behind the central portion of the solar panel is a junction box (not shown in the figure), in which junction box the electric output of the four strings of the panel are connected with the electric conductive output means of the solar panel.
  • the both ends of the string of photovoltaic cells of the shown quadrant are connected with electric means in said junction box by means of two conductive areas 4.
  • openings are present in the interconnection foil 1 and further layers of material that may be present at the backside of the interconnection foil. The locations of these openings are indicated with the numerals 5 and 6, and electric conductive material is present in these openings reaching into the junction box.
  • An additional conductive area is present on the interconnection foil 1 forming a strip 7 surrounding the other conductive areas 3,4.
  • the strip 7 is connected with the junction box by means of conductive material in an opening in the interconnection foil 1 in the same manner as is described for the locations 5 and 6. Thereby, the strip 7 can be connected with the lower or higher potential of the strings or with earth or with another predetermined potential being present in the junction box.
  • the strip 7 has an interruption 9 at the remotest location with respect to the location 8 where the strip is connected with said predetermined potential.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Sustainable Energy (AREA)
  • Photovoltaic Devices (AREA)

Abstract

A solar panel comprising at its front side a transparent plate and behind said transparent plate a number of photovoltaic cells (2). The solar panel comprises a strip (7) of electric conductive material surrounding, in front view, one or more of said photovoltaic cells. Said strip (7) of electric conductive material is connected with the lower or higher electric potential of said string, or with earth, or with an external electric potential.

Description

A SOLAR PANEL AND A METHOD FOR INCREASING SAFETY AND
RELIABILITY OF A SOLAR PANEL
The invention is related to a solar panel comprising at its front side a transparent plate, wherein the edge of said transparent plate is the edge of the solar panel in front view, and wherein behind said transparent plate a number of layers are located, wherein one of said layers comprises a number of photovoltaic cells. The transparent plate may be a glass plate providing for stiffness of the panel, or may be any other transparent material, for example flexible plastic material.
The transparent plate at the front side of the solar panel has in general a rectangular shape, but may have any other desired shape. The photovoltaic cells can be fixed to the backside of the transparent plate by means of a transparent adhesive layer, for example a layer of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), being a transparent adhesive material that can be thermally activated.
A photovoltaic cell can generate an electric potential difference between its front side and its backside when it is subjected to light. The photovoltaic cells in a solar panel can be connected in parallel, or can arranged in one or more strings. A string is an array of a certain number of photovoltaic cells being interconnected in series, and the output voltage of such string is the sum of the output voltages of each photovoltaic cell in the string. A solar panel may comprise one or more strings each having a number of cells, and each string can be connected to a junction box of the solar panel providing for the output of electric current from the solar panel. The junction box can be located at the backside of the solar panel.
A solar panel as is described above is disclosed in publication US2011/0297208, describing a method for producing such solar panel.
In general, a solar panel is located in the open air and often on top of a building or against the outside of the outer wall of a building. Therefore, a solar panel is subjected to different and changing weather conditions, such as high and low temperatures, wind, rain, lightning etc. In particular lightning may induce relative large electric current or voltages in the electric conductive parts of the solar panel and thereby may cause damage in parts of the panel.
An object of the invention is to provide a solar panel comprising at its front side a transparent plate, wherein the edge of said transparent plate is the edge of the solar panel in front view, whereby the solar panel is les susceptible for negative influence of lightning. Another object of the invention is to provide a solar panel comprising at its front side a transparent plate, wherein the edge of said transparent plate is the edge of the solar panel in front view, having an increased reliability with respect to its operation.
In order to comply with one or both these objects, one of said layers comprises a strip of electric conductive material surrounding, in front view, one or more of said photovoltaic cells, wherein said strip of electric conductive material is connected with means for making contact with a predetermined electric potential.
It has been found that such additional strip reduces said negative influence of lightning. The strip of electric conductive material may have any shape or dimension, also varying transverse dimensions along its length. For example, the additional strip of conductive material may be a metal wire adhered against the backside of the solar panel.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the solar panel is, at its back side, provided with a junction box in which the electric output means of said photovoltaic cells are connected with the electric conductive output means of the solar panel, wherein said strip is connected, through said means for making contact with said predetermined electric potential, with a member in said junction box having said predetermined potential.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said predetermined potential is the lower or higher electric potential of said photovoltaic cells. Conductive elements having such potential are present in the junction box, so that the strip can be easily connected to such potential. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, said photovoltaic cells are arranged in one or more strings, wherein each string comprises a number of photovoltaic cells being interconnected in series, and wherein said predetermined potential is the lower or higher electric potential of said string.
In another preferred embodiment of the invention, said predetermined potential is earth or is another external electric potential. The strip can be provided with a high voltage (up to +1500 or -1500 Volt DC) from an external source in order to attract metal ions that may move through the system and may decrease the efficiency of the photovoltaic cells.
In a preferred embodiment, the photovoltaic cells are back contacted photovoltaic cells, wherein an interconnection foil is located behind said photovoltaic cells, and wherein the interconnection foil comprises a pattern of areas of electric conductive material contacting the back contacts of the photovoltaic cells, wherein one or more of said strips are one or more additional electric conductive areas on said interconnection foil. The interconnection foil is a layer of electric insulating material and is at one side provided with said pattern of areas of electric conductive material. The interconnection foil is located behind the photovoltaic cells for electrically connecting the photovoltaic cells with each other and with the junction box.
The interconnection foil can be attached to the backside of the photovoltaic cells by means of a layer of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), being an electrical insulating material capable of adhering the backside of the cells to the connection foil. Thereby, the layer is provided with apertures at locations where the back contacts of the photovoltaic cells has to be connected to the concerning conductive areas of the connection foil. The electrical connection is made by means of conductive material located in said apertures. Further layers can be present for example a layer adhered to the backside of the solar panel in order to cover and protect the backside against damaging.
Especially when the conductive material has a relative large surface, as may be the case with the pattern of areas of conductive material on the interconnection foil, lightning has an increased influence on the solar panel, because said relative large surface attracts lightning.
The additional strip can be formed on the interconnection foil in the same manner and at the same moment that the other conductive areas are formed on the foil. So, when producing the solar panel there is no additional production step required.
A back contacted photovoltaic cell is a cell whereby the electric potential at its front side is transported through one or more openings in the cell to one or more electric contacts at the backside of the cell. Therefore, the openings contain a conductive material creating back contacts at the backside of the cell. So, a back contacted photovoltaic cell has all its electric contacts for both electric potentials at its backside. Anyone of these contacts is connected with one of said areas of electric conductive material on the interconnection foil.
An advantage of back contacted photovoltaic cells is that the cells of the solar panel can be arranged behind the transparent plate in such manner that almost the complete surface of the solar panel can be used for receiving light radiation. Furthermore, the electric connection means of the photovoltaic cells are less visible behind the transparent plate at the front side of the solar panel.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, at least portions of said one or more strips are located along the edge of said interconnection foil, so that along the entire edge of said interconnection foil at least a portion of a strip is present. Preferably, said at least a portion of a strip is located at some distance from the edge of said interconnection foil.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said strip of electric conductive material has an interruption, in order to form a capacitor to reduce the induced current flow through the strip in case of nearby lightning. Preferably, the interruption in said strip is present at the remotest location with respect to the location where the strip is connected with said means (8) for making contact with a predetermined potential.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said strip of electric conductive material is connected with means for receiving and/or sending radio frequency signals, in order to use said strip as an antenna. Such signals can be sent from or to the solar panel in order to control the panel or to inspect the panel remotely.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, means are present for measuring electric current flowing through said strip. Such electric current can be an indication for the presence of moisture between the layers of the solar panel. Moisture may penetrate from outside between the interconnection foil and the transparent plate. Such moisture will reach said strip before it can reach the conductive areas of the interconnection foil.
Furthermore, the invention is' related to a method for producing a solar panel having an increased reliability, the solar panel comprising at its front side a transparent plate, wherein the edge of said transparent plate is the edge of the solar panel in front view, and whereby behind said transparent plate a number of layers are located, wherein one of said layers comprises a number of photovoltaic cells, whereby a strip of electric conductive material is applied to the panel, surrounding, in front view, one or more of said
photovoltaic cells, and whereby means are applied for connecting said strip with a predetermined electric potential.
The invention will be further elucidated by means of a description of an
embodiment of an solar panel, whereby reference is made to the drawing comprising a schematic figure diagrammatizing a portion of the interconnection foil of a solar panel comprising back contacted photovoltaic cells.
The figure shows a quadrant of the rectangular interconnection foil 1 of the solar panel in front view. The interconnection foil 1 is present behind a rectangular glass plate being the front of the solar panel and having the same rectangular dimension as the interconnection foil 1. The solar panel comprises forty-eight square back contacted photovoltaic cells between said glass plate and the interconnection foil 1. The location of twelve of these photovoltaic cells are indicated in the figure with striped lines 2, and these cells are interconnected in series, so they are forming one string photovoltaic cells. The solar panel comprises in each of said four quadrants such string comprising twelve photovoltaic cells. Each photovoltaic cell has two back contacts, having a positive (+) and a negative (-) potential when the cell is exposed to light radiation. The back contacts of the twelve cells in the shown quadrant are interconnected by electric conductive areas 3 of the interconnection foil 1. Each conductive area 3 connects a positive (+) back contact of a cell with a negative (-) back contact of a neighbouring cell.
The back contacted photovoltaic cells may have"more, of even much more, back contacts being connected to the electric conductive areas 3, whereby the pattern of areas 3 is more complex than in the described embodiment. For example, publication
WO2014/077686 describes a solar panel with back contacted photovoltaic cells having each thirteen back contacts being interconnected by electric conductive areas of an interconnection foil (see figures la and lb of that publication).
Behind the central portion of the solar panel is a junction box (not shown in the figure), in which junction box the electric output of the four strings of the panel are connected with the electric conductive output means of the solar panel. The both ends of the string of photovoltaic cells of the shown quadrant are connected with electric means in said junction box by means of two conductive areas 4. Thereby, openings are present in the interconnection foil 1 and further layers of material that may be present at the backside of the interconnection foil. The locations of these openings are indicated with the numerals 5 and 6, and electric conductive material is present in these openings reaching into the junction box.
An additional conductive area is present on the interconnection foil 1 forming a strip 7 surrounding the other conductive areas 3,4. At the location indicated with numeral 8, the strip 7 is connected with the junction box by means of conductive material in an opening in the interconnection foil 1 in the same manner as is described for the locations 5 and 6. Thereby, the strip 7 can be connected with the lower or higher potential of the strings or with earth or with another predetermined potential being present in the junction box. The strip 7 has an interruption 9 at the remotest location with respect to the location 8 where the strip is connected with said predetermined potential.
While the invention has been illustrated in the figure and the foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative and exemplary and not restrictive; the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment.

Claims

1. A solar panel comprising at its front side a transparent plate, wherein the edge of said transparent plate is the edge of the solar panel in front view, and wherein behind said transparent plate a number of layers are located, wherein one of said layers comprises a number of photovoltaic cells, characterized in that one of said layers comprises a strip (7) of electric conductive material surrounding, in front view, one or more of said photovoltaic cells, wherein said strip (7) of electric conductive material is connected with means (8) for making contact with a predetermined electric potential.
2. A solar panel as claimed in claiml, wherein the solar panel is, at its back side, provided with a junction box in which the electric output means (5,6) of said photovoltaic cells are connected with the electric conductive output means of the solar panel, characterized in that said strip (7) is connected, through said means (8) for making contact with said predetermined electric potential, with a member in said junction box having said predetermined potential.
3. A solar panel as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said predetermined potential is the lower or higher electric potential of said photovoltaic cells.
4. A solar panel as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said photovoltaic cells are arranged in one or more strings, wherein each string comprises a number of photovoltaic cells being interconnected in series, and wherein said predetermined potential is the lower or higher electric potential of said string.
5. A solar panel as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said predetermined potential is earth.
6. A solar panel as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said predetermined potential is an external electric potential.
7. A solar panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the photovoltaic cells are back contacted photovoltaic cells, wherein an interconnection foil (1) is located behind said photovoltaic cells, and wherein the interconnection foil (1) comprises a pattern of areas (3) of electric conductive material contacting the back contacts of the photovoltaic cells, characterized in that one or more of said strips (7) are one or more additional electric conductive areas on said interconnection foil (1).
8. A solar panel as is claimed in claim 7, characterized in that at least portions of said one or more strips (7) are located along the edge of said interconnection foil (1), so that along the entire edge of said interconnection foil (1) at least a portion of a strip (7) is present.
9. A solar panel as is claimed in claim 8, characterized in that said at least a portion of a strip (7) is located at a distance from the edge of said interconnection foil (1).
10. A solar panel as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that said strip (7) of electric conductive material has an interruption (9).
11. A solar panel as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the interruption (9) in said strip (7) is present at the remotest location with respect to the location where the strip (7) is connected with said means (8) for making contact with a predetermined potential.
12. A solar panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said strip (7) of electric conductive material is connected with means for receiving and/or sending radio frequency signals, in order to use said strip (7) as an antenna.
13. A solar panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that means are present for measuring electric current flowing through said strip (7).
14. A method for producing a solar panel having an increased reliability, the solar panel comprising at its front side a transparent plate, wherein the edge of said transparent plate is the edge of the solar panel in front view, and whereby behind said transparent plate a number of layers are located, wherein one of said layers comprises a number of
photovoltaic cells, characterized in that a strip (7) of electric conductive material is applied to the panel, surrounding, in front view, one or more of said photovoltaic cells, and in that means (8) are applied for connecting said strip (7) with a predetermined electric potential.
EP17758430.7A 2016-06-21 2017-06-10 A solar panel and a method for increasing safety and reliability of a solar panel Withdrawn EP3472868A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL1041939A NL1041939B1 (en) 2016-06-21 2016-06-21 A solar panel and method for increasing safety and reliability of a solar panel
PCT/EP2017/000671 WO2017220187A1 (en) 2016-06-21 2017-06-10 A solar panel and a method for increasing safety and reliability of a solar panel

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP3472868A1 true EP3472868A1 (en) 2019-04-24

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP17758430.7A Withdrawn EP3472868A1 (en) 2016-06-21 2017-06-10 A solar panel and a method for increasing safety and reliability of a solar panel

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WO2008136872A2 (en) * 2006-12-22 2008-11-13 Adriani Paul M Structures for low cost, reliable solar modules
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WO2014050451A1 (en) * 2012-09-27 2014-04-03 三洋電機株式会社 Solar cell module
NL2009836C2 (en) 2012-11-19 2014-05-21 Stichting Energie Back-contacted solar panel and method for manufacturing such a solar panel.
US20140150850A1 (en) * 2012-11-30 2014-06-05 Amtech Systems, Inc. Solar cell coating
NL2012553B1 (en) * 2014-04-02 2016-02-15 Stichting Energieonderzoek Centrum Nederland Back side contact layer for PV module with modified cell connection topology.
US20160111573A1 (en) * 2014-10-21 2016-04-21 Tenksolar, Inc. Highly densified pv module

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