Photovoltaic cell assemblies for power generation parameter matching

Abstract

A photovoltaic (PV) device 500 may include first and second PV cell assemblies, each comprising a group of thin-film PV cells 504, preferably perovskite, and a second group of PV cells 502, both of wh

Claims

1. A photovoltaic device, comprising:a first photovoltaic cell assembly including a first module that comprises a plurality of first groups of thin-film photovoltaic cells, and a second module that comprises a plurality of second groups of photovoltaic cells, wherein the thin-film photovoltaic cells included in each of the first groups are electrically connected in series and the photovoltaic cells included in each of the second groups are electrically connected in series;a second photovoltaic cell assembly including a third module that comprises a plurality of third groups of thin-film photovoltaic cells and a fourth module that comprises a plurality of fourth groups of photovoltaic cells, wherein the thin-film photovoltaic cells included in each of the third groups are electrically connected in series and the photovoltaic cells included in each of the fourth groups are electrically connected in series;a first common electrode; andan electrical connection of the first photovoltaic cell assembly and the second photovoltaic cell assembly, wherein the electrical connection is configured to match a voltage at maximum power (Vmp) generated by the first groups and the third groups and by the second groups and the fourth groups, wherein the first common electrode is electrically connected to:an anode end of the first photovoltaic cell assembly; andan anode end of the second photovoltaic cell assembly, whereinthe first photovoltaic module of the first photovoltaic cell assembly and the third photovoltaic module of the second photovoltaic cell assembly each comprise 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 groups, or greater than 9 groups, of thin-film photovoltaic cells, and02 02 26the second photovoltaic module of the first photovoltaic cell assembly and the fourth photovoltaic module of the second photovoltaic cell assembly each comprises 1,2, 3, 4, or 5 groups, or greater than 5 groups, of the photovoltaic cells.

2. The photovoltaic device of claim 1, wherein the first photovoltaic cell assembly and the second photovoltaic cell assembly are electrically connected in parallel.

3. The photovoltaic device of claim 2, further comprising a second common electrode, wherein the second common electrode is coupled to a cathode end of the first photovoltaic cell assembly and a cathode end of the second photovoltaic cell assembly.

4. The photovoltaic device of any preceding claim, whereinthe plurality of first groups of thin-film photovoltaic cells included in the first module are positioned between the plurality of second groups of photovoltaic cells included in the first module and a source of electromagnetic radiation when power is being generated by the photovoltaic device, andthe plurality of third groups of thin-film photovoltaic cells included in the third module are positioned between the plurality of fourth groups of photovoltaic cells included in the fourth module and the source of electromagnetic radiation when power is being generated by the photovoltaic device.

5. The photovoltaic device of claim 4, wherein the thin-film photovoltaic cells included in the first module and the second module include a first material having a first optical bandgap and the photovoltaic cells included in the first module and the second module include a second material having a second optical bandgap that is less than the first optical bandgap.02 02 266. The photovoltaic device of claim 5, wherein the first material comprises a perovskite.

7. The photovoltaic device of any preceding claim, wherein the Vmp is less than 100 volts at nominal operating cell temperature (NOCT).

8. The photovoltaic device of any preceding claim, further comprising a third photovoltaic assembly including a fifth photovoltaic module comprising of a plurality of fifth groups of thin-film photovoltaic cells and a sixth photovoltaic module comprising of a plurality of sixth groups of photovoltaic cells, wherein thin-film photovoltaic cells included in each of the fifth groups are electrically connected in series and photovoltaic cells included in each of the sixth groups are electrically connected in series, and the fifth groups are electrically connected in parallel with the sixth groups.

9. The photovoltaic device of claim 8, wherein the third photovoltaic cell assembly is connected in parallel with the first photovoltaic cell assembly and the second photovoltaic cell assembly.

10. The photovoltaic device of claim 5 or 6, wherein the first material has a first opticalbandgap in a range of 1.4 to 1.8 eV.

11. The photovoltaic device of claim 3, wherein the first common electrode comprises a common anodic electrode comprising a wire having a first cross-sectional shape that is at least one of circular, triangular, or semi-circular and the second common electrode comprises a cathodic electrode comprising a wire having a second cross-sectional shape that is different from the first cross-sectional shape.02 02 2612. The photovoltaic device of claim 5 or 6, wherein the second material comprises silicon.

13. The photovoltaic device of any one of claims 1 -4 or 5-7, whereinthe first operating voltage of the first module and third module is equal to a first voltage at maximum power (Vmp), andthe second operating voltage of the second module and fourth module is equal to a second voltage at maximum power (Vmp), and the first operating voltage is within 5 percent of the second operating voltage when measured at a nominal operating cell temperature (NOCT) condition.

14. The photovoltaic device of any one of claims 1 -4 or 5-7, wherein the first operating voltage is within 3 percent of the second operating voltage when measured at a nominal operating cell temperature (NOCT) condition.

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