Flat tile solar panel

Abstract

SOLUTION: To provide a ground-installable utility scale solar photovoltaic array with a plurality of solar panels that is supported on a ground surface with the edge parts of the solar panels, where the panels are connected to each other by at least one serial connection string, and the at least one serial connection string extends along the solar panels that are adjacent or closely adjacent to each other along at least two rows.EFFECT: Thus, the string has a distance between termination end parts of a serial connection part that is smaller than a vertical dimension of the solar panel forming the string.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8C

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Related Applications

[0001] This patent application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application Nos. 16 / 682,503 and 16 / 682,517, both filed on November 13, 2019, and both claim priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 903,369, filed on September 20, 2019 (assigned to the assignee hereof, filed by the inventors hereof, and incorporated herein by reference).

[0002]

[0002] Field of the Technology

[0003]

[0003] The disclosed technology relates to the installation of solar panels using terrestrial or ground-based installation systems.

Background Art

[0004]

[0004] Background Technology

[0005]

[0005] A solar panel, also called a solar module, is an assembly of a number of photovoltaic (PV) cells, hard-wired together to form a single unit, typically as a rigid sheet, although flexible solar panels can also be provided. A collection of solar panels is assembled into an array. The panels are also wired together to form strings, which are connected to a power receiving unit, typically an inverter or other controller that provides an initial power output. One or more solar arrays form a solar plant.

[0006]

[0006] Silicon-based photovoltaic (PV) modules, also commonly referred to as crystalline silicon (C_Si), are typically packaged and interconnected assemblies of 6×12 photovoltaic solar cells. For utility-scale installations, solar panels consist of multiple solar cells that are hardwired into a single unit, which can be either a module or a panel. In a typical application, a panel is made up of component solar cells. In the above 6×12 example, this is 72 solar cells, although this can vary significantly depending on the design choice. Individual solar cells can be fabricated in any convenient manner and, if desired, can be fabricated separately and mounted on a panel substrate or directly fabricated on the substrate. There are other types of PV module technologies in use today, such as "thin film" and variants within the silicon-based technologies. Among the thin films, at least two module technologies stand out. The first is CdTe (cadmium telluride), also known as CadTel. The second is known as CIGS or CIS (copper, indium, gallium, selenium, or simply copper, indium, selenium).

[0007]

[0007] Some panels are connected together to form an array in a process called "stringing". The number of panels used to create a string can vary, but in a typical application, this can be 17 to 29 panels, depending on both environmental conditions and the rated voltage (string voltage) of the selected modules. The size of the array is limited by power transmission limitations, including the maximum voltage and current limitations within the array. Panels within an array are connected to one or more series strings and one or more parallel strings. A series string is a set of panels connected in series with each other. This increases the power output of the string without an accompanying increase in the corresponding current, but results in an increase in voltage. Due to the need to limit the maximum voltage output of the string and the maximum current output of the array, the array is often divided into multiple strings of common voltage while summing the current.

[0008]

[0008] The number of panels in a string is given as a non-limiting example because it correlates with design considerations related to panel voltage and the associated circuit parameters of the string and array.

[0009]

[0009] The array is then connected to a power conversion and power transmission circuit. This is achieved by any one of the internal connections of the solar cells within the panel, followed by the connections between the panels within the array, and then the connection to the inverter, either directly or via a wire harness. The inverter is the first circuit that provides the output of the solar plant. The inverter is connected to a further output circuit that is connected to the transmission circuit. Details may vary, for example, with respect to a system with a local power connection, but in most solar power systems, the first connection for power conversion, distribution, and transmission is the inverter. In other words, the string is connected either directly or via a wire harness to the inverter.

[0010]

[0010] The disclosed technology seeks to reduce the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) created by modern utility-scale solar PV power plants. Utility-scale solar PV power plants are unique among many other forms of solar power generation. Due to the size, energy cost, safety, regulations, and nature of the operating requirements of utility-scale power production, all of the components, hardware, design, construction means and methods, operation, and maintenance have both specific and unique characteristics that give them the appellation of "utility-scale".

[0011]

[0011] Since the inception of PV technology, this technology has been, in essence, an expensive solution for power production. The PV cells incorporated within the heart of solar modules were both costly to manufacture and relatively inefficient. Over the past 40 years, significant progress has been made across the board in PV cell and module manufacturing and technology, but they have driven their prices down to the point of creating a solar-based energy generation cost that is equal to or even lower than all other forms of power generation in certain topographical areas.

[0012]

[0012] When the technology was in its infancy, significant development was directed towards the handling and positioning of PV cells and the large assemblies called their modules. This development focused on what is now commonly referred to as "two-axis tracking." This concept seeks to maintain the PV cells in a position perpendicular to the incidence of the sun's rays at all times throughout the day and year. This method sought to extract maximum energy from the cells for the purpose of offsetting the very high costs.

[0013]

[0013] As the price and efficiency of the cells, and by extension the modules, improved, the cost of two-axis trackers became exorbitant compared to the cost of the panels. This led to the development of two auxiliary technologies now known as "fixed tilt" racking and "single-axis tracking." Further development included the adaptation of these new systems for rooftop installations on residential, office, commercial, and industrial buildings. The fixed tilt and single-axis tracking methods are often classified as "ground-mounted" technologies as distinct from "roof-mounted" technologies. The ground-mounted criterion is simply that they are not associated with a building as opposed to being supported by a self-standing structure using their own foundation.

[0014]

[0014] Safety and regulatory requirements generally apply to both remote solar PV power plants and rooftop systems, but as will be explained, solar not in a protected area It is different for utility-scale solar photovoltaic power plants rather than for photovoltaic power facilities. Utility-scale PV power plants typically operate at 1500 volts DC for modules. These modules are not permitted for uses other than utility-scale due to regulatory requirements (EMF) for voltage. Specifically, exceeding 600 volts on the DC side places the system in a category that requires alternative safety and system operating requirements. Examples include requiring a fixed fence around the power plant, which does not allow the public to have unrestricted access to higher voltages and specific training requirements and certifications for individuals who would access a utility-scale solar plant.

[0015]

[0015] The operation of a utility-scale solar voltaic power plant is distinguished by typical operation at an EMF exceeding 600 volts. This is established by several different code requirements, including the (US) National Electrical Code (NEC), the International Electrotechnical Commission [3] (IEC, or International Electrotechnical Commission), and its branches. Electrical connections between enclosures exceeding 600 volts need to be fixed within an enclosure such as a room or fenced area limited to trained or qualified personnel. For the purposes of this disclosure, such enclosures will be described as "protected areas". Non-limiting examples of such "protected areas" are referred to in NEC Article 110, Part C, which provides general requirements for uses exceeding 600 volts. There can be variations in voltage because it is possible to design arrays that can operate safely at higher voltages in an unprotected environment.

[0016]

[0016] These distinguish two separate utility-scale solar PV power plants, for example, from other approaches such as "solar roads" or "personal solar power devices".

[0017]

[0017] Regarding the continuous promotion to reduce the energy price from the power plant, for reference, utility-scale solar plants were able to produce electricity at $0.040 per kWh in the southwestern United States at the beginning of 2019. In the case of the same technology in PV cells other than voltage, rooftop installation systems will average around $0.12 per kWh. This is a three-fold difference in energy cost using essentially the same PV cell technology. The reason for this sharp price drop goes far beyond the cells and modules and is only allowed to occur within utility-scale plants in many cases.

[0018]

[0018] When solar panels are deployed, for example, in large solar farms, they are typically mounted on racks, and the racks orient the panels towards the sun. In the case of gimbaled racks called trackers, the panels are rotated throughout the day to face the sun, and some systems also take into account the solar elevation angle or otherwise the effect of the sun's analemma. The advantage of fixed-tilt racking solar panels and the advantage of tracking is, of course, to increase efficiency when both establish an alignment perpendicular to the sunlight, and also to utilize the physical area of the solar cells more efficiently.

[0019]

[0019] Fixed-tilt racking systems are typically positioned at approximately 25 degrees from horizontal, and the angle depends on various factors including the latitude of the facility site. When the panels are installed at a normal to sunlight of 25 degrees, they will convert approximately the same proportion of the incident light, but the amount of incident light will be the cosine of the angle from the normal. Taking the example of 25 degrees, the incident light is approximately 90% of the normal alignment, and some additional losses are due to the fact that the alignment of the solar cells is at an angle to the sunlight incidence. Trackers, depending on the terrain and array configuration, produce 8% - 11% more energy than can be expected from fixed-rack-mounted panels. - will be generated. When the cost of solar panels is relatively high, this loss from misalignment is significant, but when the cost of solar panels decreases, the cost resulting from inefficient alignment decreases to such an extent that it can be more cost-effective in order to increase the panel area and save on the costs of racking and tracking.

[0020]

[0020] When away from the ground, there is no need to withstand damage caused by the ground. More generally, the nature of solar cells is generally such that they are waterproof and quite durable. As an example, it is common for solar modules to be tested and proven to withstand hail up to 25 mm (1 inch) falling at 23 m / s. As a practical matter, solar panels can be cleaned, but racked solar panels are not cleaned because the cost is not justified by the expected energy loss from dust accumulation. As an example, in Southern California, the estimated energy loss from dust is 6% / year, but if the panels are cleaned, the loss would approximate 1% / year.

[0021]

[0021] One consideration when installing solar panels on a rack or tracker is the albedo effect caused by sunlight reflected from the ground, which results in heating of the rear side. This issue is addressed in various ways, and the most common of which is to coat the rear side of the solar panel with a white coating. A common coating for this purpose is white-colored Tedlar® PVF sold by E.I. duPont de Neumours of Wilmington, Delaware. Tedlar® provides protection, but when colored white, it reflects most of the light on the rear side. The drawback is that, as a white coating, white-colored Tedlar® tends to delay heat dissipation through the rear side.

[0022]

[0022] The voltage output of a solar array is restricted. Conceptually, a solar array, or part of the entire solar plant due to its circumstances, can be wired in series to provide a power transmission voltage. In addition to the need for redundancy, segmenting the solar plant for maintenance, and avoiding arcing to the ground, the solar panels are voltage-limited by those structures due to the potential of arcing through the glass and backing. In a typical configuration, the array output voltage (the series voltage of the panels in a given string) is 1500 volts, and lower voltages such as 600 volts are for residential use and other uses where there is a high likelihood of untrained personnel. Therefore, conventionally, the voltage of the solar array has been restricted. For the purpose of restricting voltage, the panels are arranged in groups called strings, which are connected to an inverter via a harness. Due to the physical layout structure of the strings on the tracker or rack, it was necessary to provide a harness layout structure. In a typical tracker system, three sets of strings are used in a single tracker assembly. Various configurations of harnesses are used to connect those strings to the inverter, although this number can vary depending on the length of the rack and other considerations.

[0023]

[0023] Harnesses are significant cost factors in themselves. Due to the reason that the system is voltage-limited, the total power output of the plant is transformed into the substantial wiring cost of the harness system. Similarly, the power loss through the wire harness is transformed into additional costs. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a configuration that reduces the cable run of the connection harness.

[0024]

[0024] One wire harness configuration used in racked modules is called "skip stringing" or "leapfrog wiring". In skip stringing, the wire harness bypasses alternate panels, and its purpose is to provide efficient wiring by restricting the cable to approximately the distance between alternate modules. Proportional The ability to achieve connections that extend over longer distances without cable increases allows the positive and negative connections to be placed closer to the inverter, reducing the amount of harness conductors required to connect to the inverter. Due to the panels being interconnected alternately, the alternate panels within the same physical column can provide a return circuit, thereby reducing the distance between the end panel and the inverter. Ideally, for connecting a string to the inverter, one positive or negative pole connection is only one panel away from the other pole connection to the inverter. This reduces the length of the "home run wire", but each link needs to skip alternate panels, for the purpose of returning along the same column.

[0025]

[0025] It would be possible to string panels across two or more columns, but doing so would result in column shortening, which increases costs. Skip stringing wiring is used because by skipping adjacent panels, the length of a given string is maintained while at the same time a return connection along the same column is provided. This effectively doubles the length of the string over what would exist if the string extended across two columns.

[0026]

[0026] This system of stringing adapts to the polarity of the panels, however, this technology still requires a wire harness for the connections. In addition, these technologies still require additional harnesses to connect between each end of the string and the inverter. Stringing panels across columns is impractical because the adjacent columns of panels are separated by the space corresponding to the projection of the missing panels.

[0027]

[0027] Another problem with racked or tracker-mounted solar panel arrays is the effect of wind. High wind forces can reach hurricane strength in certain terrains, but often prevent the construction of solar power plants in those areas or significantly increase the cost of doing so. In addition, the modules themselves are vulnerable to damage from high winds and require significant expenditures for repair and replacement. In addition to the obvious damage caused by direct wind forces, the negative effects of cyclic loading can result in "microcracks". This "microcrack" damage occurs over time and causes an accelerated degradation rate of the module cells. This microcrack is a serious problem for the industry, which affects long-term module warranties.

[0028]

[0028] Another problem with racked or tracker-mounted solar panel arrays is the effect of environmental corrosion caused by corrosive soils or corrosive air such as spray salt. For example, typical power plants use driven steel piles, which are sized as small as possible to counteract the effects of wind loading on the entire structure. The pile design must take into account the corrosion of steel and other materials and still be able to last for 25 years. The more corrosive the soil, the thicker the posts will be designed and used as sacrificial steel to ensure a 25-year life. Similar problems exist for terrains near the ocean, where a spray salt environment exists.

Summary of the Invention

Means for Solving the Problems

[0029]

[0029] The ground-mounted utility-scale solar photovoltaic array is composed of a plurality of solar panels. The solar panel is provided with means for supporting the solar panel on the ground at its edge portion. The means for interconnecting the solar panels provides a connection portion for at least one series connection string, and the at least one series connection string extends along adjacent or closely adjacent solar panels along at least two rows. Thus, the string has a distance between the end portions of the series connection portions that is smaller than the longitudinal dimension of the solar panels that make up the string. has a distance between the end portions of the series connection portions.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0030]

Figure 1

[0030] It is a schematic diagram showing a corner bracket used for attachment to a solar panel.

Figure 2

[0031] It is a diagram showing a corner bracket 101 attached to a solar panel.

Figure 3A

[0032] It is a schematic diagram showing solar panels connected using individual corner brackets and hold-down clamps, and is a diagram showing a hold-down clamp.

Figure 3B

Figure 3C

Figure 3D

Figure 4

[0033] It is a cross-sectional view of the clamp arrangement structure of FIGS. 1 to 3.

Figure 5A

[0034] Figure 5A is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a corner bracket in which horizontal support is used for fixing the panel, and is a diagram showing the configuration of the clamp.

Figure 5B

Figure 6A

[0035] Figure 6A is a schematic diagram showing a solar panel whose edge frame rests on the ground, and is a diagram showing the arrangement of furrows.

Figure 6B

Figure 7A

[0036] It is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a corner bracket in which a single disk supports four panels at the corners of the panel, and is a perspective view of a corner bracket supporting four panels with the panels cut out.

Figure 7B

Figure 7C

Figure 7D

Figure 7E

Figure 7F

Figure 8A

[0037] FIG. 8A is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a spring clip arrangement structure used to link panels with a minimum gap between the panels, and is a diagram showing the spring clip in profile.

Figure 8B

Figure 8C

Figure 9A

[0038] FIG. 9A is a schematic diagram showing the spring clips of FIGS. 8A - 8C that grip the panels, and is a diagram showing two adjacent panels held by the spring clips.

Figure 9B

Figure 10A

[0039] FIG. 10A is a schematic diagram showing the wiring connection layout of adjacent solar panels.

Figure 10B

Figure 11

[0040] It is a graph showing a sample output for a single sunny day of the operation of a solar power plant, where the horizontal axis represents time, the left vertical axis represents available sunlight, or "solar insolation", and the right vertical axis represents the power output of the power plant.

Figure 12A

[0041] It is a schematic diagram showing the layout of a solar array for a commercial solar power plant, and is a diagram showing a partial string array of 3 strings of panels arranged in 6 columns.

Figure 12B

Figure 12C

Figure 12D

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0031]

[0042] Overall view

[0032]

[0043] The disclosed technology provides a technology for generating electricity and uses either commercially available utility-scale solar PV (e.g., CSi, CdTe, CIGS, CIS) modules, or novel and innovative retrofits of commercially available utility-scale solar PV modules, or novel module technologies, and a plurality of them are installed in such a way that they are both in direct contact with the ground surface and parallel to the ground surface. This establishes the ground orientation of the solar PV modules, as distinct from the solar orientation, although soil contouring and other installation considerations will take into account the angle of the sun.

[0033]

[0044] The modules are arranged in a grid pattern both edge-to-edge and end-to-end, like the tiles on a house floor. The "utility scale" nature of the modules limits the application of the system to voltages above 600 volts DC, which ensures that the system is placed "behind the fence", thus restricting access to trained experts. There may be variations in the threshold voltage because it is possible to design arrays that can operate safely at elevated voltages in an unprotected environment, such as an 800-volt array for an unprotected area as a non-limiting example. The method of attaching the modules to each other or to the ground is not restricted by this application. This arrangement structure of the modules substantially reduces the wind loading effects of the modules. The arrangement structure of the modules is a way that enables both electrical series and parallel connections, and while not excluding it, eliminates the need for discrete wire harnesses and harness support means used by traditional utility scale solar power plant PV power plant systems. This arrangement structure of the modules provides significant advantages through the use of commercially available string / micro-inverters, but does not exclude the use of industry standard central inverters or alternative power conversion and transmission technologies.

[0034]

[0045] This arrangement structure of the modules, in conjunction with the use of active electrical protection devices such as ground fault interruption and arc fault interruption, completely eliminates the need for and subsequent use of electrical grounding and the bonding of the modules to the structure for the purpose of personal protection per code compliance. In contrast, these devices do not meet the protection levels required for code compliance when used in conjunction with a conductive module support structure, thus necessitating the use of module bonding and grounding.

[0035]

[0046] The arrangement structure of this module completely eliminates the need for and subsequent use of steel and steel structures in the power plant, thereby reducing and / or eliminating the natural weathering effects of corrosion, while at the same time increasing the average remaining life of the power plant from the minimum requirement of 25 years to over 40 years. This system does not exclude the use of coated or otherwise steel for site-specific applications.

[0036]

[0047] The arrangement structure of the module enables both commercially available technologies and new technologies for cleaning the module and / or removing dust from the module surface, increasing the effective energy production rate of the module.

[0037]

[0048] The arrangement structure of the module and the disclosed technology significantly reduce the negative impact of high wind on the module. These wind forces reach hurricane force intensity in certain terrains, often preventing the construction of solar power plants in those areas or significantly increasing the cost of doing so. In addition, the modules themselves are easily damaged by high winds and require significant expenditures for repair and replacement. By separating the modules from the direct force of the wind, the "microcracks", which are the negative effects of cyclic loading, are effectively eliminated.

[0038]

[0049] The disclosed technology enables both commercially available methods and new or novel methods for module cooling from the back side of the module surface, which include evaporative cooling, alternating high-emissivity coatings, addition of "air vents" at the edges of the module frame, addition of various enhanced heat transfer materials and / or methods, thereby increasing the effective energy production rate of the module. The positioning of the modules on the ground results in the avoidance of indirect sunlight and heat from the sun-exposed ground heating the back side of the module. As a result, rather than an additional heat source, the ground below the module further serves as a heat sink. For the purpose of further utilizing this, the modules are coated with a coating on the back side that is dark or heat-transferring, the purpose of which is to promote radiative heat transfer to the ground or air space below the module.

[0039]

[0050] The disclosed technology increases the power density per acre of land. The amount of acreage used per unit of power production is reduced by more than 50% from a traditional utility-scale solar plant PV power plant.

[0040]

[0051] The disclosed technology enables the PV array to follow the existing contours of the land, whereby the need for land preparation such as extensive grading, tilling, plowing, trenching, and landfilling can be significantly reduced and even eliminated, as typically required for a utility-scale solar plant PV power plant.

[0041]

[0052] The disclosed technology results in a substantial reduction in the effective annual module performance yield, as measured in kWhrs / kWp, compared to traditional solar PV power plant systems that are not oriented towards the sun, such as trackers and racks. Although the energy performance is significantly reduced, the reduction in electrical losses due to wiring, energy losses due to module cleaning, cost of materials and construction, construction schedule, and risk result in an overall reduction in the cost of energy produced (LCOE) of more than 10% compared to the current technology. brings about.

[0042]

[0053] The disclosed technology provides a system for solar PV modules mounted directly on the ground. In one non-limiting configuration, the bracket assembly utilizes the module frame as a structural support system by directly securing the four corners of the solar PV module frame to the ground, leaving no air gap between the ground, the frame corners, and the bracket assembly. Ground mounting without an air gap reduces wind loads and uplift forces, eliminates shadowing from panel to panel with zero or minimal row spacing requirements, and increases the ground cover ratio. This ground-mounted PV system orients the PV panels parallel to the existing terrain, and the solar panel array can be positioned at any azimuth angle.

[0043]

[0054] A solar panel, sometimes called a solar module, is configured as a tile suitable for direct installation on the ground and is also configured to utilize the cooling and heat dissipation effects of the ground. In the panel arrangement, mounting brackets can be used. The panel is snap - in or otherwise fixed to the mounting bracket and holds the solar array on or near the ground. The ground - mounted arrangement enables a low - cost configuration in that it avoids the requirements for mounting the panel on a rack and the inevitable need to space out shadows and rows.

[0044]

[0055] Due to the fact that the panel is not mounted on a rack, the requirements for wind resistance are significantly reduced. This also reduces the need to anchor the panel due to the absence of a rack to be mounted on, and there is substantially less uplift due to wind conditions because the panel is on the ground.

[0045]

[0056] For installation, mounting brackets that connect adjacent panels can be used. It is possible to fix the brackets to the ground, but the fixing requirements, which mean the fixing force, are very much reduced because the panel is not supported above the ground at an angle to the horizontal in the wind. Instead, the panel rests substantially flat on or near the ground.

[0046]

[0057] The brackets fix the panels to each other and maintain the fixed positioning of the panels to stabilize them in the desired position. The anchor rods increase this stability but only need to simply fix the panel against the forces experienced when lying flat on the ground, which is substantially lower than the forces received in a rack - mounted configuration or a tracker - mounted configuration.

[0047]

[0058] The lack of shadow is a partial effect of the non - tilted panel. This results in reduced power conversion compared to a panel oriented towards the sun, but a flat arrangement can be cost - effective when the total cost of the array without a rack is well compared to the output loss from the flat arrangement.

[0048]

[0059] The lack of shadow formation between adjacent columns of the panel falls into this economic balance. The reason for the absence of shadow formation is that shadow formation is created by racking, more specifically, from the angular positioning of the racked panels. Due to the non - use of racking, there is no shadow formation, enabling a configuration that closes the gaps between consecutive columns. The elimination of the gaps establishes a two - dimensional connection array, which means that closely adjacent panels extend in the direction related to the columns and across consecutive columns because consecutive columns are also adjacently positioned. In other words, the gaps between consecutive panels from column to column closely approximate the gaps between consecutive panels along the columns.

[0049]

[0060] This adjacent positioning enables the wiring connection or harness to utilize the adjacent relationship across two or more columns, thereby reducing the need for harness connections. In a specific arrangement structure, the "home run" harness connection is generally called a "whip" and is significantly reduced because adjacent columns can be connected without "skip stringing" or "leapfrog wiring". In an alternative arrangement structure, the continuous connection can be made using the "next" panel of adjacent columns, thereby reducing the length of the connection parts required for "skip stringing" or "leapfrog wiring".

[0050]

[0061] The elimination of racking provides additional advantages in terms of the harness. Due to the absence of the rack, the need to extend the length of the rack is reduced relative to the need to limit the voltage of the string, and the cost of the rack and, in the case of trackers, the cost of the tracker drive mechanism do not need to be considered. This enables the string to terminate at both ends near the inverter. In this regard, it is advantageous to terminate multiple strings close to each other, thus enabling the inverter to be positioned near the end terminations of the strings.

[0051]

[0062] Installation system

[0052]

[0063] FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a corner bracket 101 used for attachment to a solar panel. A flat body 111, an inner panel attachment flange 112, an outer panel attachment flange 113, and a link flange 114 are shown. The inner and outer attachment flanges 112, 113 are formed to mate with the outer frame of a solar panel (201, FIG. 2). The outer panel attachment flange 113 is in an intermediate position, because the link flange 114 is intended for attachment outside the outer attachment flange 113.

[0053]

[0064] Also shown in FIG. 1 is a frame grip 122, shown as an angled or wedge portion of the inner attachment flange 112. Note that the specific configuration of the frame grip 122 depends on the physical configuration of the frame of the solar panel with which the corner bracket 101 mates.

[0054]

[0065] FIG. 2 shows the corner bracket 101 attached to the solar panel 201.

[0055]

[0066] FIGS. 3A - 3D are schematic views showing solar panels 201 connected using individual corner brackets 101 and hold - down clamps 301. The hold - down clamp 301 is used to link the corner brackets 101, and the clamp flange 314 of the clamp 301 engages the link flange 114 of the bracket 101. The clamp flange 314 can also fit tightly against the outer attachment flange 113 for additional stability depending on design choices. Also shown is an anchor bolt or pin 321 (FIG. 3C), used to fix the hold - down clamp 301 to the ground or other support surface. The anchor bolt or pin 321 is given as a non - limiting example so that any suitable anchoring mechanism can be used, and the provided corner brackets 101, hold - down clamps 301 or other components can be fixed to the anchoring mechanism.

[0056]

[0067] The cross-section of the configuration structure is shown in Figure 4. The adjacent corner brackets 101, 101 are shown as abutting in the indicated configuration structure, and the corner brackets 101, and thus the panel 201, have lateral play, but the main function of the corner brackets 101 and the holding clamp 301 is to hold the panel 201 in a fixed position on the ground (vertical positioning), and lateral movement is essentially restricted. As long as the connection cable or "string" can withstand the implied variations, the positional tolerances will not affect the assembly. Other physical changes can be adopted as long as the clamping and holding functions are achieved.

[0057]

[0068] Figures 5A and 5B are schematic views showing the configuration of the corner brackets, and the horizontal support is used for fixing the panel. Figure 5A shows the configuration of the clamp 501, and the upper and lower corner flanges 511, 512 are used. Figure 5B shows the configuration in which the bracket 531 extends linearly to connect two modules 201. By using the interlocking link, the opposing brackets 501-501 can be locked together and fixed by the weight of the panel 201, with or without the use of fixing bolts or pins 321 (Figure 3C) or other suitable fixing devices.

[0058]

[0069] In addition to a simpler installation, the flat installation system facilitates several maintenance operations. As a non-limiting example, cleaning equipment can operate across the top of the panel, as will be described.

[0059]

[0070] Gutter installation

[0060]

[0071] The ground-oriented installation helps to directly place the panel on the ground without using corner brackets or other external supports. In the case of a framed solar panel, the frame can be placed on the ground, which then provides mechanical support for the panel. Figures 6A and 6B are schematic views showing the solar panel 601 whose edge frame 611 is placed on the ground.

[0061]

[0072] Referring to FIG. 6A, the ground is prepared for the desired contour for panel 601 by generally smoothing the ground. The curb groove 621 is excavated by mechanical means, the panels 601 are placed on the ground, and their edge frames 611 rest against the sides of the curb groove 621. The curb groove 621 helps to positionally stabilize the panel 601 and also provides mechanical support for the panel 601. Although the panel 601 can rest directly on the ground at portions of the panel 601 other than the edge frame 611, the support by the frame 611 reduces the mechanical forces applied to the active part of the panel 601 and leaves additional space for electrical connections. Thus, the curb groove 621 is formed as a groove, depression, or channel excavated into the ground to receive the edge frame 611.

[0062]

[0073] Although smoothing and prior ground preparation are described, in some situations it is possible to avoid some of the grading and contouring steps. Some ground conditions allow for the direct placement of the edge frame 611, and it is also possible for the edge frame 611 to secure the panel 601 to the ground without a specially prepared curb groove. Smoothing facilitates orienting the panel substantially parallel to the ground.

[0063]

[0074] FIG. 6B shows an end stopper or curved member 635 positioned at the edge of the array. The curve 635 can be made of any convenient low-cost material and serves to retard the movement of the panels along the edge of the array. Due to the adjacent panels within the array abutting or otherwise being in close proximity to each other, the only place for lateral movement will be along the edge of the array that is obstructed by the curve 635. Also, the curve 635 directs the surface water on the upper surface of the panel 601 and reduces the potential for soil erosion and the uplift of the panel 601 caused by surface water. Additionally, causing the surface water to flow over the upper portion of the panel 601 has several advantages when keeping the panel 601 clean. These advantages are also beneficial in facilities where corner brackets or other brackets are used to support solar panels.

[0064]

[0075] The depiction of FIG. 6B shows the water flow on the uphill side of the array, and the water may have a speed sufficient to flow upward beyond the upper part as indicated by the arrow. The water pooled at the curve 635 may flow laterally parallel to the curve 635 or penetrate into the ground.

[0065]

[0076] The gutter 621 is given as a non-limiting example. In many facilities, it is possible to directly support the panel 601 or the edge frame 611 directly on the ground without an excavated gutter. In some soil conditions, the edge frame 611 will sink into the soil, while in other conditions, the edge frame 611 will substantially remain on the upper surface of the ground. It is further anticipated that the panel 601 will rest on the ground without the use of the edge frame 611, either because the edge frame 611 is allowed to sink below the level where the panel will rest on the ground, or in cases where the panel is constructed without an edge frame.

[0066]

[0077] Alternative installation system

[0067]

[0078] FIGS. 7A - 7F are schematic diagrams showing the configuration of the corner brackets, and a single disk supports four panels at the corners of the panel. FIG. 7A is a perspective view of the corner bracket supporting four panels, with the panels cut away. FIG. 7B shows the arrangement structure of the corner brackets. FIG. 7C shows the bottom support. FIG. 7D shows a cross-section of the corner bracket with a cinch pin. FIG. 7E shows the corner bracket and the cinch pin gripping the fixing cable. FIG. 7F shows the corner bracket where the cinch pin fixes the panel.

[0068]

[0079] The configurations of FIGS. 7A - 7F enable simple installation and further ease the use of the fixing cable. The fixing cable can be any convenient fixing system, such as the cable fixing system manufactured by American Earth Anchors in Franklin, Massachusetts (USA). One variation is the Model 3ST60QV fixing system, which uses a swivel spade attached to a wire rope. The wire rope is swaged or cinched by a swage fitting such as the American Earth Anchors Quickvice QV18 swage fitting (Quickvice is a trademark of American Earth Anchors). The fixing systems sold by American Earth Anchors are provided as non - limiting examples, because a wide variety of convenient fixing systems can be used.

[0069]

[0080] Advantageously, because the panels are generally stationary on the ground, they are generally not exposed to upward forces sufficient to lift them upward. Therefore, all that is required of the soil fixing system is to provide intermittent fixing support, for example, when exposed to weather events that bring strong winds.

[0070]

[0081] Figures 8A - 8C are schematic views showing the configuration of a spring clip arrangement structure used to link panels with a minimum gap between the panels using a spring clip 801. Figure 8A shows the spring clip 801 in profile. Figure 8B shows the spring clip 801 in elevation. Figure 8C shows the spring clip 801 engaged with one solar panel. The spring clip 801 is composed of a flat sheet 811, which is folded such that an outer frame support 813 (for the outer frame side of the solar panel) has a raised retainer lip 814, and two inner frame supports 817 (for the inner frame edges of the solar panel) have raised retainer lips 818. As can be understood from Figure 8C, the solar panel 201 is held, with its outer frame resting against the outer frame support 813 and being pressed by the retainer lip 814. The corresponding inner frame support 817 is hidden from view in Figure 8C. The stake holes 823 (Figures 8B and 8C) facilitate fixing the spring clip 810 to the ground, using a fixing stake or an alternative fixing system such as the above-described cable fixing system manufactured by American Earth Anchors.

[0071]

[0082] Figures 9A and 9B are schematic views showing the spring clips of Figures 8A - 8C that grip the panels. Figure 9A shows two adjacent panels 201 held by the spring clip 801. Figure 9B shows the gripping arrangement structure of the spring clip 801. As can be understood from Figure 9A, the arrangement structure is such that adjacent solar panels 201 - 201 fit closely together, reducing the gap between adjacent solar panels and reducing the tendency of the solar panel 201 to lift when exposed to strong winds.

[0072]

[0083] To install the solar panel 201 into the spring clip, the panel is positioned in place and a downward pressure is applied for the purpose of causing the panel 201 to snap into place.

[0073]

[0084] Rear - side cooling

[0074]

[0085] A further advantage of installing the module on or just above the ground is that cooling from the back side of the module surface can be easily achieved. Cooling techniques can include, by way of non-limiting example, evaporative cooling, alternative high emissivity coatings, addition of "air vents" at the edges of the module frame, and addition of various enhanced heat transfer materials and / or methods. The increased cooling by reducing the operating temperature increases the effective energy production rate of the module. Positioning the module on the ground results in avoidance of indirect sunlight and heat from the sun-exposed ground heating the back side of the module. As a result, rather than being an additional heat source, the ground below the module further serves as a heat sink. For the purpose of further utilizing this, the module is coated on the back side with a dark or heat-transferring coating, the purpose of which is to promote radiative heat transfer to the ground or air space below the module. By way of non-limiting example, the dark or heat-transferring coating is provided as black-colored Tedlar® PVF sold by E.I. duPont de Neumours of Wilmington, Delaware, or as a dark Tedlar® coating sold as "Tedlar® Charcoal".

[0075]

[0086] Ventilation of the back side can be achieved by a variety of techniques. By way of non-limiting example, the outlet vents can be connected to one or more vertical stacks to utilize convection to remove warm air. Alternatively, DC power can be used to operate a fan either when power is being generated or when peak power is detected. The inlet vents can use separate supply tubes or louvers cut into the edge frame of the module.

[0076]

[0087] String processing panel

[0077]

[0088] Figures 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams showing the wiring connection layout of adjacent solar panels 201. Figure 10A shows an array of 3 strings of panels arranged in 6 columns. Figure 10B shows the details of the connection part. Adjacent panels 301 within a column are connected in series. At one end of the column, the series connection extends to the next column and then returns to the starting end. The end connection is then connected to the inverter 1015. The inverter 1015 converts the power for downstream power usage in a normal manner. Although one inverter 1015 is shown, multiple inverters 1015 can be used to place the inverter connection near the end of the column.

[0078]

[0089] This arrangement structure limits the length of the series connection part, thereby limiting the output voltage of the array itself to an acceptable level. A typical voltage limit for the strings of the array is 1500 volts, but even so, in residential facilities and other facilities where unqualified personnel are present, it is typically limited to a low voltage such as 600 volts. The arrangement structure conveniently limits the voltage to the series output by limiting the length of each string ( that is, the number of panels connected in series).

[0079]

[0090] Stringing technology is useful because the length of the string can be shortened without racking or trackers. Additionally, routing a harness between strings is not very complex because there is no separate path between adjacent strings. As a non-limiting example, the length of the string can be the number of panels to produce half of the maximum design voltage (to accommodate the return path). Each panel includes terminal leads or pigtails that are directly connected to each other. This arrangement eliminates the need for a "home run" harness connection to link the ends of the panel strings to the inverter connection at the end of the string. The string end connection must still be connected to the nearest inverter if the inverter is not located very close to the end of the string, but the intermediate connections required to extend the string to the end of a very long string are eliminated. The additional elimination of harness connections can be achieved by using individual inverters at the ends of each pair of strings.

[0080]

[0091] Power output

[0081]

[0092] Figure 11 is a graph showing sample output for a single sunny day of the operation of a solar power plant. The horizontal axis represents time, specifically, a sample of daylight hours from approximately 7 AM to approximately 7 PM, with "solar noon" represented by the peak of the graph. The left vertical axis represents the available sunlight, or "solar insolation" measured in watts per square meter (W / m2), or the typical amount of energy available from the sun during a given day. The curve peaking at 1000 W / m2 represents a typical day of sunlight. The peak represented by "noon" is solar noon and should not be confused with 12 o'clock on the clock and typically varies from solar noon. The right vertical axis shows the AC power output of the power plant and the DC power potential of the power plant on a common scale of MW or megawatts. The actual AC power output of the plant is represented by the two lower curves. The curve characterized by a double hump is a typical sample of a tracker-type solar power plant with a maximum delivered power of 1 MW (in this example). The sharp dip in the tracker curve symbolizes clouds moving across the power plant between the plant and the sun. The other lower curve represents the ground-oriented power plant power curve, also with a maximum delivered power of 1 MW. The two dotted lines extend above the power curves and represent the additional unused portion of the available DC power. The smaller of the two curves is a tracker power plant peaking at 1.25, while the higher curve is a ground-oriented power plant peaking at 1.45.

[0082]

[0093] The AC power output of the power plant is intentionally limited for practical reasons and is mostly related to the grid capacity to absorb large amounts of power during only a small part of the day. Therefore, the AC power output shows a flat peak of 1.00 MW in this graph. Surplus power is either not used or applied to alternative uses such as energy storage. If alternative energy storage is limited or unavailable, it is possible to use additional energy to support the grid in volt-ampere reactive units (vars, sometimes given as VARs) or other power functions other than a direct increase in power output (MW). Instead, surplus power may be purchased by the grid utility as excess power or transported across the grid for use in remote locations.

[0083]

[0094] The economic advantages of the ground orientation arrangement structure of the solar module are due to the relative economy of the DC power generation components and are in contrast to the total operating cost of the power plant. As shown in FIG. 11, the two power curves have an arbitrary limit of 1 MW. This limit is set by the utility company to which the power is sold. This limit is for the power plant It is a function of the needs of the utility company at the time of interconnection and cannot be exceeded by contract or design. An important point is that, as shown in Figure 11, the available DC power from the ground-mounted power plant is greater than the available DC power from the tracker power plant. This fact is the result of differences in the design, function, and economics of the power plants. The ground-mounted power plant has more available DC power because it has more modules for the same size of AC use. This is due to the elimination of additional physical hardware required to hold the modules in space and the amount of land required to accommodate the amount of modules installed in racks that are sufficiently separated so as not to shade each other. The ground-mounted plant has an inherent advantage over the tracker and fixed-tilt plants in that it can incorporate more DC as a percentage of the design output that is transformed into the AC size. The additional DC power within the power plant has an inherent value when available. This is also true for any solar plant sized with a DC:AC ratio greater than 1.0. It is maintained as potential power waiting to be supplied when and if needed because it cannot be used to deliver the active power (the delivery of which results in revenue for the power plant owner) to the grid. There are a number of ways and this inherent value can be captured and brought value to the asset owner.

[0084] 1) During intermittent cloud cover periods, the cloud may cover only part of the power plant. The plant balance is available to run at full power. The potential additional DC power enables the plant to ride through low light conditions from the cloud and still deliver 100% of the AC power plant capacity enabled by the grid connection. When a large DC potential exists, the power plant can ride through larger and slower moving clouds without dropping below 100% capacity. This effect is not currently calculated in the industry because it is currently impossible to make those measurements. Thus, approximations are used. The accuracy of these approximations can only be determined by empirical means. It can be said that the additional DC potential will result in some amount of benefit greater than zero.

[0085] 2) Utility operators receiving active power from the power plant have developed means to use the potential DC power for the benefit of their systems. This benefit is provided in the form of grid frequency regulation by adjusting the auxiliary voltage and the power factor control ability of the set of connected inverters. Modern solar power operators have become aware of this benefit and are currently selling this portion of the available power to the utility in the form of vars. The additional DC potential of a ground - oriented plant results in additional vars available for sale compared to a non - ground - oriented solar plant of the same AC power rating.

[0086] 3) The ability to convert potential DC power from a solar plant into potential DC energy stored in storage means has become more economically viable due to the use of solid - state batteries or other energy storage or conversion means. This enables the direct diversion of potential DC power towards the actual sale of energy to the grid when the sun is not available or during other valuable uses of energy. The additional DC potential of a ground - oriented plant results in additional energy potential available for sale compared to a non - ground - oriented solar plant of the same AC power rating.

[0087]

[0095] Solar plant layout

[0088]

[0096] Figures 12A - 12D are schematic diagrams showing the layout of a solar array for a commercial solar power plant. Figure 12A shows a partial string array of 3 strings of panels arranged in 6 columns. Figure 12B expands on Figure 12A and shows a string array including 18 strings, with a string inverter depicted in the center. Inverter 1015 is connected to the string for the purpose of converting DC power from the string into AC power. Figure 12C further expands on Figure 12B and shows a 6 - string array that is further co - located with each other. Figure 12D further expands on Figure 12C and shows a complete solar array 1220, which is composed of an 18 - string array, an 18 - string inverter, 324 strings, and a single intermediate - voltage converter that receives power from 6 sets of 3 series - connected string inverters. Utility - scale solar power plants typically comprise one or more of these arrays.

[0089]

[0097] Cleaning

[0090]

[0098] ​The flat orientation of the panels also provides advantages as far as cleaning is concerned. Panels with a flat layout structure can be easily cleaned by an automated warehouse aisle sweeper. Such cleaning devices are, for example, the FyBot “L” (a trademark of FyBots of Voisins-le-Bretonneux, France), a commercially available fully autonomous warehouse cleaning robot whose operation is similar to that of a household robotic vacuum cleaner, for example, the Roomba (a trademark of iRobot Corporation), and the automated cleaning technology was tested with a Roomba 690 type sweeper. Cleaning is more important for ground-mounted solar panels, but the ability to use low-cost automated cleaning allows for frequent cleaning at a significantly lower cost than would be incurred if one were to initiate a regimen to clean a rack-mounted array. The implementation of a low-cost cleaning regimen on a ground-mounted array typically results in a reduction of contamination losses that dropped from 6% for a fixed tilt, 3.5% for a non-cleaning tracker to less than 1% for a cleaned ground-mounted array.

[0091]

[0099] Referring again to FIGS. 12A - 12D, a bridge 1233 is provided to cross the gap between portions of the array, connect the gaps within the array, and enable an automated warehouse aisle sweeper to automatically cross the gap. Similar bridges can also be provided between arrays to enable the cleaning operation to continue automatically across multiple arrays.

[0092]

[0100] Conclusion

[0093]

[0101] It will be understood that many additional changes in the details, materials , steps and arrangement structures of the components described and illustrated in this specification to explain the nature of the subject matter can be made by those skilled in the art within the principles and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Claims

1. 1. A ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array, comprising: a plurality of solar panels supported directly on the ground, at least a frame member of each panel positioned in a close adjacent arrangement or in an abutting arrangement of multiple rows of the solar panels to establish a ground orientation of the solar panels; A support for the solar panel at its edge portion above ground, comprising: The solar panel is placed over or on a smooth or substantially flat portion of ground; resting the edge portions of the solar panels on a ground support area capable of receiving edge frames of a plurality of panels to support the edge portions; a support, the edge portion of which rests on the ground support area to provide mechanical support for the panel; an electrical interconnect for the solar panels of at least one series connected string, the at least one series connected string extending along adjacent or closely adjacent solar panels along at least two rows, such that the string has a distance between end points of the series connections that is less than a longitudinal dimension of the solar panels that make up the string, the interconnect including wiring connections that engage end connections of a plurality of photovoltaic panels of the series connected string, the wiring connections arranged to connect adjacent panels in an arrangement utilizing panels of at least two rows at the series connected string connections, the string using the at least two rows to route the connections, such that a string beginning at a first end termination extends along a direction of the at least two rows and returns along an opposite direction of the at least two rows, thereby reducing or eliminating "home run" connections at the end of the string; the earth orientation reduces the cost of the photovoltaic array by eliminating costs associated with providing and erecting elevation supports for the solar panels; an electrical interconnect, the earth orientation of the solar panel providing a flat orientation that allows cleaning by an automated horizontal surface cleaning device; an end curve member abutting at least one edge of the plurality of rows of the arrangement; a retaining clip including a bracket or spring clip arrangement used to link the panels at a predetermined proximity to one another, the retaining clip including a frame support that engages an individual solar panel and engages the solar panel at its edge portions to hold the solar panel essentially restricted from lateral movement; Includes ground mounted utility scale solar photovoltaic arrays.

2. 2. The ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array of claim 1, The ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array further comprising a ventilator for ventilating a space between said panel and the ground.

3. 2. The ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array of claim 1, at least a plurality of said solar panels, each solar panel having an underside coated with a dark or heat-transfer coating that promotes heat transfer; A ventilator for ventilating a space between the panel and the ground; Further comprising a ground mountable utility scale solar photovoltaic array.

4. 2. The ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array of claim 1, The support for the solar panel at its edge portion on the ground comprises a plurality of panels. a trench formed as a groove, depression or channel in the smooth or substantially flat portion of the ground that is excavated into the ground to receive an edge frame of a panel, whereby the edge portion resting in the trench provides the mechanical support for the panel.

5. 5. The ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array of claim 4, The end curve members provide support to increase positional stability of the solar panels on the ground for an earth mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array.

6. 2. The ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array of claim 1, the plurality of solar panels comprising a utility-scale solar array operating at greater than 600 Vdc in a protected area; resting the solar panel on or above the smooth or substantially flat portion of the ground so as to follow the existing contours of the land; and providing support for the solar panel at its edge portion on the ground and the earth orientation of the solar panel; Further comprising a ground mountable utility scale solar photovoltaic array.

7. 2. The ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array of claim 1, 1. A ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array further comprising the retaining clip, the retaining clip including one or more spring clips with a raised retainer lip and frame support that engage an individual solar panel and engage the solar panel at its edge portion by snapping the panel into the spring clip.

8. 1. A method for providing a solar power plant including at least one array of photovoltaic panels, comprising: supporting a plurality of solar panels on the ground, with at least a frame member of each panel resting directly on the ground, to establish a ground orientation of the solar panels of a solar panel array, and to establish a ground orientation of the solar panels by resting a plurality of rows of the solar panels on or above a smooth or substantially flat portion of the ground; resting the edge portion of the solar panel on a ground support area capable of receiving edge frames of a plurality of panels to support the edge portion of the solar panel, the edge portion resting on the ground support area providing mechanical support for the panel; providing an end curve member abutting at least one edge of the multi-row arrangement; providing a retaining clip including a bracket or spring clip arrangement used to link the panels at a predetermined proximity to one another, the retaining clip including frame supports that engage individual solar panels and engage the solar panels at their edges to hold the solar panels essentially restricted from lateral movement; interconnecting the solar panels in at least one series-connected string; Including, The at least one series-connected string extends along adjacent or closely adjacent solar panels along at least two rows, such that the string has a distance between the end points of the series connections that is smaller than a vertical dimension of the solar panels that make up the string. the interconnecting step includes wiring connections engaging end connections of a plurality of photovoltaic panels of the series connected string, the wiring connections arranged to connect adjacent panels in an arrangement utilizing at least two rows of panels at the series connected string connections, the strings using the at least two rows to route the connections, such that a string beginning at a first end termination extends along a direction of the at least two rows and returns along an opposite direction of the at least two rows, thereby reducing or eliminating "home run" connections at the ends of the strings; the earth orientation reduces the cost of the photovoltaic array by eliminating the costs associated with providing and erecting elevation supports for the solar panels; A method in which the earth orientation of the solar panel provides a flat orientation that allows cleaning by an automated horizontal surface cleaning device.

9. 9. The method of claim 8, The method further includes using a ventilator to ventilate the space between the panel and the ground.

10. 9. The method of claim 8, providing at least a plurality of solar panels, the underside of each solar panel being coated with a dark or heat-transfer coating that promotes heat transfer; providing a ventilation device for ventilating a space between the panel and the ground; The method further comprises:

11. 9. The method of claim 8, A method in which the support for the solar panel at its edge portion on the ground includes a groove formed as a groove, depression or channel in the smooth or substantially flat portion of the ground that is excavated into the ground to receive edge frames of a plurality of panels, whereby the edge portion resting in the groove provides the mechanical support for the panel.

12. 9. The method of claim 8, The method wherein the end curve members provide support to increase the positional stability of the solar panel on the ground.

13. 1. A ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array, comprising: a plurality of utility scale solar panels operating at greater than 600 Vdc in the protected area; A support for the solar panels at their edges directly on the ground, positioned in a close-adjacent arrangement or in an abutting arrangement of multiple rows of the solar panels, so as to establish a ground orientation of the solar panels, The solar panel is placed over or on a smooth or substantially flat portion of ground; resting the edge portions of the solar panels on a ground support area capable of receiving edge frames of a plurality of panels to support the edge portions; a support, the edge portion of which rests on the ground support area to provide mechanical support for the panel; retention means for linking the panels in a predetermined proximity to one another by engaging individual solar panels at their edge portions to hold said solar panels essentially limited from lateral movement; an electrical interconnect for at least one series connected string of said solar panels; Including, The at least one series-connected string extends along adjacent or closely adjacent solar panels along at least two rows, so that the string a distance between the end ends of the series connections that is less than a longitudinal dimension of the solar panel to be constructed, the interconnects including wiring connections that engage the end connections of a plurality of photovoltaic panels of the series connected string, the wiring connections arranged to connect adjacent panels in an arrangement utilizing at least two rows of panels at the series connected string connections, the strings using the at least two rows to route the connections, such that a string beginning at a first end termination extends along a direction of the at least two rows and returns along an opposite direction of the at least two rows, thereby reducing or eliminating "home run" connections at the ends of the strings; the earth orientation reduces the cost of the photovoltaic array by eliminating costs associated with providing and erecting elevation supports for the solar panels; An earth mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array, wherein the earth orientation of the solar panels provides a flat orientation that allows cleaning by automated horizontal surface cleaning equipment.

14. 14. The earth mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array of claim 13, The ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array further comprising an edge curve member abutting at least one edge of said plurality of rows of said array structures.

15. 15. The earth mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array of claim 14, The ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array further comprising a ventilator for ventilating a space between said panel and the ground.

16. 15. The earth mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array of claim 14, at least a plurality of said solar panels, each solar panel having an underside coated with a dark or heat-transfer coating that promotes heat transfer; A ventilator for ventilating a space between the panel and the ground; Further comprising a ground mountable utility scale solar photovoltaic array.

17. 14. The earth mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array of claim 13, The ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array further comprising a ventilator for ventilating a space between said panel and the ground.

18. 14. The earth mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array of claim 13, at least a plurality of said solar panels, each solar panel having an underside coated with a dark or heat-transfer coating that promotes heat transfer; A ventilator for ventilating a space between the panel and the ground; Further comprising a ground mountable utility scale solar photovoltaic array.

19. 14. The earth mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array of claim 13, 1. A ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array, further comprising an earth orientation of said solar panels and supports for said solar panels at their edges on the ground, said earth orientation of said solar panels resting above or on said smooth or substantially flat portion of the ground so as to follow the existing contours of the land.

20. 1. A ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array, comprising: Multiple solar panels and means for supporting said solar panel at its edges on the ground; means for interconnecting said solar panels in at least one series-connected string; Including, An earth mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array, wherein the at least one series-connected string extends along adjacent or closely adjacent solar panels along at least two rows, such that the string has a distance between endpoints of the series connections that is less than a longitudinal dimension of the solar panels that make up the string.

21. 21. The solar panel array of claim 20, a mounting bracket connecting the photovoltaic panels of the photovoltaic array, the mounting bracket comprising: at least one first type edge flange for mating with an outer edge frame of a plurality of said panels, said first type edge flange being adapted to fit each edge frame; a plurality of second type edge flanges corresponding to one of the inner edge flanges mating with the inside of each of the outer edge frames of the plurality of panels, the second type edge flanges fitting to each one of the first type edge flanges to cooperate with and grip the respective edge frame; an upper retaining member aligned with the edge frame of each panel to retain the edge frame, and thereby each panel, in place on the mounting bracket; a body section linking a plurality of first type edge flanges and a second type edge flange to hold the panel in a linked relationship; A solar panel array including:

22. 22. The solar panel array of claim 21, At least one of the first type edge flanges and the second type edge flanges have a mechanical resilience and bias to engage an edge panel of the panels.

23. 22. The solar panel array of claim 21, A solar panel array in which the first type of edge flanges terminate in a top flange for retaining the panel secured to the mounting bracket.

24. 22. The solar panel array of claim 21, an anchor member engaging the mounting bracket to hold the plurality of panels in place on the ground; The solar panel array has gripping members protruding from one of the first and second types of edge flanges for gripping the respective edge frames, thereby retaining the panels when the anchoring members engage the mounting bracket.

25. 21. The solar panel array of claim 20, a mounting bracket connecting the photovoltaic panels of the photovoltaic array, the mounting bracket comprising: A plurality of first type edge flanges that are mated with the edge frames of the plurality of panels and include adjacent edge frame sections of at least one of the plurality of panels at a corner of the panel, the inner edge flanges fitting into the respective edge frames. Edge flange of the same type, a plurality of second type edge flanges corresponding to one of the first type edge flanges mating with a respective one of the edge frames and secured to the respective one of the edge flanges, the second type edge flanges conforming to the respective one of the edge frames to cooperate with the respective one of the first type edge flanges and grip the respective one of the edge frames; a gripping member disposed in alignment with the edge frame of each panel to hold the edge frame, and thereby each panel, in place on the mounting bracket; and a body section linking the plurality of first type edge flanges and a second type edge flange to hold the panel in a linked relationship; A solar panel array including:

26. 21. The solar panel array of claim 20, The solar panel array further comprising: said means for interconnecting including wiring connections that engage end connections of a plurality of photovoltaic panels of said series-connected strings, said wiring connections arranged to connect adjacent panels in an arrangement utilizing at least two rows of panels at said series-connected string connections, said strings using said at least two rows to route said connections, such that a string beginning at a first end termination extends along the direction of said at least two rows and returns along the opposite direction of said at least two rows, thereby reducing or eliminating "home run" connections at said ends of said strings.

27. 21. The solar panel array of claim 20, said means for supporting said solar panel at its edges on the ground, a smooth or substantially flat portion of ground; a ground support area capable of receiving edge frames of a plurality of panels to support the edge portions of the panels, such that the edge portions resting on the ground support area provide mechanical support for the panels; end stops or curved members positioned at the edges of the array; A solar panel array including:

28. 21. The solar panel array of claim 20, said means for supporting said solar panel at its edges on the ground, a smooth or substantially flat portion of ground; a groove formed as a groove, recess or channel excavated in the ground to receive the edge frames of a plurality of panels, whereby the edge portions resting in the groove provide mechanical support for the panels; A solar panel array including:

29. 1. A ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array, comprising: Multiple solar panels and a support for supporting the solar panel at its edge portion on the ground; an interconnect for interconnecting the solar panels, the interconnect including a wiring connection engaging end connections of a plurality of photovoltaic panels of at least one series-connected string, the at least one series-connected string extending along adjacent or closely adjacent solar panels along at least two rows, such that the string has a distance between end ends of series connections that is less than a longitudinal dimension of the solar panels that make up the string, thereby reducing or eliminating "home run" connections at the ends of the string; 、 a smooth or substantially flat portion of ground; a ground support area capable of receiving edge frames of a plurality of panels to support the edge portions of the panels, such that the edge portions resting on the ground support area provide mechanical support for the panels; a solar photovoltaic array including

30. 30. The solar photovoltaic array of claim 29, A solar photovoltaic array wherein the means for supporting the solar panels at their edges on the ground further comprises end stops or curved members positioned at the edges of the array.

31. 30. The solar photovoltaic array of claim 29, The solar photovoltaic array further comprising a ventilator for ventilating a space between the panel and the ground.

32. 30. The solar photovoltaic array of claim 29, at least a plurality of said solar panels, each solar panel having an underside coated with a dark or heat-transfer coating that promotes heat transfer; A ventilator for ventilating a space between the panel and the ground; The solar photovoltaic array further comprises:

33. 1. A ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array, comprising: a plurality of solar panels supported on the ground to establish a ground orientation of the solar panels and positioned in a close adjacent arrangement or in an abutting arrangement of multiple rows of the solar panels; an interconnection circuit for the solar panels connecting the solar panels in at least one series-connected string; Including, the at least one series-connected string extends along adjacent or closely adjacent solar panels along at least two rows, such that the string has a distance between end points of the series connections that is less than a longitudinal dimension of the solar panels that make up the string; the means for interconnecting includes wiring connections that engage end connections of a plurality of photovoltaic panels of the series-connected string, the wiring connections being arranged to connect adjacent panels in an arrangement utilizing panels of at least two rows at the series-connected string connections; the string uses the at least two rows to route the connections, such that a string beginning at a first end termination extends along a direction of the at least two rows and returns along an opposite direction of the at least two rows, thereby reducing or eliminating "home run" connections at the end of the string; the earth orientation reduces the cost of the photovoltaic array by eliminating costs associated with providing and erecting elevation supports for the solar panels; An earth mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array, wherein the earth orientation of the solar panels provides a flat orientation that allows cleaning by automated horizontal surface cleaning equipment.

34. 34. The earth mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array of claim 33, The ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array further comprising an edge curve member abutting at least one edge of said plurality of rows of said array structures.

35. 34. The ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array of claim 33, A ground-mounted device further comprising a ventilator for ventilating the space between the panel and the ground. Utility-scale solar photovoltaic array.

36. 34. The earth mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array of claim 33, at least a plurality of said solar panels, each solar panel having an underside coated with a dark or heat-transfer coating that promotes heat transfer; A ventilator for ventilating a space between the panel and the ground; Further comprising a ground mountable utility scale solar photovoltaic array.

37. 1. A ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array, comprising: a plurality of utility scale solar panels operating at greater than 600 Vdc in the protected area; means for supporting said solar panel at its edges on the ground; means for supporting said solar panel in direct contact with or substantially intimate contact with and substantially parallel to a ground surface; means for supporting said solar panels in abutting or close abutting relationship to establish a checkerboard pattern both edge-to-edge and edge-to-edge; Includes ground mounted utility scale solar photovoltaic arrays.

38. 38. The earth mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array of claim 37, The ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array further includes an end curve member abutting at least one edge of the multiple row arrangement.

39. 38. The ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array of claim 37, at least a plurality of said solar panels, each solar panel having an underside coated with a dark or heat-transfer coating that promotes heat transfer; A ventilator for ventilating a space between the panel and the ground; Further comprising a ground mountable utility scale solar photovoltaic array.

40. 38. The ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array of claim 37, The ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array further comprising a ventilator for ventilating a space between said panel and the ground.

41. a plurality of photovoltaic solar panels mounted to a ground mounting support that supports the solar panels and that establishes an earth orientation of the solar panels of a solar panel array; 1. A plurality of mounting brackets for connecting photovoltaic panels of a ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array, said mounting brackets comprising: a plurality of mounting brackets, including at least a subset of the mounting brackets having flanged arrangements that can engage an edge portion of one of the photovoltaic panels and flanged arrangements that can engage the edge portions of a plurality of photovoltaic panels; a wiring connection portion that engages the end connections of the plurality of photovoltaic panels; Including, The wiring connections are arranged to connect adjacent or closely adjacent panels in an arrangement utilizing at least two rows of panels in a series "string" connection, the string using the at least two rows to route the connections, thus forming a first A solar energy system in which a string begins at an end termination, extends along the direction of the at least two rows, and returns along the opposite direction of the at least two rows, thereby reducing or eliminating "home run" connections at the ends of the string.

42. 42. The solar energy system of claim 41, The solar energy system further comprising an anchoring member that engages said mounting bracket to hold said plurality of panels in place on the ground.

43. 42. The solar energy system of claim 41, The solar energy system further comprising a ventilator for ventilating a space between the panel and the ground.

44. 42. The solar energy system of claim 41, at least a plurality of said solar panels, each solar panel having an underside coated with a dark or heat-transfer coating that promotes heat transfer; A ventilator for ventilating a space between the panel and the ground; The solar energy system further comprises:

45. 42. The solar energy system of claim 41, The solar energy system further comprising a retention clamp or clasp capable of holding the photovoltaic panel in engagement with the mounting bracket.

46. 1. A method for providing a solar power plant including at least one array of photovoltaic panels, comprising: The lower relative cost of a photovoltaic array provides a more economical means for providing additional peak power, voltage or electrical power factor correction, with reduced cleaning costs, as compared to the entire solar power plant, and the method comprises: supporting a plurality of solar panels on the ground to establish a ground orientation of the solar panels of the solar panel array and to establish a ground orientation of the solar panels; interconnecting the solar panels in at least one series-connected string; Including, the at least one series-connected string extends along adjacent or closely adjacent solar panels along at least two rows, such that the string has a distance between end points of the series connections that is less than a longitudinal dimension of the solar panels that make up the string; the means for interconnecting includes wiring connections that engage end connections of a plurality of photovoltaic panels of the series-connected string, the wiring connections being arranged to connect adjacent panels in an arrangement utilizing panels of at least two rows at the series-connected string connections; the string uses the at least two rows to route the connections, such that a string beginning at a first end termination extends along a direction of the at least two rows and returns along an opposite direction of the at least two rows, thereby reducing or eliminating "home run" connections at the end of the string; the earth orientation reduces the cost of the photovoltaic array by eliminating costs associated with providing and erecting elevation supports for the solar panels; A method in which the earth orientation of the solar panel provides a flat orientation that allows cleaning by an automated horizontal surface cleaning device.

47. 47. The method of claim 46, To further support the solar panels to the ground, at least one of the rows of the arrangement structure is The method further includes using an end curve member abutting at least one edge.

48. 47. The method of claim 46, The method further comprising the step of using a ventilator to ventilate a space between the panel and the ground.

49. 47. The method of claim 46, providing at least a plurality of solar panels, the underside of each solar panel being coated with a dark or heat-transfer coating that promotes heat transfer; A ventilator for ventilating a space between the panel and the ground; The method further comprises:

50. 1. A ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array, comprising: a plurality of utility scale solar panels operating at greater than 600 Vdc in the protected area; means for supporting said solar panel at its edges on the ground; means for supporting said solar panel in direct contact with or substantially intimate contact with and substantially parallel to a ground surface; means for supporting said solar panels in abutting or close abutting relationship to establish a checkerboard pattern both edge-to-edge and edge-to-edge; Includes ground mounted utility scale solar photovoltaic arrays.

51. 51. The ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array of claim 50, The ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array further includes an end curve member abutting at least one edge of the multiple row arrangement.

52. 51. The ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array of claim 50, The ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array further comprising a ventilator for ventilating a space between said panel and the ground.

53. 51. The ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array of claim 50, at least a plurality of said solar panels, each solar panel having an underside coated with a dark or heat-transfer coating that promotes heat transfer; A ventilator for ventilating a space between the panel and the ground; Further comprising a ground mountable utility scale solar photovoltaic array.

54. 1. A ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array, comprising: Multiple solar panels and means for supporting the solar panels above ground, positioned in a close-coupled arrangement or in an abutting arrangement of multiple rows of the solar panels to establish a ground orientation of the solar panels; means for interconnecting said solar panels in at least one series-connected string; Including, The at least one series-connected string extends along adjacent or closely adjacent solar panels along at least two rows, such that the string has a distance between the end points of the series connections that is smaller than a longitudinal dimension of the solar panels that make up the string, and the means for interconnecting the photovoltaic panels of the series-connected string comprises: wherein the wire connections are arranged to connect adjacent panels in an arrangement utilizing at least two rows of panels at the series connected string connections, the strings using the at least two rows to route the connections, such that a string beginning at a first end termination extends along a direction of the at least two rows and returns along an opposite direction of the at least two rows, thereby reducing or eliminating "home run" connections at the ends of the strings; the earth orientation reduces the cost of the photovoltaic array by eliminating costs associated with providing and erecting elevation supports for the solar panels; An earth mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array, wherein the earth orientation of the solar panels provides a flat orientation that allows cleaning by automated horizontal surface cleaning equipment.

55. 55. The ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array of claim 54, The ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array further comprising an edge curve member abutting at least one edge of said plurality of rows of said array structures.

56. 55. The ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array of claim 54, The ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array further comprising a ventilator for ventilating a space between said panel and the ground.

57. 55. The ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array of claim 54, at least a plurality of said solar panels, each solar panel having an underside coated with a dark or heat-transfer coating that promotes heat transfer; A ventilator for ventilating a space between the panel and the ground; Further comprising a ground mountable utility scale solar photovoltaic array.

58. 1. A mounting bracket for connecting photovoltaic panels in a ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array, comprising: a plurality of outer edge flanges mating with the edge frames of the plurality of panels and including adjacent edge frame sections of at least one of the plurality of panels at corners of the panels, the inner edge flanges fitting inside the respective edge frames; at least one bottom flange corresponding to one of the outer edge flanges and supporting the mounting bracket relative to the plurality of panels; at least one mounting grip supporting the plurality of panels to prevent lifting of the panels; a gripping member disposed in alignment with one of the top or bottom flanges for each panel, the gripping member holding the edge frame in place on the mounting bracket, and thereby holding each panel in place on the mounting bracket; Includes mounting bracket.

59. 60. The mounting bracket of claim 58, an anchor member that engages the mounting bracket to hold the plurality of panels in place on the ground; the mounting grip including at least one upper flange supporting the plurality of panels against the mounting bracket to prevent lifting of the panels; The mounting bracket further includes:

60. 60. The mounting bracket of claim 58, A mounting bracket, the body section linking the plurality of inner and outer edge flanges further including a separable cap section that engages a component part of at least a portion of the mounting bracket secured to the bottom flange.

61. 60. The mounting bracket of claim 58, a body section linking a plurality of said inner edge flanges and outer edge flanges, at least one bottom section engaging at least one panel, where collectively the one or more bottom sections engage all adjacent panels in the panel arrangement; a separable cap section for engaging at least a portion of the mounting bracket component secured to the bottom flange, the separable cap section including the outer flange; Further comprising: Securing the separable cap section with either an anchor member or the bottom section locks the mounting bracket to the panel.

62. 1. A mounting bracket for connecting photovoltaic panels in a ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array, comprising: a plurality of first type edge flanges mating with the edge frames of the plurality of panels and including adjacent edge frame sections of at least one of the plurality of panels at corners of the panels, the inner edge flanges fitting to the respective edge frames; a plurality of second type edge flanges corresponding to one of the first type edge flanges mating with a respective one of the edge frames and secured to the respective one of the edge flanges, the second type edge flanges conforming to the respective one of the edge frames to cooperate with the respective one of the first type edge flanges and grip the respective one of the edge frames; a gripping member disposed in alignment with the edge frame of each panel to hold the edge frame, and thereby each panel, in place on the mounting bracket; and a body section linking the plurality of first type edge flanges and a second type edge flange to hold the panel in a linked relationship; Including, The mounting bracket is configured to support the solar panels on a ground in a ground orientation of the solar panels of a solar panel array and to establish a ground orientation of the solar panels.

63. 63. The mounting bracket of claim 62, the first type of edge flange including an inner edge flange that is male-female mated with the edge frame, such that the inner edge flange fits inside the respective edge frame; the second type of edge flange including an outer edge flange that is male-female mated with the edge frame, such that the outer edge flange fits on the outside of the respective edge frame; the body section linking a plurality of inner and outer edge flanges to hold the inner and outer edge flanges; The mounting bracket further includes:

64. 63. The mounting bracket of claim 62, The mounting bracket further includes said first and second types of edge flanges including top and bottom edge flanges that female-mate with said edge frame at top and bottom clamping arrangements.

65. 63. The mounting bracket of claim 62, the body section linking the first and second type edge flanges, a separable cap section adapted to engage a component part of a portion of the mounting bracket secured to at least one of the inner edge flange and the outer edge flange; a panel support segment of the mounting bracket supporting the inner edge flange; an anchor member that engages the mounting bracket to hold the plurality of panels in place on the ground; the separable cap section including the outer edge flange and linking a plurality of the panel support segments; Further comprising: A mounting bracket having a clamping section that receives or is attached to the anchor member.

66. 66. The mounting bracket of claim 65, A mounting bracket wherein the gripping members protrude from one of the first and second types of edge flanges for gripping the respective edge frame thereby retaining the panel when the anchoring members engage the mounting bracket.

67. 63. The mounting bracket of claim 62, The mounting bracket, wherein the body section linking the first and second types of edge flanges further includes a separable cap section that engages a component part of a portion of the mounting bracket secured to at least one of the inner and outer edge flanges.

68. 68. The mounting bracket of claim 67, a panel support segment of the mounting bracket supporting the first and second types of edge flanges; an anchor member that engages the mounting bracket to hold the plurality of panels in place on the ground; the separable cap section linking a plurality of the panel support segments; Further comprising: A mounting bracket having a clamping section that receives or is attached to the anchor member.

69. 68. The mounting bracket of claim 67, at least one of the plurality of first and second type edge flanges having at least one mounting grip protruding toward one of the edge frame sections of at least one of the plurality of panels for engaging one of the edge frame sections and retaining the panel; an anchor member that engages the mounting bracket to hold the plurality of panels in place on the ground; Further comprising: The mounting grips extend from one of the first and second types of edge flanges for gripping the respective edge frame, thereby allowing the anchoring member to be attached to the mounting bracket. a mounting bracket that retains said panel when engaged with said mounting base.

70. 1. A ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array, comprising: Multiple solar panels and means for supporting said solar panel at its edges on the ground; means for interconnecting the solar panels in at least one series-connected string, the at least one series-connected string extending along adjacent or closely adjacent solar panels along at least two rows, such that the string has a distance between the end points of the series connections that is smaller than a longitudinal dimension of the solar panels that make up the string; a mounting bracket connecting the photovoltaic panels of the photovoltaic array; Includes ground mounted utility scale solar photovoltaic arrays.

71. 71. The solar panel array of claim 70, a plurality of first type edge flanges that are mated with the edge frames of the plurality of panels and include adjacent edge frame sections of at least one of the plurality of panels at corners of the panel, the inner edge flanges fitting to the respective edge frames; a plurality of second type edge flanges corresponding to one of the first type edge flanges mating with a respective one of the edge frames and secured to the respective one of the edge flanges, the second type edge flanges conforming to the respective one of the edge frames to cooperate with the respective one of the first type edge flanges and grip the respective one of the edge frames; a gripping member disposed in alignment with the edge frame of each panel to hold the edge frame, and thereby each panel, in place on the mounting bracket; and a body section linking the plurality of first type edge flanges and a second type edge flange to hold the panel in a linked relationship; a mounting bracket for mounting a solar panel array including:

72. 72. The solar panel array of claim 71, the first type of edge flange including an inner edge flange that is male-female mated with the edge frame, such that the inner edge flange fits inside the respective edge frame; the second type of edge flange including an outer edge flange that is male-female mated with the edge frame, such that the outer edge flange fits on the outside of the respective edge frame; the body section linking a plurality of inner and outer edge flanges to hold the inner and outer edge flanges; The solar panel array further includes:

73. 72. The solar panel array of claim 71, the body section of a mounting bracket linking the first and second type edge flanges together; a separable cap section adapted to engage a component part of a portion of the mounting bracket secured to at least one of the inner edge flange and the outer edge flange; a panel support segment of the mounting bracket supporting the inner edge flange; the separable cap section including the outer edge flange and linking a plurality of the panel support segments; an anchor member that engages the mounting bracket to hold the plurality of panels in place on the ground; Further comprising: the body section of a mounting bracket linking the first and second type edge flanges together; a separable cap section adapted to engage a component part of a portion of the mounting bracket secured to at least one of the inner edge flange and the outer edge flange; a panel support segment of the mounting bracket supporting the inner edge flange; a separable cap section including the outer edge flange and linking a plurality of the panel support segments, the separable cap section having a clamp section adapted to receive or be attached to the anchor member; The solar panel array further includes:

74. 72. The solar panel array of claim 71, an anchor member that engages the mounting bracket to hold the plurality of panels in place on the ground; at least one of the plurality of first and second type edge flanges having at least one mounting grip protruding toward one of the edge frame sections of at least one of the plurality of panels for engaging one of the edge frame sections and retaining the panel; Further comprising: The mounting grips protrude from one of the first and second types of edge flanges to grip the respective edge frames, thereby holding the panels when the anchoring members engage the mounting bracket.

75. 1. A mounting bracket for connecting photovoltaic panels in a ground mountable utility-scale solar photovoltaic array, comprising: at least one first type edge flange for mating with an outer edge frame of a plurality of said panels, said first type edge flange being adapted to fit each edge frame; a plurality of second type edge flanges corresponding to one of the inner edge flanges mating with the inside of each of the outer edge frames of the plurality of panels, the second type edge flanges fitting to each one of the first type edge flanges to cooperate with and grip the respective edge frame; an upper retaining member aligned with the edge frame of each panel to retain the edge frame, and thereby each panel, in place on the mounting bracket; a body section linking a plurality of first type edge flanges and a second type edge flange to hold the panel in a linked relationship; Includes mounting bracket.

76. 76. The solar panel array of claim 75, At least one of the first type edge flanges and the second type edge flanges have a mechanical resilience and bias to engage an edge panel of the panels.

77. 76. The solar panel array of claim 75, The panel, the first type of edge flange being secured to the mounting bracket. A solar panel array terminates at the top flange to hold the

78. 76. The solar panel array of claim 75, an anchor member engaging the mounting bracket to hold the plurality of panels in place on the ground; The solar panel array has gripping members protruding from one of the first and second types of edge flanges for gripping the respective edge frames, thereby retaining the panels when the anchoring members engage the mounting bracket.

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