Floating solar power generation system

Abstract

To provide a floating solar power generation system that can suppress the adverse effects of moisture and salt. [Solution] A floating solar power generation device 1 is provided, comprising a solar cell module 2 that receives light and generates electricity, a battery 3 that stores the electricity generated by the solar cell module 2, and a transparent housing 4 that has an hermetically sealed internal space 41 that houses the solar cell module 2 and the battery 3, and transmits light of wavelengths that the solar cell module 2 can generate electricity from, wherein the internal space 41 of the transparent housing 4 has a first region 41a where the solar cell module 2 is arranged, and a second region 41b which is arranged vertically below the first region 41a and where the battery 3 is arranged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a floating solar power generation device.

Background Art

[0002] As a floating solar power generation device for performing solar power generation on water, there is one described in Patent Document 1. In the floating solar power generation device described in Patent Document 1, a structure is adopted in which a solar cell module is attached to the outer surface of a curved top plate member.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the floating solar power generation device described in Patent Document 1, since the structure is such that the solar cell module is attached to the outer surface of the top plate member and the solar cell module is in an exposed state to the outside, there is a problem that the solar cell module is likely to be affected by moisture and salt. In particular, in a highly flexible solar cell module, many use organic-based materials, and it is considered that they are likely to be adversely affected by moisture and salt on the sea and cause problems such as failures.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a floating solar power generation device capable of suppressing the adverse effects of moisture and salt.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] One aspect of the present invention provides the following floating solar power generation device in order to achieve the above object.

[0007] [1] A floating solar power generation device comprising: a solar cell module that receives light and generates electricity; a battery that stores the electricity generated by the solar cell module; and a transparent housing having an hermetically sealed internal space that houses the solar cell module and the battery, and which transmits light of wavelengths that the solar cell module can generate electricity from, wherein the transparent housing has a first region in which the solar cell module is arranged and a second region located vertically below the first region in which the battery is arranged. [2] The floating solar power generation apparatus according to [1], further comprising a power transmitter that enables wireless power supply of the electricity stored in the battery. [3] The floating solar power generation apparatus according to [2], wherein the power transmission is located in the second region. [4] The floating solar power generation apparatus according to [1], wherein the transparent housing is formed in a spherical shape. [5] The floating solar power generation apparatus according to [1], further comprising a light-collecting member that collects sunlight and emits it to the solar cell module. [6] The floating solar power generation apparatus according to [5], wherein the light-collecting member is integrally configured with the transparent housing. [7] The floating solar power generation apparatus according to [1], wherein a reflection suppression layer is formed on the surface of the transparent housing to suppress the reflection of sunlight. [8] The floating solar power generation apparatus according to [1], wherein a low refractive index layer with a refractive index lower than that of the transparent housing is formed on the surface of the transparent housing. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a floating solar power generation system that can suppress adverse effects caused by moisture and salt. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a floating solar power generation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a plan view showing an example of a solar cell module. [Figure 3]Figures 3(a) and 3(b) show a modified example of a floating solar power generation system. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the floating solar power generation system 1 according to this embodiment. The floating solar power generation system 1 is a device installed on the water, such as the ocean, that generates electricity using sunlight. The floating solar power generation system 1 comprises a solar cell module 2, a battery 3, a transparent housing 4, and a power transmitter 5. Each part will be described in detail below.

[0011] (Solar module 2) Figure 2 is a plan view showing an example of a solar cell module 2. The solar cell module 2 generates electricity by receiving sunlight. In the solar cell module 2, solar cells 20 are arranged on a transparent substrate 21 and sealed with a sealing material 22.

[0012] Typically, as shown in Figure 2, a solar cell module 2 is constructed by arranging multiple solar cells 20 on a transparent substrate 21 and sealing them with a sealing material 22. In the example in Figure 2, the multiple solar cells 20 are connected in series, and the generated power is output through electrodes 23 connected to both ends of them.

[0013] The planar shape of the solar cell 20 is, for example, a strip (rectangle) or a square. The length of the shorter side of the planar shape of the solar cell 20 (width in the case of a strip) is preferably 10 mm or less in order to suppress electrical resistance in the planar direction.

[0014] The solar cell 20 may be an inorganic solar cell, but it is generally preferable to be an organic solar cell, which is lighter and more flexible than inorganic solar cells. Among organic solar cells, it is particularly preferable to be a perovskite solar cell, which has excellent efficiency in converting to electrical energy.

[0015] When the solar cell 20 is an organic solar cell, the solar cell module 2 can be manufactured as a film-type module having light weight and flexibility. In this case, a film substrate is used as the transparent substrate 21.

[0016] (Battery 3) The battery 3 stores the electric power generated by the solar cell module 2. Since the battery 3 is heavier than the solar cell module 2, in this embodiment, it also serves as a weight for maintaining the posture of the floating solar power generation device 1.

[0017] (Transparent housing 4) The transparent housing 4 has an internal space 41 for housing the solar cell module 2 and the battery 3. The transparent housing 4 is made of a resin material that can block the outside air, and its internal space 41 is sealed airtight and liquidtight with respect to the outside. Further, the transparent housing 4 is made of a resin material that transmits light having a wavelength at which the solar cell module 2 can generate electricity (more specifically, light in the near ultraviolet to infrared wavelength band). As the resin material used for the transparent housing 4, for example, an acrylic resin or a vinyl resin can be used. By adopting a configuration in which the solar cell module 2 is disposed in the internal space 41 of the transparent housing 4, it is possible to suppress the adverse effects on the solar cell module 2 caused by moisture and salt, and the floating solar power generation device 1 that is less likely to malfunction can be obtained.

[0018] In this embodiment, the transparent housing 4 is formed in a spherical shape. As a result, it becomes difficult to receive the resistance of water and it becomes difficult to be affected by water flow and waves. Further, due to the weight of the battery 3 described later, the posture is automatically maintained so that the battery 3 is at the bottom.

[0019] Air is enclosed in the internal space 41. The floating solar power generation device 1 is configured to float on water by the buoyancy generated by the air enclosed in the internal space 41. When the floating solar power generation device 1 is placed on water, it is advisable to appropriately adjust the balance between the weight and buoyancy of the floating solar power generation device 1 so that about half of the transparent housing 4 is positioned above the water surface (so that the portion where the solar cell module 2 is arranged is positioned above the water surface).

[0020] The internal space 41 of the transparent housing 4 has a first region 41a where the solar cell module 2 is arranged and a second region 41b where the battery 3 is arranged. Since the battery 3 is heavier than the solar cell module 2, the center of gravity of the floating solar power generation device 1 is located within the second region 41b. As a result, when the floating solar power generation device 1 is placed on water, the posture of the floating solar power generation device 1 is always maintained such that the second region 41b is always below the first region 41a in the vertical direction. That is, when the floating solar power generation device 1 is placed on water, the first region 41a where the solar cell module 2 is arranged is always positioned above in the vertical direction, and a posture enabling power generation is maintained.

[0021] The solar cell module 2 may be fixed to the inner surface of the transparent housing 4 with an adhesive tape or the like not shown in the figure. In the present embodiment, the solar cell module 2 is provided in a curved state along the inner peripheral surface of the transparent housing 4. However, it is not limited thereto, and a support member for supporting the solar cell module 2 may be provided separately, and the solar cell module 2 may be supported by the support member. The battery 3 may be fixed to the transparent housing 4, for example, by screwing or the like.

[0022] (Power transmission machine 5) The power transmitter 5 is a device that enables wireless power supply from the battery 3. Power can be extracted by receiving the power supply signal transmitted from the power transmitter 5 with a receiver (not shown). This eliminates the need for cables, making maintenance easier and increasing the flexibility of the installation location. Furthermore, without the power transmitter 5 and cables, it would be necessary to retrieve the floating solar power generation device 1 and extract power from the battery 3, but by providing the power transmitter 5, it becomes possible to extract power without retrieving the floating solar power generation device 1, thus saving the trouble of retrieving the device. Note that since the power transmitter 5 is heavier than the solar cell module 2, it is preferable to place it in the second region 41b, similar to the battery 3.

[0023] (modified version) Figure 3(a) shows a modified example of the floating solar power generation device 1. As shown in Figure 3(a), the floating solar power generation device 1 may further include a light-concentrating member 6 that concentrates sunlight and emits it to the solar cell module 2. This makes it possible to further improve the power generation of the solar cell module 2.

[0024] Figure 3(a) shows a case where the light-concentrating member 6 is integrated with the transparent housing 4. The light-concentrating member 6 is realized by forming a gently curved surface on a part of the transparent housing 4 (the part facing the solar cell module 2) so that it protrudes outward. However, the light-concentrating member 6 is not limited to this and may be constructed separately from the transparent housing 4. For example, the light-concentrating member 6 may be provided between the transparent housing 4 and the solar cell module 2. It is also possible to provide a through hole in the transparent housing 4 and provide the light-concentrating member 6 so as to close the through hole.

[0025] Furthermore, although the solar cell module 2 is arranged in a curved state in this embodiment, it is not limited to this, and as shown in Figure 3(b), the solar cell module 2 may also be arranged in a flat, plate-like state without curving. This makes it possible to use solar cell modules 2 with low flexibility. In this case, it is preferable to adjust the installation angle of the solar cell module 2 so that the normal direction of the flat solar cell module 2 is aligned with the optical axis of the corresponding light-concentrating member 6.

[0026] Furthermore, although not shown in the diagram, the surface of the transparent housing 4 may have an anti-reflection layer to suppress the reflection of sunlight, or a low-refractive-index layer made of a resin with a lower refractive index than the transparent housing 4. This makes it possible to suppress reflection on the surface of the transparent housing 4 and improve the amount of power generated. In particular, if the transparent housing 4 is spherical, there is a possibility that the reflection on the surface of the transparent housing 4 will be large, so it is desirable to provide a light-collecting member 6, an anti-reflection layer, or a low-refractive-index layer to maintain the amount of power generated.

[0027] Furthermore, although this embodiment describes a case where the entire transparent housing 4 is made of transparent resin, it is not limited to this, and at least the portion facing the solar cell module 2 must be made of transparent resin. In other words, the portion of the transparent housing 4 that covers the second region 41b does not have to be made of transparent resin.

[0028] Furthermore, the floating solar power generation device 1 may have a location information processing unit that acquires its own location information and transmits the acquired location information to an external source. Location information can be acquired, for example, using GPS (Global Positioning System). The floating solar power generation device 1 may also have a beacon signal transmitting unit that transmits a beacon signal to indicate its own location. The power required for the operation of the location information processing unit and the beacon signal transmitting unit may be supplied from the battery 3.

[0029] (Effects of the embodiment) According to the floating solar power generation device 1 of the above embodiment of the present invention, by housing the solar cell module 2 in the internal space 41 of the transparent housing 4, adverse effects from moisture and salt can be suppressed, thereby preventing a decrease in the durability and failure of the solar cell module 2. Furthermore, by arranging the heavier battery 3 in the second region 41b, which is lower than the first region 41a where the solar cell module 2 is located, the orientation of the floating solar power generation device 1 can be stabilized, keeping the solar cell module 2 always positioned upwards, and thus stabilizing the amount of power generated. In addition, by providing a power transmission device 5, the degree of freedom in installation location is improved compared to when cables are used, and the effort of retrieving the device when taking out power can be reduced.

[0030] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the components of the above embodiments can be arbitrarily combined without departing from the spirit of the invention. Moreover, the above embodiments do not limit the invention as defined in the claims. It should also be noted that not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential for solving the problem of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0031] 1. Floating solar power generation system 2 Solar cell modules 3 Batteries 4 Transparent casing 41 Interior space 41a 1st area 41b 2nd area 5 Power Transmitters 6. Light-gathering member

Claims

1. A solar cell module that generates electricity by receiving light, A battery that stores the electricity generated by the aforementioned solar cell module, The solar cell module and the battery are housed in a hermetically sealed internal space, and the transparent housing transmits light of wavelengths that the solar cell module can generate electricity from, The transparent housing has a first region in which the solar cell module is arranged, and a second region located vertically below the first region in which the battery is arranged. Floating solar power generation system.

2. The system further includes a power transmitter that enables wireless power supply of the electricity stored in the aforementioned battery. The floating solar power generation apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The power transmission unit is located in the second region. The floating solar power generation device according to claim 2.

4. The transparent housing is formed in a spherical shape. The floating solar power generation apparatus according to claim 1.

5. The solar cell module further includes a light-collecting member that collects sunlight and emits it to the solar cell module. The floating solar power generation apparatus according to claim 1.

6. The light-gathering member is integrally formed with the transparent housing. The floating solar power generation apparatus according to claim 5.

7. The surface of the transparent housing has an anti-reflective layer formed to suppress the reflection of sunlight. The floating solar power generation apparatus according to claim 1.

8. A low refractive index layer, which has a lower refractive index than the transparent housing, is formed on the surface of the transparent housing. The floating solar power generation apparatus according to claim 1.

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