Structures for Low Cost, Reliable Solar Roofing

• US 20080302030A1
• Filed: 05/07/2008
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aeris Capital Sustainable IP, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Aeris Capital Sustainable IP, Ltd.
• Inventors: Stancel, Robert, Roscheisen, Martin R., Sager, Brian M., Adriani, Paul M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,471,141 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/173.3
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 20/69 in the form of shingles or tiles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02008 for solar cells or solar cell modules
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0521 using a gaseous or a liquid coolant, e.g. air flow ventilation, water circulation
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/25 Roof tile elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/60 Planning or developing urban green infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/20 Solar thermal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/40 Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/44 Heat exchange systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

Improved photovoltaic devices, and more specifically, improved building integrated photovoltaic devices are described herein. In one embodiment, the photovoltaic roofing structure may be comprised of a roofing tile having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a recessed portion; a photovoltaic module sized to fit within the recessed portion of the roofing structure.

Claims

1. A photovoltaic roofing structure comprising:

a roofing tile having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a recessed portion;

a photovoltaic module sized to fit within the recessed portion of the tile.

2. The photovoltaic roofing structure of claim 1 wherein a ratio of the weight of the tile to the weight of the module greater than 10:

1, wherein the combination of the module and tile weighs less than a conventional roofing tile of the external volume and surface area.

3. The photovoltaic roofing structure of claim 1 wherein the tile comprises of ceramic.

4. The photovoltaic roofing structure of claim 1 wherein the tile includes an air circulation pathway between a bottom surface of the module and the tile surface in the recess.

5. The photovoltaic roofing structure of claim 1 wherein electrical leads from the module exit from between the layers without passing through a central junction box.

6. The photovoltaic roofing structure of claim 1 wherein the module is a glass-glass module.

7. The photovoltaic roofing structure of claim 1 wherein the module is a glass-foil module.

8. The photovoltaic roofing structure of claim 1 wherein the module contains thin-film solar cells.

9. The photovoltaic roofing structure of claim 1 wherein the module contains solar cells based on a group IB-IIIA-VIA absorber layer.

10. The photovoltaic roofing structure of claim 1 further comprising a polymer material between the tile and the module to minimize changes.

11. The photovoltaic roofing structure of claim 1 further comprising using a coupler to manage CTE differences between the module and the tile.

12. The photovoltaic roofing structure of claim 1 wherein the tile defines an opening passing entirely through the tile, over which the module is placed.

13. The photovoltaic roofing structure of claim 1 wherein the tile defines a carrier frame with an open center that is covered by the photovoltaic module.

14. The photovoltaic roofing structure of claim 1 further comprising a ventilation channel to dissipate heat from beneath the module.

15. The photovoltaic roofing structure of claim 1 further comprising a ventilation channel is defined between a bottom surface of the module and a portion of the surface of the tile.

16. The photovoltaic roofing structure of claim 1 further comprising a ventilation channel to dissipate heat from beneath the module.

17. The photovoltaic roofing structure of claim 1 further comprising a press-fit electrical connector to create serial interconnection between tiles.

18. The photovoltaic roofing structure of claim 1 wherein the surface area of the module can almost be completely be covered by active cells.

19. The photovoltaic roofing structure of claim 1 wherein the tile is curved and the module is curved to match a curved surface of the tile.

20. The photovoltaic roofing structure of claim 1 wherein the module comprises of a plurality of solar cells between a non-rigid module top layer and a rigid module bottom layer.