PHOTOVOLTAIC ARRAY AND METHODS

• Main Authors: MC QUADE MICHAEL ROBERT, KINARD RICHARD DALE
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 04.11.2010
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; BLASTING; CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS,e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USERAPPLICATIONS; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER; CURRENT COLLECTORS; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERATION; GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRA-REDRADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, E.G. USINGPHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES; HEATING; LIGHTING; LINE CONNECTORS; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; RANGES; REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGYGENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; VENTILATING; WEAPONS

A photovoltaic array having a plurality of photovoltaic modules having first structural members. The photovoltaic modules are disposed upon and connected to a plurality of framework elements. The framework elements being interconnected to form a framework. The framework elements have electrically non-conductive second structural members with internally disposed electrical conductors. Electrical and mechanical connections to the photovoltaic module disposed upon the framework element and electrical connections among framework elements are internal to the framework elements. The output voltage of the photovoltaic array can be electrically referenced to an arbitrary voltage.