Flat Tile Solar Panels - Array Module Number
An earth mount-enabled utility-scale solar photovoltaic array has plural rows of solar panels supported on the ground s to establish an earth orientation of the solar panels. Edge portions of the panels rest on a ground support area and provide mechanical support, and an end curb member abuts at least one edge of the arrangement. The panels are interconnected in at least one series-connected string extending in at least two rows so that the string has a total distance between terminal ends of the series connection less than a lengthwise dimension of the solar panels constituting the string, routed to reduce “home run” connections at the end of the string.
1 . A utility scale photovoltaic power plant comprising a photovoltaic array wherein
the array has 200 or more modules,
and
the array has contiguous modules.
2 . The plant of claim 1 , wherein the array has 600 or more modules.
3 . The plant of claim 2 comprising two or more arrays.
4 . The plant of claim 3 , wherein
one of the arrays has 2500 or more modules,
and
all the modules are contiguous.
5 . The plant of claim 1 comprising eight or more arrays wherein the arrays have 600 or more modules, and all the modules are contiguous.
6 . The plant of claim 5 , wherein some of the arrays have connectors between modules.
7 . The plant of claim 6 , wherein some of the connectors are electrical interconnects, some of the electrical interconnects form a series-connected string, and the string comprises terminal string ends with a distance between the ends of less than a lengthwise module dimension.
8 . The plant of claim 7 , wherein the string has a path that starts with a first end, extends along a direction, returns along an opposite direction, and ends with a second end.
9 . The plant of claim 8 , wherein and the path reduces or eliminates the length of home run connections.
10 . The plant of claim 9 , wherein the first and second terminal ends exit from the same array side.
11 . The plant of claim 10 further comprising an inverter with an AC output, wherein
the array has a DC output,
and
the DC: AC ratio is 1.2-1.9, 1.4-1.9, or 1.6-2.2.
12 . The plant of claim 11 , further comprising 200 inverters.
13 . The plant of claim 12 , wherein one of the arrays has 50 or more rows of modules.
14 . The plant of claim 13 , wherein one of the arrays has 50 or more columns of contiguous modules.
15 . The plant of claim 14 further comprising a fully autonomous cleaning robot.
16 . The plant of claim 15 , wherein some of the modules have a contact region that rests on the ground or on a structure at a contact surface,
provided that the volume beneath and perpendicular to the contact surface is solid or constrains air movement.
17 . The plant of claim 5 further comprising a fully autonomous cleaning robot.
18 . The plant of claim 17 , wherein some of the modules have a contact region that rests on the ground or rests on a contact surface of one or more structures,
provided that the volume beneath and perpendicular to the contact surface is solid or constrains air movement.
19 . The plant of claim 18 , further comprising an inverter with an AC output, wherein
the array has a DC output,
and
the DC AC ratio is 1.2-1.9, 1.4-1.9, or 1.6-2.2.
20 . The plant of claim 19 comprising eight or more arrays wherein each array has 600 or more modules all of which are contiguous.