SOLAR PANEL WITH ENERGY EFFICIENT BYPASS DIODE SYSTEM

摘要

A solar panel including N panel sections and individual bypass diodes for each panel section includes a panel bypass diode connected in parallel with and in opposite polarity to the solar panel. The solar panel may further include one or more group bypass diodes when the solar panel includes three or more panel sections. Each group bypass diode is connected across a group of M adjacent panel sections, M being selected from 2 to N-1. The group bypass diode is connected in parallel with and in opposite polarity to the group of M adjacent panel sections. A group bypass diode is fully forward biased to conduct current through the solar panel when the associated group of M adjacent panel sections experience performance degradation. The panel bypass diode is fully forward biased to conduct current through the solar panel when the N panel sections experience performance degradation.