HYBRID PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICE HAVING RIGID PLANAR SEGMENTS AND FLEXIBLE NON-PLANAR SEGMENTS

摘要

A hybrid photovoltaic (PV) device includes: a rigid PV segment, having one or more PV cells that convert light to electricity, wherein the rigid PV segment is non-foldable and non- bendable; a co-located flexible PV segment, wherein the flexible PV segment is foldable or bendable without being damaged; electric connectors, that connect between (i) electric current or voltage generated by the rigid PV segment, and (ii) electric current or voltage generated by the flexible PV segment; a unified encapsulation layer, encapsulating together both the rigid PV segment and the co-located flexible PV segment. The rigid PV segment, the co-located flexible PV segment, the electric connectors, and the unified encapsulation layer, form together the hybrid PV device as a single stand-alone PV device that converts light to electricity, and has at least one rigid region corresponding to the rigid PV segment and at least one flexible region corresponding to the co-located flexible PV segment.