eIQ Energy says that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has awarded the company a patent for the energy-harvesting technology used in its DC Parallel Solar System, which allows photovoltaic panels to be connected in parallel, rather than in a series.
U.S. patent No. 8,138,631, granted on March 20, 2012, outlines an invention for harvesting maximum power from multiple direct-current (DC) energy sources. The patent describes a mechanism for connecting solar modules in parallel onto a common DC buss that is set by an inverter, which converts DC into alternating current.
This technology allows solar PV systems to use a single inverter in applications where multiple smaller ones might otherwise be necessary, according to eIQ Energy. It also provides improved reliability because no failure-prone devices (such as electrolytic capacitors) are required, the company adds.
