Flat Tile Solar Panels - Array Module Number

Abstract

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.