Title of the Invention
A Novel Farming Enabling Solar Panels (FESP) for higher efficiency, preserving soil health and sustainability.
Field of The Invention : Electrical Engineering
Background of the Invention:
When a solar power-plant is installed, it stays there for a minimum of 25 years. When these panels are covering a patch of land for such a long time, the land doesn't get proper sunlight and water (which are necessary for agriculture) for this long period of time. Studies have shown that when a land is not being used for agriculture for a very long time, the soil health degrades and in the worst case the soil becomes arid. The soil below the solar panels are almost uncultivable because they don't get proper sunlight, which adversely effects the soil health and the biodiversity below the panels. Researches show that overheating of silicon PV panels due to excessive solar irradiance and high environmental temperatures is a major problem. Higher the temperature, lower will be the output from solar panels.
Summary of the Invention
Solar cells are the devices which converts solar energy into electrical energy, through the photovoltaic effect.There are two Types of Solar cells i.e. Monofacial - generates electricity on only one side (generally on the top side, facing the sun) Bifacial -generates electricity on the both sides of the Solar cell (in addition to the top side, it also generates electricity on the back side.) Hence, bifacial solar cells are more efficient than mono facial cells on the same area of land.The solar cells are connected in series connection (Typically 12x6 no. of cells of 156x156mm dimensions) and are encapsulated from both sides to provide environmental protection and a back sheet that provides insulation on the backside.The invention relates to a Bifacial Photovoltaic module with increased efficiency and capability of balancing the surface temperature in sunny days.Every megawatt of solar energy requires between five to seven acres of land under abundant sun. Once a solar power plant is installed it stays there for a minimum of 25 years. When the land

under the, panels does not get sunlight and water for this long period of time, farming is
almost impossible on that land.As the demand of renewable energy sources is increasing
rapidly (especially Solar Energy) demand of land is also increasing to set up solar power
plants. It is clear that we cannot afford lands being uncultivable.
Description of the Drawing
Figure 1- It shows the layer wise view of FESP module, with layers in the order such as
Non-reflecting glass layer , encapsulation Layer, solar cells, encapsulation Layer and
transparent light diffusing layer, (the order is from top to bottom of the solar module) as
In the picture, the solar cells are connected in series by highly conductive material. The
thorough holes are depicted by dotted lines on all the layers.
Figure 2- It shows the side view of layer wise embedded structure of FESP module, with
the thorough holes depicted by dotted lines.
Figure 3- It shows the side view of the total assembly of FESP solar module with the
aluminium anodized frame and thorough holes are depicted by dotted lines.
Figure 4- It shows the cell arrangement and the voids in between them. This is the top
view of the voids, which will be thorough holes and will allow light, rain and air to pass
through it.
Figure 5- It shows the Top view of the Total assembly of the solar module. The fillet radius
of the corners are designed in such a way that, the modules will work more efficiently
than other existing panels with the same area of the panel also these modules will not
harm the operator at the time of the handling.
Figure 6- It shows the oblique angle view of the FESP module with thorough holes in
between the solar cell arrangements.
Description the Invention
Construction of Solar Modules:
Solar Modules are generally made up of assembly of Silicon cells or silicon wafers also called as Solar cells. Each cell consists of two wafers of "doped" silicon (p-type and n-type), in contact to form a junction, with each wafer having an electrical connection. Typically, each cell, whilst very thin (around 0.5mm), measures approximately

156mmxl56mm in dimension. One of these cells may be capable of producing up to 0.7 volt, with maximum power being produced at a voltage of around 0.4 V.
Several of these Solar Cells will be wired together as a module and protected from the weather to create what we call a panel, or sometimes referred to as a module. A 24 volt (nominal) panel may have 72 Solar Cells within it, wired in series, giving its maximum power at a voltage of approximately: 0.4 x 72 = 28.8 volts.
These cells will sit on a tough backing plate,(glass layer in case of bifacial solar cells) while the grid of electrical connections lies above and below the cells of the cells. Electrical connecting strips will go from the bottom of one cell to the top of the next, connecting cells in series. Over this will be a non-reflective layer (Silicon is naturally reflective) as shown in fig (1), (2), (3) to increase light absorption. Finally on top will be a layer of tough glass, and the whole structure is usually within an aluminium frame, sealed against the weather.
In the arrangement of solar cells, there are blank empty spaces available in between the cells which play no role in productivity of the module. These spaces neither convert sunlight into electricity nor allow the energy to pass through it to fall on the land. With suitable spacing and processes, these blank spaces can be made into voids as shown in fig (4) in such a way that solar radiation and rain is made to pass through the module and directly hit on the land/soil.
The shapes of the solar cells can be made in such a way that the corners of each cells combinely make an empty space at the junction point of 4 cells. These empty spaces will be made through holes as as shown in fig (1), (2), (3), (4), (6) of specific dimensions to suit the thermal balance of the solar panel in sunny days. These voids as shown in fig (4) will allow sun rays and rain to pass through these sheet and will fall upon the land. This will facilitate live farming below the solar panels.
Our Farming Enabling Solar Panels will be equipped with a transparent light diffusing layer, in place of the back sheet (monofacial) or glass layer (Bifacial). The diffusing Layer will diffuse the incident sunlight and make it hit the lower part of the bifacial solar cell and also the ground. This will facilitate these main and important things:

a. The diffused light will hit the lower part of the solar cell as well as the upper part
(The diffusing layer will work as a light enhancing medium). Thus it will generate
electricity more efficiently than existing bifacial solar cells.
b. An innovative solution is presented in these modules to minimize overheating of
PV panels, and that is based on natural convection. Adding through holes in the PV
panel is a passive cooling technique that can minimize overheating of the panel.
Our FESP modules use perforated holes as shown in fig (1), (2), (3), (4), (6) in
different orientations and dimensions, best suited for minimizing overheating.
c. Light and rain passing through the holes as shown in fig (1), (2), (3), (4), (6) will
facilitate live farming below the panels. Researches have proved that
photosynthesis in diffused light is more efficient than normal sunlight.
Basically, the solar power plants working in Megawatt or Gigawatt, use solar panels of higher voltages to reduce the space required, labour cost and maintenance costs. These high voltage output panels are the arrays of a number of solar cells which are connected in series connection to form a rectangular structure. Typically the dimensions of the solar cells are small squares with round edges. These solar cells are connected side by side to form the solar panel. After this side by side connection those round edges form blank spaces in between the cells in between every four solar cells. Still it can't allow the sun light to pass through it because those spaces are backed by a solid back sheet layer. That is one of the reason why these solar panels completely block the sunlight and don't let it fall on the soil. These blank spaces neither produce electricity nor allow the sun light to pass through it to fall on the land. Hence, these spaces have no productive use in these arrays. According to our invention, the blank spaces will be redesigned and processed into voids as shown in fig (4). Which will allow sun light and rain to pass through this and fall on the land.Generally, the solar panels are a product of different layers arranged in a sandwich like structure.
Layers are such as Anti-reflecting layer, encapsulating layers above and below the bifacial solar cells (to protect it from outer environment and to completely seal it) and transparent layer below the lower encapsulation layer as shown in fig (1), (2), (3). In our FESP solar panels bifacial solar cells are used. The shapes of the solar cells are made in such a way that the corners of each cells combinely make an empty space at the junction point of 4 cells. This creates voids as shown in fig (4) in the layer and according to our

design these voids as shown in fig (4) will allow sun rays and rain to pass through these sheet and will fall upon the land.
FESP solar panels comes with anti-reflection layer on the top, encapsulating layers (above and below the bifacial solar cells) and photo diffusing layer below all the layers as shown in fig (1), (2), (3). Photo diffusing layers will enhance the electricity generation on the lower surface of the FESP Bifacial cells. All the above mentioned layers have voids as shown in fig (4) which allow the sunlight and rain water to pass through the solar panels and fall directly on the ground. It also facilitates passive cooling of the solar panels, to avoid any mishap.If from the above modification and arrangement of the solar cells on a solar module, 5-10 % of the unused spaces of the module is made to pass the sun light and rain to hit the ground, the soil health can be preserved significantly. This will also allow simultaneous cultivation of small plant based farming without affecting the electricity generation process.
Benefits:
• Conserve and preserve the soil health.
• Enable farming below the lands where solar modules are installed.
• Higher productivity of the solar panels.
• Balances the temperature level of the solar panels.
• Increase overall profitability of the project.
• Promote animal grazing adding to benefits of livelihood to poor fanners.


1/ We Claim,
l.A Novel Farming Enabling Solar Panels (FESP) for higher efficiency, preserving soil health and sustainability comprises of
a)Non reflecting Layer fig (1), (2), (3)
b) Encapsulation Layer fig (1), (2), (3)
c)Transparent Light diffusing Layer fig (1), (2), (3)
d) Bifacial solar cell fig (1), (2), (3)
Wherein all the mentioned layers have blank spaces that can be made into voids as shown in fig (4) which allow the sunlight to pass through the solar panels and directly hit on the land/soil without affecting the electricity generation.
2. The solar panel as claimed in claiml wherein the non-reflective layer as shown in fig (1), (2), (3) is
used for increasing the light absorption as the top portion possess a layer of tough glass and the whole
structure is fit with an aluminium frame, sealed against the weather.
3. The solar panel as claimed in claiml wherein the upper and lower encapsulation layer fig (1), (2), (3)
is used to protect the solar panels from external environment.
4. The solar panel as claimed in claiml wherein the Photo diffusing layers fig (1), (2), (3) enhance the
electricity generation on the lower surface of the Farming enabled solar panels Bifacial cells fig (1), (2),
(3).
5. The solar panel as claimed in claiml wherein the bifacial solar cell exposes both the sides of solar
cells as they are UV resistant to generate more power by bouncing reflected light back to the rear of the
modules and the shapes of the solar cells are made in such a way that the corners of each cells combinely
make an empty space at the junction point of four cells which creates voids as shown in fig (4) that will
allow sun rays and rain to pass through these sheet and will fall upon the land.
6. The solar panel as claimed in claiml wherein These empty spaces will be made dirough holes as shown
in fig (1), (2), (3), (4), (6) of specific dimensions to suit the thermal balance of the solar panel in sunny
days and adding through holes in the PV panel is a passive cooling technique where FESP modules use
perforated holes as shown in fig (1), (2) , (3), (4), (6) in different orientations and dimensions for
minimizing overheating.
7. The solar panel as claimed in claiml wherein soil health is conserved and preserved , farming enabled
below the lands where solar modules are installed.,Higher productivity of the solar panels, Balances the
temperature level of the solar panels, Promote animal grazing adding to benefits of livelihood to poor
farmers.