US 11,736,060 B2
Photovoltaic apparatus and photovoltaic apparatus control method
Seiji Yamamoto, Osaka (JP); Rui Mikami, Osaka (JP); Satoshi Hatsukawa, Osaka (JP); and Kenichi Hirotsu, Osaka (JP)
Assigned to SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD., Osaka (JP)
Appl. No. 16/966,618
Filed by SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD., Osaka (JP)
PCT Filed Jan. 23, 2019, PCT No. PCT/JP2019/001960
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 31, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/155877, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 15, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 2018-022286 (JP), filed on Feb. 9, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0028743 A1, Jan. 28, 2021
Int. Cl. H02S 20/32 (2014.01); H02S 50/00 (2014.01); H01L 31/054 (2014.01); G05D 3/10 (2006.01)
CPC H02S 20/32 (2014.12) [G05D 3/105 (2013.01); H02S 50/00 (2013.01)] 4 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A photovoltaic apparatus comprising:
a concentrator photovoltaic panel including a power generating circuit including a power generating element;
a driving device configured to change an angle of the concentrator photovoltaic panel;
a current sensor configured to detect an output current of the concentrator photovoltaic panel;
a hardware processor programmed to perform operations to control the driving device; and
a solar radiation intensity sensor attached to the concentrator photovoltaic panel, the solar radiation intensity sensor having a light receiving surface parallel to the concentrator photovoltaic panel, wherein
the operations include, when a solar radiation intensity detected by the solar radiation intensity sensor is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the threshold value corresponding to a value with which power generation is possible, and the output current of the concentrator photovoltaic panel detected by the current sensor is zero, causing the driving device to change the angle of the concentrator photovoltaic panel to an attitude not facing the sun.