Patent ID: 7772716

Claim:
A system, comprising: a solar array, comprising a plurality of solar panels each comprising a plurality of photovoltaic solar cells, and an associated panel DC outlet connection connected to the photovoltaic solar cells, and a dedicated module associated with the solar panel comprising input connections, a signal processing circuit that is connected to and locally powered by the associated panel DC outlet connection through the input connections, output connections that are connected from the signal processing circuit to a system DC bus, a crowbar circuit that is located across the input connections, and means for controllably driving the crowbar circuit to short across the input connections that are connected to the photovoltaic solar cells, to prevent voltage from being transmitted to the output connections, wherein each of the signal processing circuits of the dedicated modules provides maximum power point tracking local to the respective solar panels; an inverter module connected between the system DC bus and an AC bus; a server; and a communication link between the server and each of the dedicated modules.