Patent ID: 8334617

Claim:
A system for energy optimization in photovoltaic generators, the system comprising: (a) a plurality of primary photovoltaic generators, each of which comprises a respective assembly of primary photovoltaic panels of a first type and a respective primary output; (b) a plurality of supplemental photovoltaic generator systems, wherein each supplemental photovoltaic generator system comprises: (i) a plurality of sets of secondary photovoltaic panels of a second type, (ii) a supplemental output, and (iii) a supplemental switching system operable to selectively couple one or more of the sets of secondary photovoltaic panels with the supplemental output, wherein the supplemental output of each supplemental photovoltaic generator system is coupled with a corresponding primary output of the primary photovoltaic generators to form a respective combined output; (c) a plurality of inverters configured to convert direct voltage/current into alternating voltage/current, wherein each of the inverters has at least one input; (d) a primary switching system arranged between the combined outputs and the inputs of said inverters; and (e) a control system, wherein the control system comprises: (i) a first logic configured to automatically control said primary switching system to selectively couple or decouple the combined outputs with the inputs of said inverters, and (ii) a second logic configured to automatically control said supplemental switching systems to selectively couple or decouple the sets of secondary photovoltaic panels with the corresponding supplemental outputs to supply additional power to the inverters in accordance with the number of sets of secondary photovoltaic panels coupled with the supplemental output of their corresponding supplemental photovoltaic generator system; wherein at least a first inverter of the plurality of inverters comprises a first input and a second input, wherein the primary switching system is operable to selectively couple a first one of the combined outputs with the first input of the first inverter and a second one of the combined outputs with the second input of the first inverter.