Patent ID: 8053929

Claim:
A solar power array, comprising: a plurality of solar power panels, wherein each solar panel provides output current and voltage; a high-voltage DC bus configured to propagate a high DC voltage; a plurality of separate DC-DC converters, wherein each solar panel is connected to a unique DC-DC converter of the separate DC-DC converters, wherein each unique DC-DC converter comprises: a first DC-DC switching power module having an output coupled to the high-voltage DC bus, and configured to produce the high DC voltage at its output to provide the high DC voltage to the high-voltage DC bus; and a second DC-DC switching power module configured to communicate with the first DC-DC switching power module to provide DC power to an external energy storage system; and a DC-AC inverter that inverts the high DC voltage output propagated by the high-voltage DC bus to an AC power signal for distribution to one or more AC loads.