SHINGLED SOLAR CELL MODULE
A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells arranged in a shingled manner to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module, reduce series resistance, and increase module efficiency.
1 . An apparatus comprising:
a solar module comprising a front surface including series connected silicon solar cells grouped into a first super cell comprising a first cut strip having a front side metallization pattern along a first outside edge overlapped by a second cut strip.
2 . An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the first cut strip and the second cut strip have a length reproducing a shape of a wafer from which the first cut strip is divided.
3 . An apparatus as in claim 2 wherein the length is 156 mm.
4 . An apparatus as in claim 2 wherein the length is 125 mm.
5 . An apparatus as in claim 2 wherein an aspect ratio between a width of the first cut strip and the length is between about 1:2 to about 1:20.
6 . An apparatus as in claim 2 wherein the first cut strip includes a first chamfered corner.
7 . An apparatus as in claim 6 wherein the first chamfered corner is along the first outside edge.
8 . An apparatus as in claim 6 wherein the first chamfered corner is not along the first outside edge.
9 . An apparatus as in claim 6 wherein the second cut strip includes a second chamfered corner.
10 . An apparatus as in claim 9 wherein an overlapping edge of the second cut strip includes the second chamfered corner.
11 . An apparatus as in claim 9 wherein an overlapping edge of the second cut strip does not include the second chamfered corner.
12 . An apparatus as in claim 6 wherein the length reproduces a shape of a pseudo-square wafer from which the first cut strip is divided.
13 . An apparatus as in claim 6 wherein a width of the first cut strip is different from a width of the second cut strip such that the first cut strip and the second cut strip have approximately a same area.
14 . An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the second cut strip overlaps the first cut strip by between about 1-5 mm.
15 . An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the front side metallization pattern comprises a bus bar.
16 . An apparatus as in claim 15 wherein bus bar includes a tapered portion.
17 . An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the front side metallization pattern comprises a discrete contact pad.
18 . An apparatus as in claim 17 wherein:
second cut strip is bonded to the first cut strip by adhesive; and
the discrete contact pad further comprises a feature to confine adhesive spreading.
19 . An apparatus as in claim 18 wherein the feature comprises a moat.
20 . An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the front side metallization pattern comprises a bypass conductor.
21 . An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the front side metallization pattern comprises a finger.
22 . An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the first cut strip further comprises a rear side metallization pattern along a second outside edge opposite to the first outside edge.
23 . An apparatus as in claim 22 wherein the rear side metallization pattern comprises a contact pad.
24 . An apparatus as in claim 22 wherein the rear side metallization pattern comprises a bus bar.
25 . An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the super cell comprises at least nineteen silicon cut strips each having a breakdown voltage greater than about 10 volts.
26 . An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the super cell is connected with another super cell on the module front surface.
27 . An apparatus as in claim 26 wherein the module front surface comprises a white backing featuring darkened stripes corresponding to gaps between the super cell and the other super cell.
28 . An apparatus as in claim 26 wherein:
the solar module front surface comprises a backing sheet; and
the backing sheet, the interconnect, the super cell, and an encapsulant comprise a laminated structure.
29 . An apparatus as in claim 28 wherein the encapsulant comprises a thermoplastic polymer.
30 . An apparatus as in claim 29 wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises a thermoplastic olefin polymer.
31 . An apparatus as in claim 26 further comprising an interconnect between the super cell and the other super cell.
32 . An apparatus as in claim 31 wherein a portion of the interconnect is covered by a dark film.
33 . An apparatus as in claim 31 wherein a portion of the interconnect is colored.
34 . An apparatus as in claim 31 further comprising a ribbon conductor electrically connecting the super cell to an electrical component.
35 . An apparatus as in claim 34 wherein the ribbon conductor is conductively bonded to a rear side of the first cut strip.
36 . An apparatus as in claim 34 wherein the electrical component comprises a bypass diode.
37 . An apparatus as in claim 34 wherein the electrical component comprises a switch.
38 . An apparatus as in claim 34 wherein the electrical component comprises a junction box.
39 . An apparatus as in claim 38 wherein the junction box overlaps and is in mating arrangement with another junction box.
40 . An apparatus as in claim 26 wherein the super cell and the other super cell are connected in series.