Back side contact layer for PV module with modified cell connection topology

1. A photovoltaic module comprising a plurality of PV-cells and a back side connection layer,

the plurality of PV-cells being of a type having one or more back side contacts,

wherein the plurality of PV-cells is divided in a preset number of strings of series connected PV-cells, each string comprising a first PV-cell and a last PV-cell, and by-pass diodes are connectable in parallel to each of the preset number of strings,

wherein the preset number of strings comprises a first string, a second string, and a third string,

and wherein contacts to the plurality of PV-cells are provided on the back side connection layer and are positioned such that externally accessible electrical connections to the first PV-cell and last PV-cell of each of the first, second, and third strings are provided in a part of the back side connection layer underlying a part of an area defined by the perimeter of a two-by-two arrangement of PV-cells,

wherein the two-by-two arrangement of PV-cells comprises the first and last PV-cells of the first string and the first and last PV-cells of the third string, and

wherein the connection to the first PV-cell of the second string is provided directly via the connection to the last PV-cell of the first string and the connection to the last PV-cell of the second string is provided directly via the connection to the first PV-cell of the third string.

2. The photovoltaic module according to claim 1 , wherein the part of the back side connection layer overlaps four adjacent corner areas of the two-by-two arrangement of PV-cells.

3. The photovoltaic module according to claim 1 , wherein the back side connection layer furthermore comprises a plurality of junction box connections and by-pass diode connections in the perimeter of the two-by-two arrangement of PV-cells.

4. The photovoltaic module according to claim 1 , wherein the back side connection layer comprises by-pass diodes connected in parallel to each of the preset number of strings.

5. The photovoltaic module according to claim 1 , wherein the preset number of strings is three.

6. The photovoltaic module according to claim 1 , wherein the back side connection layer is arranged to connect a 6×12 array of PV-cells.

7. The photovoltaic module according to claim 1 , wherein the back side connection layer is arranged to connect a 6×10 array of PV-cells.

8. The photovoltaic module according to claim 1 , wherein the preset number of strings is four.

9. The photovoltaic module according to claim 1 , further comprising one or more by-pass diode conductors provided as part of the back side connection layer.

10. The photovoltaic module to claim 1 , wherein a by-pass diode connection path is formed in the back side connection layer along an edge direction of two adjacent PV-cells with a meandering pattern around outer contacts of the plurality of back side contacts of the two adjacent PV-cells.

11. A backside connection layer for a PV module comprising a plurality of PV cells comprising at least a two-by-two arrangement of PV cells extending over a first area bounded by an outer perimeter, the backside connection layer comprising electrically conductive material:

a first conductive pathway configured to connect a first group of PV cells of the PV module in series to form a first string of PV cells connectable in parallel to a first bypass diode;

a second conductive pathway configured to connect a second group of PV cells of the PV module in series to form a second string of PV cells connectable in parallel to a second bypass diode;

a third conductive pathway configured to connect a third group of PV cells of the PV module to form a third string of PV-cells connectable in parallel to a third bypass diode;

wherein the backside connection layer further comprises externally accessible backside electrical connections for connecting to a first PV-cell and a last PV-cell of each of the first, second and third strings, and wherein the backside electrical connections are provided within the outer perimeter defined by the two-by-two arrangement of PV-cells;

wherein the two-by-two arrangement of PV-cells comprises the first and last PV-cells of the first string and the first and last PV-cells of the third string, and

wherein the connection to the first PV-cell of the second string is provided directly via the connection to the last PV-cell of the first string and the connection to the last PV-cell of the second string is provided directly via the connection to the first PV-cell of the third string.

12. The backside connection layer according to claim 11 , wherein the backside connection layer furthermore comprises a plurality of junction box connections and by-pass diode connections within the outer perimeter.

13. The backside connection layer according to claim 11 , wherein the backside connection layer comprises by-pass diodes connected in parallel to each of the preset number of strings.

14. The backside connection layer according to claim 11 , wherein the backside connection layer further comprises additional conductive paths to form further strings of PV cells.

15. The backside connection layer according to claim 11 , wherein the backside connection layer is arranged to connect a 6×12 array of PV cells or a 6×10 array of PV cells.

16. A back side connection layer according to claim 11 , wherein a by-pass diode connection path is formed in the back side connection layer with a meandering pattern around outer contacts of back side connections.

17. A PV module comprising a plurality of PV-cells and a back side connection layer according to claim 11 .