Shingled solar cell module

Abstract

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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a solar module comprising a front surface including a first series connected string of silicon solar cells grouped into a first super cell comprising a first silicon solar cell having chamfered corners and arranged with a side overlapping and conductively bonded with an adhesive to a second silicon solar cell.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein the second silicon solar cell lacks chamfered corners, each silicon solar cell of the first super cell having substantially a same front surface area exposed to light. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus as in  claim 2  wherein:
 the first silicon solar cell and the second silicon solar cell have a same length; and 
 a width of the first silicon solar cell is greater than a width of the second silicon solar cell. 
 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus as in  claim 3  wherein the length reproduces a shape of a pseudo-square wafer. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus as in  claim 3  wherein the length is 156 mm. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus as in  claim 3  wherein the length is 125 mm. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus as in  claim 3  wherein an aspect ratio between the width and the length of the first solar cell is between about 1:2 to about 1:20. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus as in  claim 3  wherein the first silicon solar cell overlaps the second silicon solar cell by between about 1 mm to about 5 mm. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus as in  claim 3  wherein the first super cell comprises at least nineteen silicon solar cells each having a breakdown voltage greater than about 10 volts. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus as in  claim 3  wherein the first super cell has a length in a direction of current flow of at least about 500 mm. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus as in  claim 3  wherein:
 the first super cell is connected in parallel with a second super cell on the front surface; and 
 the front surface comprises a white backing featuring darkened stripes of location and width corresponding to gaps between the first super cell and the second super cell. 
 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein the second silicon solar cell includes chamfered corners. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus as in  claim 12  wherein a long side of the first silicon solar cell overlaps a long side of the second silicon solar cell. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus as in  claim 12  wherein a long side of the first silicon solar cell overlaps a short side of the second silicon solar cell. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein the front surface comprises:
 a first row comprising the first super cell consisting of solar cells with chamfered corners; and 
 a second row comprising a second series connected string of silicon solar cells grouped into a second super cell connected in parallel with the first super cell and consisting of solar cells lacking chamfered corners, a length of the second row substantially a same as a length of the first row. 
 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus as in  claim 15  wherein the first row is adjacent to a module edge and the second row is not adjacent to the module edge. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus as in  claim 15  wherein the first super cell comprises at least nineteen solar cells each having a breakdown voltage greater than about 10 volts, and the first super cell has a length in a direction of current flow of at least about 500 mm. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus as in  claim 15  wherein the front surface comprises a white backing featuring darkened stripes of location and width corresponding to gaps between the first super cell and the second super cell. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  further comprising a metallization pattern on a front side of the second solar cell. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus as in  claim 19  wherein the metallization pattern comprises a tapered portion extending around a chamfered corner. 
     
     
         21 . An apparatus as in  claim 19  wherein the metallization pattern comprises a raised feature to confine spreading of the adhesive. 
     
     
         22 . An apparatus as in  claim 19  wherein the metallization pattern comprises:
 a plurality of discrete contact pads; 
 fingers electrically connected to the a plurality of discrete contact pads; and 
 a conductive line interconnecting the fingers. 
 
     
     
         23 . An apparatus as in  claim 22  wherein the metallization pattern forms a plurality of separate barriers to confine the adhesive to the discrete contact pads. 
     
     
         24 . An apparatus as in  claim 23  wherein the plurality of separate barriers abut and are taller than corresponding discrete contact pads. 
     
     
         25 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  further comprising a flexible electrical interconnect conductively bonded to a surface of the first solar cell and accommodating thermal expansion of the first solar cell in two dimensions. 
     
     
         26 . An apparatus as in  claim 25  wherein a first portion of the interconnect folds around an edge of the first super cell such that a remaining second interconnect portion is on a backside of the first super cell. 
     
     
         27 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein the module has a top conductive ribbon on the front surface facing a direction of solar energy, the apparatus further comprising:
 another module having a second super cell disposed on a front surface, a bottom ribbon on the other module facing away from the solar energy, and 
 wherein the second module overlaps and is bonded to a portion of the first module including the top ribbon. 
 
     
     
         28 . An apparatus as in  claim 27  wherein the other module is bonded to the module by adhesive. 
     
     
         29 . An apparatus as in  claim 27  further comprising a junction box overlapped by the other module. 
     
     
         30 . An apparatus as in  claim 29  wherein the other module is bonded to the module by a mating arrangement between the junction box and another junction box on the other module. 
     
     
         31 . An apparatus as in  claim 29  wherein the junction box houses a single module terminal. 
     
     
         32 . An apparatus as in  claim 27  further comprising a switch between the module and the other module. 
     
     
         33 . An apparatus as in  claim 32  further comprising a voltage sensing controller in communication with the switch. 
     
     
         34 . An apparatus as in  claim 27  wherein the first super cell comprises not fewer than nineteen solar cells electrically connected with a single bypass diode. 
     
     
         35 . An apparatus as in  claim 34  wherein the single bypass diode is positioned near a first module edge. 
     
     
         36 . An apparatus as in  claim 34  wherein the single bypass diode is positioned in a laminate structure. 
     
     
         37 . An apparatus as in  claim 36  wherein the super cell is encapsulated within the laminate structure. 
     
     
         38 . An apparatus as in  claim 34  wherein the single bypass diode is positioned around a first module perimeter. 
     
     
         39 . An apparatus as in  claim 27  wherein the first super cell and the second super cell comprise a pair connected to a power management device. 
     
     
         40 . An apparatus as in  claim 27  further comprising a power management device configured to,
 receive a voltage output of the first super cell; 
 based upon the voltage, determine if a solar cell of the first super cell is in reverse bias; and 
 disconnect the solar cell in reverse bias from a super cell module circuit.