Comparison of output power for solar cells with standard and structured ribbons

¹ CTR Carinthian Tech Research AG, Europastr. 12, 9524 Villach/St.Magdalen, Austria
² AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Department of Health & Environment, Donau-City-Straße 11210 Vienna, Austria
³ AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Department of Energy, Giefinggasse 2, 1210 Vienna, Austria
⁴ KIOTO Photovoltaics GmbH, Industriepark Str. 1, 9300 St.Veit/Glan, Austria
⁵ Energetica Energietechnik GmbH, Adi-Dassler Gasse 6, 9073 Klagenfurt-Viktring, Austria
⁶ Ulbrich of Austria GmbH, Industriestr. 1, 7052 Müllendorf, Austria
⁷ Polytec PT GmbH, Polytec-Platz 1-7, 76337 Waldbronn, Germany
⁸ Teamtechnik GmbH, Planckstraße 40, 71691 Freiberg a. N., Germany

^a e-mail: wolfgang.muehleisen@ctr.at

Received: 2 February 2016
Accepted: 13 June 2016
Published online: 25 July 2016

Abstract

The optical loss due to the busbar grid and soldered interconnector ribbons on a three busbar standard multicrystalline silicon solar cell’s front side is at 2.3%. One way to reduce this optical loss on cell level and in a photovoltaic (PV) module is to use deep structured ribbons as cell connectors. The standard soldered, flat ribbon is replaced with a glued, multiple structured ribbon. The investigation of shiny soldered flat ribbons and multiple structured ribbons in single-cell mini modules demonstrates the light angle dependency and the benefit for the structured alternative. Additional yield measurements for conventional photovoltaic modules with soldered flat and glued multiple structured ribbons technologies were studied under laboratory conditions as well as in outdoor measurements. The simulations and the experimental findings confirmed that the new structured ribbon design increases the short circuit current and the yield by about 2%.