What are shingled solar modules?

A solar panel manufacturing process that has gotten some traction recently is “shingling.” Not to be confused with “solar shingles” used in building-applied photovoltaics, shingled modules cut solar cells into strips and overlap them inside the framed module.

Are shingled solar panels a good idea?

Seraphim’s S2 shingled line runs around 355 W and 19.6% efficient. There’s no real reason to keep solar cells at their large square size. By cutting cells even just in half, gaps can be eliminated and more silicon can fit on a panel. Shingled-cell strings can reach the entire length of a module without a gap — like in SunPower’s P-series.

How do Solar shingles work?

Not to be confused with “solar shingles” used in building-applied photovoltaics, shingled modules cut solar cells into strips and overlap them inside the framed module. Intercell gaps are removed, and more silicon cells can be crammed into one module, increasing power output and module efficiency.

Are Jinko Solar modules shingled?

For example, JinkoSolar uses a “ tiling ribbon ” to eliminate intercell gaps and make busbar connections across overlapped half-cut cells. The cells never actually touch each other and are only cut in half; thus the modules are not considered to be shingling. “Jinko’s Tiling Ribbon (TR) technology is different from shingled modules.

What is a shingled module?

Without the introduction of dual-junction processes, like with heterojunction technology, which combines crystalline silicon with amorphous silicon thin-film to produce a high-power hybrid cell, a shingled module is the highest power and efficiency you can get with traditional, undoped crystalline silicon.