Half-cut solar cells are a technology innovation developed by REC Solar back in 2014 as a way to increase energy production performance. Cutting the cells in half results in twice as many cells in a panel compared to full-cell panels. For example, a standard panel might have 60 cells, while a half-cut cell panel could have 120 half-cells.
This type of wiring allows panels built with half-cut cells to lose less power when a single cell is shaded because a single-shaded cell can only eliminate a sixth of the total panel power output. Wiring scheme for a solar panel made with half-cut cells. There are six separate "rows" of cells wired together in parallel.
One of the notable developments in PV technology is the new solar panels with half-cut cells, capable of doubling the generation of power and cutting down the overall maintenance costs. Keep reading to know why half-cut cells are better than full cell on solar panels.
Half-cut cell mono PERC solar modules feature solar cells that have been chopped in half, which increases the performance and endurance of the solar module. Traditional solar panels with 60 and 72 cells will contain 120 and 144 half-cut cells, respectively.
Traditional monocrystalline solar panels usually have 60 to 72 solar cells, so when those cells are cut in half, the number of cells increases. Half-cut panels have 120 to 144 cells and are usually made with PERC technology, which offers higher module efficiency. The cells are cut in half, very delicately, with a laser.
When solar cells are cut in half, their current is likewise cut in half, lowering resistive losses and allowing the solar cells to produce more electricity. Half-cut cells provide a number of advantages over standard solar cells. Most notably, half-cut solar cells outperform and last longer.
In half-cut panels, these cells are cut in half, effectively doubling the number of cells on the panel. This increase in cell count allows for higher energy production. The key to the design of half-cut solar panels lies in their unique wiring system.