What Is Half-Cut Solar Cell Technology?

Half-cut solar cells are rectangular silicon solar cells with about half the area of a traditional square solar cell, which are wired together to make a solar module (aka panel). The advantage of half-cut solar cells is that they exhibit less energy loss from resistance and heat, allowing manufacturers to increase total efficiency of the solar panel.

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Half-cut cells also allow a solar panel to be wired into two individual halves, allowing one half to maintain full performance even when the other half is shaded. This design was pioneered by REC Solar in , and has since become the standard of the industry for most major manufacturers.

Let&#;s dig deeper into how half-cut cell PV modules work, why their design improves the performance of standard solar panels, which manufacturers use them, and the potential future of the technology.

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Key takeaways

• Half-cut solar cells perform better than traditional solar panels due to the higher number of cells and upgraded series wiring within the panel.

• Half-cut solar cells are typically higher-wattage than traditional panels, but they are more expensive and challenging to manufacture.

• Opt for half-cut solar panels if you need to get solar power from a small space, otherwise traditional panels will work fine for most homes.

How do half-cut solar cells work?

Half-cut solar cell technology increases the energy output of solar panels by reducing the size of the cells, so more can fit on the panel. The panel is then split in half so the top operates independently of the bottom, which means more energy is created - even if one half is shaded.

That&#;s the general overview - below, we break the process down.

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. By cutting these cells in half, the current within the cells is also halved, which essentially means that resistive losses from traveling energy via current are reduced, which, in turn, equals better performance.

Since the solar cells are cut in half, and are thereby reduced in size, they have more cells on the panel than traditional panels do. The panel itself is then split in half so that the top and bottom portions operate as two separate panels - generating energy even if one half is shaded. 

The key to half-cut cell design is a different method of &#;series wiring&#; for the panel, or the way the solar cells are wired together and pass electricity through a bypass diode within a panel. The bypass diode, indicated by the red line in the images below, carries the electricity that the cells generate to the junction box. 

In a traditional panel, when one cell is shaded or faulty and does not process energy, the entire row that is within the series wiring will stop producing power. 

For example, let&#;s take a look at the traditional 3-string series wiring method:

With the traditional full cell string series wiring, shown above, if a solar cell in Row 1 does not have ample sunlight, every cell within that series will not produce energy. This knocks out a third of the panel. 

A half-cut, 6-string solar panel works a bit differently: 

If a solar cell in Row 1 is shaded, the cells within that row (and that row only) will stop producing power. Row 4 will continue to produce power, generating more energy than a traditional series wiring because only one-sixth of the panel has stopped producing power, instead of one-third. 

You can also see that the panel itself is split in half, so there are 6 total cell groups instead of 3. The bypass diode connects in the middle of the panel, instead of on one side like the traditional wiring above. 

What are the advantages of half-cut cells?

The advantages of half-cut cell panels are numerous.

They improve the power output and performance of solar modules because they offer a higher shade tolerance due to their unique wiring system. This means that if your home has some trees that cast shade onto your roof at certain times during the day, your entire solar panel will not be unusable, like it would with a traditional solar panel. 

Another benefit is the fact that they usually offer a higher wattage than traditional panels, even up to 380 watts for the REC Alpha versus traditional 250 watt solar panels, meaning they produce more power per square foot.

Additionally, the effects of hot spots are less severe on your solar panels with half-cut cells. Hot spots are the shifting of excess heat on a panel, say from a very hot part to the shaded, cooler section. With a half-cut cell, hot spots will not be as damaging because there are more cells to spread the excess heat to.

Half-cut cells also reduce power loss suffered by traditional panels by reducing internal resistance. Internal series resistance occurs just by the nature of energy traveling through the panel via electric current. But because solar cells are cut in half, there is less current generated from each cell, meaning less resistive losses.

Although half-cut cells offer many advantages, they are more expensive because they are more challenging to manufacture, with increased soldering steps and laser cutting. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide if the overall benefits make the increased cost worth it.  

Which manufacturers use half-cut cell modules?

Ever since REC Solar pioneered half-cut cell technology, many solar companies have followed suit. Some of the more well-known manufacturers are Panasonic, Trina Solar, Q CELLS, Jinko Solar, and LONGi Solar panels.

If you are interested in half-cut cell solar panels, work with your installer to find the best option for your specific roof&#;s solar installation. Whichever option you choose, traditional versus half-cut, going with a reputable manufacturer and trustworthy local installers is your best option. 

Are half-cut panels the future of solar?

Half-cut cells are really great for improving the solar power energy yield of panels, but they are more challenging to manufacture. This makes it hard for traditional manufacturers to switch to producing half-cell solar modules, it is not as simple as just adding half-cut cells to a production line. 

In many cases, traditional solar panels can still work for you, like if your roof has ample sunlight throughout the day.

But if you need every ounce of energy you can get because you live in a shady area or you want to maximize your net metering benefits, half-cut cells make sense. Ask for half-cut cells if you have a small surface area that needs to generate all the solar power it can. Otherwise, you should be fine with traditional panels even if you might need a few more of them on your roof. 

Perhaps when the manufacturing of half-cut cells becomes more streamlined and easier to adopt, they will become cheaper and more widespread. Your solar installer will help you decide if half-cut cells are the right choice for your rooftop solar array. 

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What Are Half-cut Solar Cells?

REC Solar pioneered half-cut solar photovoltaic cells in with the goal of increasing the energy production of solar panels. Implementing half-cut cells in solar panels can enhance the power output of a solar panel system just as bifacial solar panels and PERC solar cells give slight boosts in the efficiencies of silicon solar panels. Half-cut solar cells are, as the name implies, typical silicon solar cells that have been sliced in half by a laser cutter.

Half-cut cells provide a number of advantages over standard solar cells. Most notably, half-cut solar cells outperform and last longer. In terms of performance, half-cut cells can boost panel efficiencies by a few percentage points. Furthermore, half-cut cells are more physically robust than their typical counterparts, because they are smaller in size, they are more resistant to breaking.

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With these benefits, solar panels constructed with half-cut solar cells have the potential to give property owners installing solar energy systems shorter solar payback periods. Half-cut cells, particularly in installations where shade and restricted space are constraints, can make a solar panel installation even more worthwhile.

How Do Half-Cut Solar Cells Work?

Half-cut solar cell technology boosts the energy production of solar panels by lowering cell size, allowing more cells to fit on the panel. The panel is then divided in half so that the top runs independently of the bottom, generating more energy even if one part is shaded.

That&#;s the general overview - below, we break the process down.

Traditional monocrystalline solar panels typically feature 60 to 72 solar cells, therefore cutting those cells in half improves the number of cells. Half-cut panels typically feature 120 to 144 cells and are built with PERC technology, which provides improved module efficiency.

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A laser is used to carefully chop the cells in half. By halving the current within the cells, resistive losses from transporting energy via current are decreased, resulting in improved performance. Because the solar cells are sliced in half and hence smaller in size, there are more cells on the panel than on regular panels. The panel is then divided in half so that the top and bottom halves act as two independent panels, producing electricity even if one half is shaded.

The key to half-cut cell design is a distinct form of panel "series wiring," or how the solar cells are linked together and send power through a bypass diode within a panel. The bypass diode, shown by the red line in the figures below, transports the power generated by the cells to the junction box.

When one cell in a conventional panel is shaded or defective and does not process energy, the entire row inside the series wiring stops providing power.

Half-Cut Solar Panel Vs Full Cell:

Traditional full cell panels (60 cells) are constructed with 60 or 72 cells per panel. A half-Cell module doubles the number of cells per panel to 120 or 144. The panel is the same size as a full cell panel but has twice the number of cells. By increasing the number of cells, this technique offers additional opportunities to capture solar energy and deliver it to the inverter.

Half-Cell technology is the technique of cutting cells in half to reduce resistance and boost efficiency. Traditional full cell panels with 60 or 72 cells generate resistance, reducing the panel's potential to generate additional power. Half-Cells with 120 or 144 cells have lower resistance, implying that more energy is collected and generated. Smaller cells on each half-cell panel lessen mechanical loads on the panel. The smaller the cell, the less likely the panel to micro fracture.

Furthermore, Half-Cell technology offers better power output ratings and is typically more dependable than regular full cell panels.

What Is A Mono PERC Half Cut Solar Panel?

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. 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 terms of performance, half-cut cells can boost panel efficiencies by a few percentage points. Furthermore, half-cut cells are more physically robust than their typical counterparts; because they are smaller in size, they are more resistant to breaking.

Smaller cells endure lower mechanical stresses, resulting in a lower chance of breaking. Half-cut cell PV modules outperform conventional solar panels in terms of production and dependability.

When compared to regular solar modules, new solar module generating technology has enhanced module output by up to 15 watts. With an efficiency of up to 19.79 percent.

The new solar module series, which is based on the newest trend of half cut cell technology, not only cuts the cells in half but also reduces the cost, resulting in a reduced LCOE.

What Are The Advantages Of Half-cut Solar Cells?

• They boost the power production and performance of solar modules because of their unique wiring arrangement, which allows them to tolerate more shadow. This implies that if your house has trees that cast shade on your roof at particular times of the day, your complete solar panel will not be rendered inoperable, as would a regular solar panel.
  
• Another advantage is that they often have a greater wattage than standard panels, up to 380 watts for the REC Alpha against traditional panels, which are normally in the 250-watt range, resulting in more electricity per square foot.
  
• Furthermore, the consequences of hot spots on your solar panels with half-cut cells are less severe. Hot spots are caused by the movement of surplus heat on a panel, such as from an extremely hot portion to a shaded, cooler section. Hot spots are less destructive in a half-cut cell since there are more cells to distribute the surplus heat to.
  
• By decreasing internal resistance, half-cut cells also minimize power loss seen by standard panels. Internal series resistance develops simply as a result of the nature of the energy going through the panel through electric current. However, when solar cells are chopped in half, less current is generated from each cell, resulting in lower resistive losses.

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• Although half-cut cells have several advantages, they are more costly since they need additional soldering processes and laser cutting to create. Finally, you must consider whether the total benefits outweigh the extra expense.
  

How Do Half-Cut Solar Cells Improve Panel Performance?

Reduced resistive losses:

Resistive losses, or power lost during electrical current transit, are one form of power loss when solar cells convert sunlight into electricity. The tiny metal ribbons that traverse the surface of solar cells and connect them to nearby wires and cells transmit current, and transferring current via these ribbons results in some energy loss. Cutting solar cells in half reduces the current generated by each cell, and lesser current flowing results in fewer resistive losses when energy passes through cells and wires in a solar panel.

Higher Shade Tolerance:

Half-cut cells are more resistant to shading than regular solar cells. This is due to the wiring procedures used to link half-cut cells in a panel, rather than the cells being sliced in half. Traditional solar panels with complete cells are linked together in rows, which is known as series wiring. If one cell in a row is shaded and not producing energy, the entire row of cells will cease to produce electricity. Shade on one cell of one row would remove one-third of the power produced by a standard panel, which normally has three different rows of cells linked together.

Half-cut cells are likewise wired in series, but because panels built with half-cut cells have twice as many cells (120 instead of 60), there are twice as many independent rows of cells. Because a single shaded cell may only reduce a sixth of the total panel power output, panels made with half-cut cells lose less power when a single cell is shaded.

What Are The Disadvantages Of Half-cut Solar Cells?

High Cost of Manufacturing:

To produce the same amount of half-cut solar cell modules as whole-cell modules, producers must spend in doubling their tabber & stringers and purchasing cleaving equipment. According to studies, half-cell modules cost 0.6-1.2 percent more than whole-cell modules, however because of the increased power, their cost per watt is lowered by 0.8-1 percent.

Increased Probability of Cell-Inherent Defects:

Manufacturing half-cut solar cell modules implies twice as many soldered connections, which means twice as many faulty contacts. Cutting the solar cell in half increases the likelihood of producing faulty cells, which is a disadvantage of the technique for producers. While this is a concern, a producer with excellent quality control would not be adversely affected.

What Solar Panel Manufacturers Use Half-Cut Cells?

REC Solar introduced the first half-cut cell solar panels in , and they have subsequently shifted the majority of their module manufacturing to be geared for half-cut cell manufacture. In addition to REC, various manufacturers have released half-cell modules. Half-cell panel alternatives are available from a number of big solar panel manufacturers, including Trina Solar, Hanwha Q CELLS, JinkoSolar, and LONGi Solar.

If you're interested in half-cut cell solar panels, consult with your installer to determine the best option for solar installation on your individual roof. Regardless of the choice you pick, standard vs half-cut, working with a reputable manufacturer and dependable local installers is your best bet.

Are Half-Cut Solar Panels Worth Your Investment?

Half-cut cells are excellent for increasing the energy yield of solar panels, but they are more difficult to manufacture. This makes switching to generating half-cell solar modules difficult for typical producers; it is not as simple as just adding half-cut cells to a production line.

Traditional solar panels can still be useful in many circumstances, such as if your roof receives plenty of sunshine throughout the day.

Half-cut cells, on the other hand, make sense if you need every ounce of energy you can get because you live in a remote area or want to maximize your net metering benefits. If you have a little surface area and require as much sun energy as possible, request half-cut cells. Otherwise, conventional panels should be enough, though you may want a few more on your roof that are created and plotted using solar panel design software.

Perhaps as the manufacture of half-cut cells gets more streamlined and simple to implement, they will become less expensive and more common. Your solar installer will assist you in determining if half-cut cells are the best option for your rooftop solar installation.

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