Lateral Currents in Shingle Solar Modules Detected by Magnetic Field Imaging

Lateral currents in shingle joints are the driving advantage of shingle matrix modules when it comes to partial shading. In the shingle matrix layout, the shingle joints allow the current to pass shaded regions of the solar module, whereas in other module layouts, the current is blocked by shaded solar cells. We use magnetic field imaging to unveil the current paths in a shingle string and a shingle matrix module under partial shading at 1000 W m-2 irradiation with AM1.5 spectrum. The experimental results are compared with a circuit simulation based on an extended two-diode model implemented in LTspice.