Module efficiency increase by colored cell connectors

Interconnecting wires in a module with mono-crystalline silicon solar cells collect the current and, at the same time, shadow the cells from the sun. Therefore, 4% of each solar cell area is optical inactive. We present dispersive white and UV-fluorescent paint on top of the connectors of an encapsulated mono-crystalline silicon solar cell. By guiding impinging photons onto the cell and enhancing the optical active area, the coloring induces an increased short circuit current density. Both, the white paint alone and the UV-fluorescent paint on top of white paint increase the calculated efficiency from η = 16.0% to η = 16.2%. We expect an even higher efficiency increase in a module with paint on all optical and photovoltaic inactive areas.