What are 'anti-shade' solar panels?
- Lyall Burgess
- Apr 2
- 3 min read
No it's not still April Fool's Day, just some marketing spin that we've seen recently from other brands of solar panels. In fact there seems to be a lot of talk about anti-shade, you may have even seen some of these other great one-liners:
Shade tolerant solar panels
Shade proof solar panels
Shade resistant solar panels
Solar panel that works in the shade (not clickbait!)
Anti-shading N-type solar panels
Game-Changer Solar Panels That Work in the Shade
It reminds me a few years ago when one of the flexible solar panel manufacturers had a non-skid surface, think little dimples on the front, and had images (wish I had saved a copy!) depicting how the non-skid surface actually helped reflect light back onto the panel and increase production. If this was true then why wouldn't all solar panels have these magic dimples on them to somehow reflect more light and boost production?!
We agree that shade is the enemy but there are fundamental reasons why Maxeon solar cells perform better. In fact many solar panels are already shading themselves by having those 'silver lines' all over the front of them. Each of those silver lines (busbars & fingers) are laying on top of the active solar surface and blocking it from receiving light. In a very tiny, tiny way the silver lines also create a little shade around it. All contributing to less of the solar cell being exposed to sunlight.
'silver lines' means a shaded solar cell. Maxeon doesn't have any!
In a double whammy the shiny, silver metal busbars and fingers on top of the cell not only block the solar surface but actually reflect sunlight away from the silicon where electricity is produced, reducing the cell's efficiency. The more metal you have on the surface the more light you block. That light is then lost and cannot be converted to electricity. This metal grid can cover up to around 5-10% of the top surface of a solar cell.
Actually there's a triple whammy, the silver lines are often made of a baked-on aluminum paste which is porous, prone to corrosion & cracking and aluminum is a poor conductor when compared to the solid copper backing of a Maxeon cell. So it's got me thinking that maybe Maxeon, without any silver lines on the front of their solar cells, is like the OG anti-shade solar panel, awesome!!
Is Maxeon the OG when it comes to anti-shade solar panels?
Many solar cells now have 3, 4 or 5 busbars and MBB (Multiple Bus Bars) seems to be trending, which can be as many as 9 or 12 busbars! Is this a good thing or just even more metal blocking the solar cells. So it's got me thinking is Maxeon, without any silver lines, the OG anti-shade solar panel? Maybe so, just without marketing it!
Is MBB (Multiple Bus Bars) a good thing?
Maxeon cells are fundamentally different
With Maxeon cells there are no silver lines as the connectivity is all done at the back of the cell using a solid copper foundation. Copper is a better conductor than aluminum, it gives the cell added strength, it's more protected being at the back and above all it doesn't shade out the active solar surface. 100% of the front of the solar cell is used to conduct light, there is no shade from a metal grid.
Maxeon solar cells are built with a solid copper foundation
How to avoid shading from buildings, rigging, trees etc
Depending on where you keep your boat it might be that shade can be predicted, maybe there's a marina building or hotel complex blocking your slip, or some trees shading the boat at different times of the day. I have the SunTracker app downloaded on my phone which is handy for a couple of reasons but I like to use the augmented reality feature. With this you can use the camera on your phone and see the track of the sun where it will pass and see what might get in the way and shade your solar panels.
Summary
In summary, here are the downsides to all those silver lines you may see on an 'anti-shade' solar panel:
Silver lines block the active solar surface
Silver lines shiny surface reflects light back off the solar cell
Silver lines are made of aluminum which is porous, prone to corrosion & a poor conductor
Have any questions about shade? We're always happy to chat solar and help highlight the Maxeon advantages:
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