Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a shading protected solar cell apparatus for use in a solar cell system. The apparatus includes a solar cell having a front side current collector and a back side current collector. The apparatus also includes a bypass diode closely adjacent the back side current collector, the bypass diode having a front side current collector and a back side current collector. The apparatus further includes a first electrical coupling for electrically coupling the front side current collector of the bypass diode to the back side current collector of the solar cell. The apparatus also includes a second electrical coupling for electrically coupling the back side current collector of the bypass diode to the front side current collector of the solar cell, the first and second electrical couplings cooperating to enable a current generated by non-shaded solar cells in the system to be shunted through the bypass diode when the solar cell is shaded.

Abstract: A method for temporarily electrically coupling to each of a plurality of current gathering fingers on a surface of a solar cell, to facilitate testing of the solar cell involves pressing a flexible elongate electrical conductor onto the surface of the solar cell such that an elongate contact surface of the electrical conductor extends across the surface of the solar cell to make electrical contact with substantially all of a surface of a bus connected to the fingers or at least a portion of each of the fingers, or both.