A photovoltaic solar cell assembly includes a bypass diode, a first and a second planar solar cell. Each of the first and the second solar cell includes a front facing side and a rear facing side, each rear facing side including a respective conductive surface, each front facing side including a respective current collector bar, and corresponding grid of metallic lines conductively coupled with the current collector bar. A first terminal of the bypass diode is electrically coupled with the conductive surface of the first solar cell. A second terminal of the bypass diode is electrically coupled with the current collector bar of the second solar cell. Electrical coupling of the bypass diode with the first solar cell and the second solar cell excludes any external wiring or busbar.