NOVELTY - A solar panel apparatus (10) comprises substrate (12) having front and rear planar faces (14, 16); solar cells arranged into planar array on the rear face; electrical conductors; electrodes electrically connecting the solar cells together into series strings of solar cells; and bypass diodes electrically connected between respective pair of electrical conductors to shunt current from a corresponding string connected to respective pair of electrical conductors when a solar cell of the corresponding string is shaded.    USE - A solar panel apparatus.    ADVANTAGE - The apparatus permits increasing number of photovoltaic strings and provides shading protection of the strings.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Solar panel apparatus (10) comprises:    (1) transparent sheet substrate (12) having front and rear planar faces (14, 16) and perimeter edge (18) extending all around a perimeter of the substrate;    (2) solar cells (22) arranged into planar array on the rear face such that light operable to activate the solar cells can pass though the substrate to activate the solar cells and such that a perimeter margin is formed on the rear face of the substrate, adjacent the perimeter edge;    (3) electrical conductors (26) arranged end to end in the perimeter margin;    (4) electrodes (28) electrically connecting the solar cells together into series strings (30) of solar cells, each series string having positive and negative terminals (32, 34) electrically connected to respective adjacent pair of electrical conductors adjacent to each other, in the perimeter margin; and    (5) bypass diodes (36) electrically connected between respective pair of electrical conductors to shunt current from a corresponding string connected to the respective pair of electrical conductors when a solar cell of the corresponding string is shaded.    An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for protecting a string of solar cells from shading in a solar panel having strings of solar cells.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The drawing is a schematic view of a solar panel apparatus.    Solar panel apparatus (10)    Substrate (12)    Front and rear planar faces (14, 16)    Perimeter edge (18)    Solar cells (22)    Electrical conductors (26)    Electrodes (28)    Strings (30)    Positive and negative terminals (32, 34)    Bypass diodes (36)