An apparatus comprising: a substrate and a plurality of rectangular or substantially rectangular silicon solar cells disposed on the substrate and arranged in line with long sides of adjacent silicon solar cells overlapping and conductively bonded to each other with an electrically conductive bonding material to electrically connect the silicon solar cells in series to form a first string of silicon solar cells, each silicon solar cell comprising a front surface to be illuminated by light and an oppositely positioned rear surface; wherein the front surface of each silicon solar cell comprises a front metallization pattern comprising: a plurality of fingers oriented perpendicularly to an edge of a first long side of the silicon solar cell and spaced along the first long side; a front bus contact comprising a plurality of front contact pads running parallel to and adjacent to the first long side and interconnecting ends of the fingers; and a bypass conductor that interconnects two or more of the plurality of fingers to provide multiple current paths between the fingers and to electrically bypass cracks that may form between the front bus contact and the bypass conductor; wherein the rear surface of each silicon solar cell comprises a rear metallization pattern comprising a rear bus contact including a plurality of rear contact pads; wherein for each pair of adjacent silicon solar cells in the first string, the electrically conductive bonding material is bonded to and electrically interconnects the front bus contact of one cell of the pair of adjacent solar cells and the rear bus contact of another cell of the pair of adj acent solar cells to at least partially perform a current collecting function of a bus bar; further comprising a mechanically compliant electrically conductive interconnect located at each end of the first string, wherein a first mechanically compliant electrically conductive interconnect at a first end of the first string is electrically connected to the rear bus contact of a solar cell located at the first end of the first string, and a second mechanically compliant electrical interconnect at a second end of the first string is electrically connected to the front bus contact of a solar cell located at the second end of the first string. wherein the front surface of each silicon solar cell comprises a front metallization pattern comprising: a plurality of fingers oriented perpendicularly to an edge of a first long side of the silicon solar cell and spaced along the first long side; a front bus contact comprising a plurality of front contact pads running parallel to and adjacent to the first long side and interconnecting ends of the fingers; and a bypass conductor that interconnects two or more of the plurality of fingers to provide multiple current paths between the fingers and to electrically bypass cracks that may form between the front bus contact and the bypass conductor; a plurality of fingers oriented perpendicularly to an edge of a first long side of the silicon solar cell and spaced along the first long side; a front bus contact comprising a plurality of front contact pads running parallel to and adjacent to the first long side and interconnecting ends of the fingers; and a bypass conductor that interconnects two or more of the plurality of fingers to provide multiple current paths between the fingers and to electrically bypass cracks that may form between the front bus contact and the bypass conductor; wherein the rear surface of each silicon solar cell comprises a rear metallization pattern comprising a rear bus contact including a plurality of rear contact pads; wherein for each pair of adjacent silicon solar cells in the first string, the electrically conductive bonding material is bonded to and electrically interconnects the front bus contact of one cell of the pair of adjacent solar cells and the rear bus contact of another cell of the pair of adj acent solar cells to at least partially perform a current collecting function of a bus bar; further comprising a mechanically compliant electrically conductive interconnect located at each end of the first string, wherein a first mechanically compliant electrically conductive interconnect at a first end of the first string is electrically connected to the rear bus contact of a solar cell located at the first end of the first string, and a second mechanically compliant electrical interconnect at a second end of the first string is electrically connected to the front bus contact of a solar cell located at the second end of the first string.