Clean energy leader LONGi has set a new world record for solar cell efficiency, achieving 30.1 per cent with its commercial M6 size wafer-level silicon-perovskite tandem solar cells.
The breakthrough marks a significant advancement in solar technology and brings the industry closer to commercialising high-efficiency tandem cells.
The announcement comes just days after LONGi’s previous record-setting achievement of 34.6 per cent tandem solar cell efficiency, unveiled at the 2024 SNEC EXPO in Shanghai.
This latest breakthrough surpasses the company’s prior record of 28.6 per cent efficiency on M4 commercial size wafers, set in May 2023, representing a substantial 1.5 per cent absolute efficiency improvement.
According to Dr. He Bo, R&D Director of LONGi Central R&D Institute, this achievement not only pushes the boundaries of silicon-perovskite tandem cell prototype efficiency, but also signifies a crucial step towards the commercial viability of this technology.
“While continuously exploring the efficiency limits of tandem solar cells, LONGi’s R&D team started research on mass production technology for tandem solar cells in October 2023, and in just six months, they overcame two key challenges: the preparation of large-area perovskite films in air and ultra-low-temperature metallisation,” He said.
The company’s R&D team has successfully demonstrated efficiency exceeding 30 per cent on commercial-sized devices for the first time, showcasing a significant advantage over LONGi’s recent 27.3 per cent efficiency record.
These advancements in tandem solar cell technology are particularly noteworthy, given the theoretical efficiency limit of 43 per cent for monocrystalline silicon-perovskite tandem solar cells.
This emerging photovoltaic technology is currently a focal point of research within the global solar industry, positioning itself as a potential successor to monocrystalline silicon back-contact (BC) cells.
LONGi’s research and development efforts have been substantial, with the company investing over 30 billion yuan in R&D since 2012.
This significant financial commitment has yielded tangible results, with LONGi securing 2879 patents by the end of 2023.
Industry analysts note that this extensive patent portfolio reinforces LONGi’s reputation as a key innovator in solar technology.
The company’s latest breakthrough aligns with its stated goal of “making the best of solar energy to build a green world”. LONGi continues to push the boundaries of solar cell efficiency and drive the development of new photovoltaic technologies.
Energy sector experts suggest that these efforts could play a crucial role in accelerating the transition to zero-carbon energy systems worldwide, potentially reshaping the renewable energy landscape in the coming years.
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