Solar energy is a clean, abundant, and increasingly affordable source of power. It’s a renewable resource, meaning it doesn’t deplete the Earth’s resources. Solar panels can be used anywhere, including space, and are becoming more efficient and cost-effective. China recently broke the laws of energy with their invention, which is not your typical solar panel.
The pioneering Chinese company that’s setting records
The Chinese company, LONGi, is a world-leading solar technology company and recently made another noteworthy breakthrough in solar cell research and development (R&D). The company single-handedly developed a two-terminal crystalline silicon-perovskite tandem solar cell, which accomplished its latest milestone and once again broke its world record for crystalline silicon-perovskite tandem cell efficiency. LONGi’s solar cell achieved a conversion efficiency of 34.85%, and it was certified by the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
Crystalline silicon-perovskite tandem solar cells pave the way for next-generation ultra-efficient solar cells and boast a theoretical efficiency limit of 43%, far surpassing the Shockley-Queisser (SQ) limit for single-junction solar cells (33.7%). LONGi’s tandem solar cell R&D team has consistently pushed the boundaries of this technology:
- November 2023: The R&D team achieved a tandem solar cell efficiency of 33.9%, nearing the SQ limit.
- June 2024: The R&D team made a new record with 34.6% conversion efficiency.
- Latest Milestone: Within a year, the R&D team achieved a new world record of 34.85% efficiency, showcasing the formidable R&D capabilities and relentless innovation drive of the LONGi Central Research Institute.
LONGi is breaking the laws of energy
The Chinese photovoltaic module manufacturer announced its proprietary hybrid interdigitated back contact (HIBC) crystalline silicon solar cell, which is based on a full-size silicon wafer, achieved a world record power conversion efficiency of 27.81%. The result was certified by Germany’s Institute for Solar Energy Research Hamelin (ISFH).
The cell also achieved a short-circuit current of 5,698 mA, an open-circuit voltage of 744.9 mV, and a fill factor of 87.55%. The performance beats the company’s old record of 27.3%, which was achieved in May 2024. Since that breakthrough, the company has come a long way since its early years. Its world records in both single-junction crystalline silicon solar cells and crystalline silicon-perovskite tandem solar cells ensure that the company remains the “Dual Champion” in solar innovation and reinforces its leadership in core photovoltaic technologies.
“By redesigning both the cell architecture and material systems, we achieved simultaneous breakthroughs in optical management and carrier transport efficiency,” the spokesperson stated, without providing further details.This opens a new frontier for enhancing module power density and sets a benchmark for the next generation of photovoltaic performance.” – LONGi spokesperson
It is more than just a typical solar panel
LONGi highlights independent innovation and technological R&D, consistently progressing cost reduction and efficiency enhancement across the industry through the industrialization of pioneering technologies. These approaches established a significantly efficient R&D system and technology reserves, underlined by the strategy of “mass production for one generation, R&D for the next, and technology reserves for the future.” LONGi remains committed to technological innovation, leveraging self-developed breakthroughs and unique technologies to promote the global energy transition.
“In the solar industry, conversion efficiency is a defining metric. Each one-point increase in cell efficiency translates into more than a 5% reduction in system costs.” – Li Zhenguo, founder and president of LONGi Green Energy
So, this is a solar panel, but it’s also not. Its record-breaking efficiency places this technology in a whole other category, making it so much more than the typical solar panel. Not only does it decrease system costs and provide efficient energy, but it also significantly contributes to China’s attempt to decrease global carbon emissions, making this super solar panel eco-friendly. We believe this isn’t the last we’ve heard of LONGi, and we cannot wait to see more of their record-breaking technology.
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