On May 24, at the 16th (2023) International Solar Photovoltaic and Smart Energy (Shanghai) Exhibition (SNEC), the most influential photovoltaic event in the world, LONGi Green Energy Technology Co., Ltd. held a launch conference for its “STAR Innovative Ecological Cooperation Platform” and announced its new efficiency of 31.8% for perovskite/crystalline silicon tandem solar cells based on commercial CZ silicon wafers.
Solar cell efficiency has been hailed as a beacon of innovation in photovoltaic technology. According to the recent authoritative certification report of the German Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Fraunhofer ISE), LONGi has achieved a conversion efficiency of 31.8% for perovskite/crystalline silicon tandem solar cells based on commercial CZ silicon wafers. This is also the highest internationally certified conversion efficiency based on the superposition of perovskite on commercial CZ silicon wafers.
Reportedly, the LONGi R&D team is one of the earliest in China to carry out research on laminated cells. In the face of mass production development, the LONGi R&D team has achieved successive breakthroughs in key technologies. These include perovskite thin-film crystal growth on textured silicon substrates, high-efficiency bulk passivation and optical management, and these advancements have led to rapid improvements in the efficiency of silicon-based stacked cells.
Previously, the international authoritative certification efficiency of the tandem cells developed by the LONGi R&D team exceeded 25.7% and 29.55% in 2021 and 2022, respectively, and was included in the “Table of China’s Highest Efficiency of Solar Cells” issued by the Photovoltaic Professional Committee of the China Renewable Energy Society that year, showcasing China’s leading position in cell technology.
In particular, from 29.55% efficiency on December 31 last year to 31.8% efficiency on March 31 this year, the absolute value of efficiency increased by 2.25% within three months.
During a media interview, Li Zhenguo said improving cell conversion efficiency and reducing the cost of electricity remain the perpetual theme driving the development of the photovoltaic industry.
Since April 2021, LONGi has broken the world record for solar cell efficiency 14 times, and currently holds the title of achieving the highest conversion efficiency for silicon solar cells at 26.81%.
“No lead, no production expansion” stands as the firm rule set by LONGi based on its sound business philosophy. Adhering to this principle, LONGi plans to make a large-scale deployment only if it has a technical roadmap that is ready for mass production within 2-3 years after strategic research and assessment.
As one of the three highlights of this innovative release, LONGi’s self-developed silicon heterojunction conversion efficiency of 26.81%, which is a world-record-holding conceptual product 2681 built in November 2022, was also officially unveiled at this conference.
This conceptual product named 2681 weighs 31.8kg and has a size of 2278mm × 1134mm. Its ultra-high efficiency is based on the advanced technology of 26.81% crystalline silicon cell efficiency achieved last year, and its ultra-high performance comes from high battery development. It also has other features like voltage and symmetrical battery structure, and power generation of over 600W.
According to reports, the LONGi R&D team managed to transform laboratory data into a conceptual product within a mere six-month timeframe. The development of the conceptual product brings it one step closer to achieving mass production.
Every technological breakthrough of LONGi is not solely based on the advancement of laboratory data but is driven by the goal of industrialization. LONGi swiftly incorporates advanced and cutting-edge technologies from around the world into mass production, thereby facilitating the technological advancement of the entire industry. To this end, LONGi has continued to boost investment in research and development. Since its listing in 2012, LONGi has invested a total of 19.5 billion yuan in research and development and has obtained 2,132 patents of various types.
