Trina Solar, a prominent Chinese solar technology company, announced on Monday a groundbreaking achievement in solar module efficiency, according to Reuters.
Laboratory tests revealed that the company’s large surface area n-type fully passivated heterojunction, or HJT, modules had reached a conversion efficiency of 25.44 percent.
HJT modules utilize n-type monocrystalline silicon as the substrate and are designed to enhance efficiency and performance through a unique structure and material composition.
The milestone, certified by the Fraunhofer CalLab in Germany, sets a new global benchmark for this advanced technology.
Understanding the Science Behind the Innovation
Passivation is a technology that covers defects on the surface of a solar cell. In contrast, cell efficiency refers to the percentage of solar energy hitting a device converted into usable electricity.
Increasing cell efficiency can reduce the size needed for solar installations and cut costs.
Professor Martin Green at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, whose lab held the solar cell efficiency record for decades, said the result demonstrated the potential of HJT solar technology, one of several contending to become the predominant next-generation technology for the sector.
“In the long run it’s all about efficiency, so even if some sequences are at the moment more costly than others, what tends to happen is that as the industry gets itself into a new technology the cost comes down quite quickly,” Green told Reuters.
Positioning for the Future
Gao Jifan, Trina’s chairman and CEO, emphasized the company’s commitment to innovation. “We will continue to invest heavily in research and development to solidify our leadership in passivated solar technology,” Gao noted.
Despite its current niche status, HJT technology is gaining traction. Industry consultancy InfoLink predicts that HJT will account for 7 percent of high-efficiency solar cell capacity in 2024, rising incrementally to 9 percent by 2026. However, tunnel-activated passive contact, or TopCON, cells are expected to dominate the market over the next five years.
A New Milestone in Solar Technology
Trina Solar’s achievement represents a record for HJT modules and marks a significant milestone for single-crystalline silicon solar cell modules in general. As global demand for renewable energy soars, technological advancements like these pave the way for more efficient and cost-effective solutions to meet the world’s energy needs.
This latest breakthrough underscores the competitive and innovative spirit driving the solar industry as it works to address the challenges of climate change and energy transition. As the industry evolves, efficiency gains and cost reductions will remain key to reshaping the future of renewable energy.
