Trina Solar claims 25.9% efficiency for large-area industrial TOPCon solar cells
The Chinese manufacturer said the result was confirmed by Germany’s Institute for Solar Energy Research in Hamelin.
Carbon provides clarity on patent case with JA Solar
French PV manufacturer Carbon says it is leading a consortium that has filed a patent opposition against JA Solar’s tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) patent at the European Patent Office (EPO) in May 2023. In early October, the EPO upheld the patent as valid, but Carbon says this ruling is only preliminary.
Runergy urges US authorities to revoke two of Trina Solar’s TOPCon patents
Runergy is pushing the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to cancel Trina Solar’s tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) patents, US9,722,104 and US10,230,009.
New research shows vulnerability of TOPCon solar cells to contact corrosion
Researchers at the University of New South Wales claim to have identified new TOPCon contact degradation mechanisms that are significantly influenced by the combination of ions and aluminum-silver paste compositions. The primary degradation mechanism was a significant increase in series resistance.
Trina Solar files with U.S. Trade Commission to protect TOPCon solar patents
The Chinese solar panel manufacturer filed patent complaints against Runergy and Adani Green Energy.
TOPCon solar cell built with printed aluminum paste achieves 22.56% efficiency
Developed by researchers in China, the TOPCon solar cell was screen printed with a paste made of silver and aluminum on the front side and an aluminum-only paste on the rear side. They added silicon to the aluminum paste to reduce metal recombination and improve the device’s open-circuit voltage.
Chinese researchers develop 28-µm silicon solar cell with 20% efficiency, 0% breakage rate
A research team in China has developed a novel thin-silicon wafer reinforced ring (TSRR) to protect ultra-thin wafers and solar cells during production. This technique consists of applying the ring at the edge of thin wafers and is compatible with all silicon solar module technology.
Fraunhofer ISE unveils M10 TOPCon solar cell with 24.0% efficiency
The German research institute said the new 120 µm thin solar cell could exceed 25% efficiency with the next optimization steps. The device was metalized via screen-printed contact fingers and calibrated by scientists at the Institute for Solar Energy Research Hamelin.
Fraunhofer ISE develops 23.4%-efficient PERC solar cells with limited silver amount
A team from Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems has reduced silver consumption in the fabrication of PERC solar cells by screen-printing ultra-fine metallization lines measuring just 14 μm. The resulting solar cell offered remarkable efficiency levels, which were confirmed by Fraunhofer ISE CalLab.
UNSW researchers warn of surprising TOPCon solar module vulnerabilities
Researchers at the University of New South Wales claim to have identified three TOPCon panel failure types that are absent in PERC products. They explained that these failures may occur when the modules are exposed to high humidity and contaminants before encapsulation.
