China’s Trina Solar has achieved a new world record in solar module conversion efficiency, the company stated on Monday. Its large surface area n-type fully passivated heterojunction (HJT) modules reached an efficiency of 25.44% in a lab test conducted by Fraunhofer CalLab, a renowned solar research institute in Germany.
Passivation, a technology used to address surface defects on solar cells, enhances efficiency by increasing the percentage of solar energy converted into usable electricity. Improved efficiency can significantly reduce the size and cost of solar installations, a critical factor for the industry.
Trina Solar’s chairman and CEO, Gao Jifan, emphasised the company’s commitment to advancing passivated solar technology to sustain its leadership in the sector.
Professor Martin Green of the University of New South Wales in Sydney, a pioneer in solar efficiency research, highlighted the potential of HJT technology. “In the long run, it’s all about efficiency,” he said adding that while some methods may currently be more expensive, industry adoption typically drives costs down quickly.
Although HJT technology represents a small share of the market, with solar consultancy InfoLink estimating it will grow from 7% of high-efficiency solar cell capacity in 2024 to 9% in 2026, it holds significant promise. Meanwhile, TopCON (tunnel activated passive contact) cells are expected to dominate over the next five years.
Trina stated that this record not only highlights the potential of HJT technology but also sets a new milestone for the photoelectric conversion efficiency of single-crystalline silicon solar cell modules.
