Featured in As simple as IBC – 03-2023

China goes big on back contact

When Longi Solar said in November 2022 that its new Hi-MO 6 modules would feature a mixture of interdigitated back-contact (IBC) and tunnel-oxide, passivated contact (TOPCon) cells, it stunned the solar industry. However, IBC production has been under way in China for some time, reports Vincent Shaw.

By

Vincent Shaw

09 Mar 2023

Longi Solar executives at the launch of its Hi-MO 6 modules in November 2022. While many of Longi’s large-scale rivals are pursuing TOPCon, the company has sought to differentiate itself by producing high-efficiency back contact cells. | Photo: Longi Solar

As the race to replace passivated-emitter, rear contact (PERC) cells as the mainstream solar technology intensifies, there are three main contenders. While PERC was almost uniformly adopted by solar manufacturers, companies are now betting on TOPCon, heterojunction (HJT), and IBC cells.Big manufacturers must balance solar module conversion efficiency and cost while having the technical flexibility …

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