Trinasolar, a global leader in smart PV and energy storage solutions, is charting a new course for the solar industry by spearheading the industrialization of perovskite/silicon tandem solar cell technology. With TOPCon technology now firmly established as the industry mainstream, Trinasolar is investing heavily in what it foresees as the next disruptive leap in photovoltaic innovation.
TOPCon: A Solid Foundation for Today
As of 2024, TOPCon (Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact) cell technology has officially overtaken PERC as the dominant cell technology in the PV industry. Dr. Chen Yifeng, Vice President of Trinasolar and Vice Director of the State Key Laboratory of PV Science and Technology, highlighted at the SNEC 2025 forum that the current landscape is shaped by a “one core, two wings” paradigm—TOPCon as the core, with HJT and BC technologies playing complementary roles.
Trinasolar has played a critical role in shaping this evolution. The company’s i-TOPCon solar cell achieved a 25.9% efficiency in October 2024, measured by the Institute for Solar Energy Research (ISFH) in Hamelin, Germany, and was soon pushed to 26.58%, showcasing Trinasolar’s fast-paced innovation. These milestones reinforce Trinasolar’s leading position in n-type technology, laying a robust foundation for the transition to tandem technology.
Tandem Technology: The Future Is Coming
With silicon cells approaching the theoretical efficiency limit, the industry is in urgent need of transformative breakthroughs. Perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells—boasting a theoretical efficiency limit of 43%—are widely seen as the next dominant technology. Trinasolar recognized this trajectory early. As far back as 2014, the company began R&D into tandem technology and initiated a provincial-level research program on perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells. It is now the first Chinese PV manufacturer to systematically explore perovskite tandem innovation.
Today, Trinasolar's perovskite/silicon tandem modules demonstrate both high efficiency and scalability. The company’s 3.1m2 210mm industrial-format tandem module achieved 808W in March 2025, breaking the 800W barrier for the first time. In April, it reached 31.1% cell efficiency for 210mm formats. In June, the company achieved 829W module power output and 30.6% module efficiency on a 1185cm² lab device. Most recently, Trinasolar announced the module power output record at 841W. In the span of just a few months, the company has set five new world records in both cell efficiency and power output, all independently certified by third-parties.
From Lab to Factory: Trinasolar Accelerates Commercialization
At the 2025 SNEC Expo, Trinasolar showcased the record-setting 841W tandem module to wide acclaim, marking a clear signal that this advanced technology is transitioning from lab-scale to industrial production. The company is now constructing its first tandem pilot production line, aiming to raise module efficiency by over four percentage points compared to current silicon-based products.
Beyond technical breakthroughs, Trinasolar is actively shaping the industry ecosystem. In July 2024, it co-founded the “Tandem Innovation Center” with over a dozen supply chain partners to tackle reliability challenges, standardize testing protocols, and fast-track industrial-scale solutions. While current IEC standards fall short in evaluating long-term reliability of perovskite devices, Trinasolar advocates for a new framework of accelerated testing and outdoor validation, supported by industry-wide cooperation.
Intellectual Property and Strategic Alliances
Trinasolar’s vision extends beyond R&D. As Chairman Gao Jifan asserts, technological breakthroughs must be matched with robust IP protection to ensure sustainable innovation. As of March 2025, Trinasolar has 481 patent applications in tandem cell technologies, ranking first globally. The company has also secured exclusive rights in China to key perovskite patents from Oxford PV—another early and authoritative player in this area.
This exclusive collaboration between Trinasolar and Oxford PV is a landmark moment. Oxford PV CEO David Ward noted that this partnership represents a significant milestone in bringing tandem cell technology to the mainstream and will be instrumental in the global transition to clean energy.
A Decade of Vision, A New Chapter Begins
For over ten years, Trinasolar has invested in building a vertically integrated tandem ecosystem. From breakthrough material engineering—such as room-temperature conductive interconnects and ultra-low temperature metallization—to new photon management and heterojunction interfaces, the company has developed a comprehensive suite of enabling technologies.
As Gao Jifan emphasized, the transition to tandem is not merely a technological upgrade—it is a new historical phase for the solar industry. With industrial pilots under way, world records falling, and industry partnerships deepening, Trinasolar is poised to lead the market into the “30%+ efficiency” era.
With science as its compass and collaboration as its engine, Trinasolar is setting the pace for the next decade of photovoltaic excellence—one tandem at a time.
