Improving LECO-compatible silver pastes to ensure TOPCon reliabilty
Researchers in China have created new silver pastes for TOPCon solar cell LECO manufacturing. The new pastes integrate either aluminum, gallium or iron and can reportedly keep cells’ electrodes securely anchored to the silicon cell surface due to the enhanced stability of the lead oxide (PbO) component in the glass powder.
Involt Energy breaks ground on 1.78 GW n-type TOPCon solar cell factory
Involt Energy has entered solar cell manufacturing with a 1.78 GW fully automated facility in western India. The company plans to begin ramp-up by mid 2026 with an additional 3 GW cell line and a 3 GW wafer manufacturing facility.
Novasys unveils 650 W TOPCon bifacial modules with up to 23.05% efficiency
Novasys Greenergy has released the Lynx Series n-type tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) glass-backsheet bifacial solar modules in power outputs from 600 Wp to 650 Wp and efficiencies between 21.27% and 23.05%.
TOPCon solar cell built with silver-doped nickel metallization achieves 23.66% efficiency
Scientists in Turkiye claim to have developed a nickel-based TOPCon solar cell with a minimal silver content and almost the same efficiency as fully silver metallized counterparts. The device uses a new nickel contact method that requires a trace of silver of only 0.5 mg/W.
Indian PV makers turn to BC-TOPCon to ease shift to back-contact tech
Indian solar manufacturers are exploring hybrid solutions like BC-TOPCon to bridge tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) and back-contact (BC) technologies, aiming to optimize efficiency while leveraging existing infrastructure.
Solar Module Quality Trends 2025 with Tristan Erion-Lorico
Tristan Erion-Lorico, VP sales and marketing at Kiwa PVEL, spoke with pv magazine Editor Marian Willuhn at Intersolar Europe 2025 about rising module failures in lab tests this year, citing glass breakage and UV degradation in tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) modules as key quality concerns.
Three-year field test shows TOPCon, HJT solar module reliability in desert areas
A three-year field experiment comparing the performance and reliability of passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC), tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon), and silicon heterojunction (SHJ) modules in desert climates found that HJT modules exhibited the highest degradation, while TOPCon modules showed the lowest degradation.
Fraunhofer ISE streamlines use of epitaxial wafers in TOPCon solar cell manufacturing
Researchers at the German research institute have demonstrated that the so-called EpiWafers could be used directly for solar cell fabrication without needing a pre-gettering step. Their experiments provide a proof of principle* for epitaxially grown silicon wafers from German wafer manufacturer NexWafe GmbH.
Solex Energy to open 2 GW TOPCon cell plant in 2027
India’s Solex Energy has started working on its new 2 GW n-type tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) solar cell factory, with operations set to begin in early 2027.
‘Indian solar manufacturers cannot merely catch up – we must lead’
Suhas Donthi, CEO of Emmvee, speaks with pv magazine about India’s evolving role in the global solar supply chain, the risks of oversupply, and what it will take for Indian manufacturers to lead on the world stage.
