Chinese giant LONGi has announced a new world record for perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells, achieving a conversion efficiency of 35.5% certified by the European Solar Test Installation. This result represents a significant leap compared to traditional commercial solar cells, which currently hover around 25% efficiency according to the US Energy Information Administration. Although cells with efficiencies above 50% exist, they are limited to niche uses such as satellite panels, leaving the mass market still anchored to lower performance.
LONGi's incremental path to 35.5%
LONGi is no stranger to records in this field. In November 2023 the company already reached 33.9% with the same tandem technology, followed by 34.6% in June 2024. After a series of incremental improvements, the new milestone of 35.5% consolidates LONGi's position as the world leader in perovskite-silicon cells. The company claims to hold the world record for this specific technology, although the US Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) developed a cell with 39.5% efficiency back in 2022, showing that the competition remains open.
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The commercialization challenge for high-efficiency cells
Beyond the records, the real challenge for LONGi and the entire photovoltaic industry is bringing these high-efficiency cells from the laboratory to mass production. Perovskite-silicon tandem cells are considered an emerging technology with a theoretical potential up to 43%, but their commercialization requires reliable industrial processes and affordable costs. LONGi firmly believes this technology represents the future of solar energy, and continuous efficiency improvements are crucial to make photovoltaics more competitive with fossil fuels. As demonstrated by other Chinese hi-tech companies, such as the cheap and powerful AI model launched by China, Chinese technological innovation is accelerating across multiple fields, including renewable energy.
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Comparison with existing solar technologies
Traditional monocrystalline silicon solar cells have an average efficiency of 25%, while perovskite-silicon tandem cells can widely exceed that limit. LONGi's approach combines a perovskite layer, which better absorbs blue light, with a silicon layer for red and infrared light, maximizing the capture of the solar spectrum. To understand the importance of infrastructure reliability, consider the parallel with electric vehicles, where a 600-mile road trip proved fast charging is now reliable — a milestone that requires not only component innovation but a solid infrastructure. Similarly, for high-efficiency solar cells, the shift from prototype production to widespread deployment is the real test.
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Future prospects for solar energy
The ultimate goal is to make these cells affordable and durable for everyday use. According to experts, achieving efficiencies above 30% on a commercial scale could drastically reduce costs per kilowatt-hour and accelerate the energy transition. For a deeper dive into tandem cell technologies, see the Wikipedia page on perovskite solar cells. With LONGi's new record, the race toward ultra-high-efficiency solar energy is intensifying, with positive implications for global sustainability.
Source: https://www.engadget.com/2218081/chinese-solar-cell-efficiency-35-5-percent
