CPIA expects BC solar cell efficiency to increase from 26.5% in 2025 to 27.5% by 2030
BC manufacturing remains the most complex among mainstream cell technologies, with around 14 processing steps
Laser patterning has emerged as a key enabler for BC industrialization by replacing costly photolithography processes and reducing manufacturing costs
BC technology combines some of the industry's highest efficiency potential with one of its most complex manufacturing flows. Recent advances in laser processing are helping overcome historical production barriers, while industry roadmaps continue to project steady improvements in BC cell efficiency.
Efficiency
As for mass-production efficiency, both AIKO and LONGi claim to have already achieved efficiencies near 27%, which is very close to the lab-scale world record of 27.81%; however, it doesn’t appear practical. LONGi, for example, is already commercializing its complex HIBC technology and has started shipping modules. Here, neutral sources like ITRPV and CPIA roadmaps offer some direction. According to CPIA, BC technology’s cell efficiency is expected to improve steadily, starting at 26.5% in 2025, reaching 26.8% in 2026, and progressively increasing to 27.5% by 2030. ITRPV, on the other hand, respects the conservative side of progress. It estimates BC efficiency at 25.9% in 2025, 26.2% by 2027, and only 27.2% by 2035 – 7 years later than CPIA’s timeline for a similar performance level.
Processing
Manufacturing BC cells is inherently more complex than standard, both-sided contact cells. As it can be estimated, the most critical job here is to realize interdigitated p and n regions on the rear side, which requires precise patterning. Historically, this has been achieved through multiple photolithography and masking steps, which was also one of the main barriers to the large-scale adoption of the technology. However, recent breakthroughs in laser patterning and metallization have transformed BC into a highly scalable technology. Still, BC processing today involves 14 steps, the highest of any technology.
As to the innovations in the segment, a recent LONGi white paper does a good job at summarizing them. At the top of the list are lasers, which are the key enablers of BC technology in breaking cost barriers. The white paper characterizes laser as the ‘key breakthrough’ with a 60% cost-reduction potential.
As mentioned above, BC cells require precise isolation of p+ and n+ regions, and prior art relied on semiconductor-grade photolithography, especially to achieve the required precision. These steps are not only complex in solar-scale manufacturing, but also expensive. Thus, the transition to laser patterning has been a key enabler for industrialization. But lasers, as such, were not a plug-and-play solution in those early days. Significant advancements in key areas such as precision, damage control, and throughput have made laser-based patterning the de facto choice and enabled full adoption of lasers in mass production. This shift has reduced equipment and processing costs, simplified manufacturing, and helped the transition of BC production from semiconductor-level complexity to a scalable, cost-efficient solar-grade industrial process.
The text is an edited excerpt from TaiyangNews’ report on Cell & Module Technology Trends 2026, which can be downloaded for free here.