TOP SOLAR MODULES Listing – November 2024

The solar industry's persistent focus on module efficiency improvements is evident in this month's TOP SOLAR MODULES listing. This latest update showcases significant efficiency enhancements in commercially available modules, particularly among TOPCon modules.  JA Solar's leading commercial TOPCon offering now boasts a rated efficiency of 23% and a corresponding power output of 595 W. This is the first time that the top efficiency of a listed TOPCon product has reached the 23% benchmark. Additionally, 2 more companies have enhanced the top efficiency ratings for their TOPCon products. Astronergy is now featured with a high-power TOPCon module from its Astro N5 series, achieving an efficiency of 22.9% and a power output of 640 W. SolarSpace's top module from the Lumina II range now offers an increased efficiency of 22.65%, 0.2% higher than the previous one. These improvements have not impacted the size and representation of the list; the total number of products remains at 54, and the count of companies stays at 33. Also, these enhancements have not altered the top rankings of the TOP SOLAR MODULES listing.

As in the previous edition, AIKO continues to hold the top spot with a module efficiency of 24.2% and 655 W power output for its top product. AIKO broke its own record in May 2024, about a year after creating history with a landmark efficiency of 24% for commercial modules, by commercializing a module with an even higher efficiency of 24.2% and 655 W of power.

Another very interesting aspect in May’s listing was that the pioneer of back contact technology, Maxeon Solar, commercialized a module with 24.1% efficiency and a power output of 445 W. While the Maxeon 7 module series was publicly introduced a few months ago, we received the proof of its commercialization in our May edition, when Maxeon Solar jumped to the 2^nd position, moving up from rank 4. This also pushed LONGi’s HPBC back contact module to 3^rd place from the May listing onwards.

Huasun's Himalaya series HJT module, which entered the list in September 2023, increased its efficiency from 23.02% to 23.18% in August 2024. Previously, this module shared the highest power rating of 715 W with Tongwei Solar. With a 5 W increase, this module now leads the listing with a power output of 720 W. Despite this improvement, the module’s ranking remains 4^th. Thus, the rankings of the listed companies have not changed since July. This also means the top 3 ranks remain unchanged.

For more details on the different modules, please check the Results & Changes section below, following the Background and Methodology chapters.

Before diving into the details, we reiterate the launch of our Excellence Badge scheme announced in December 2023. Manufacturers who have featured in the Top 10 for at least 6 months within a calendar year are eligible to apply for the badge. A total of 8 companies – AIKO, Huasun Energy, JA Solar, JinkoSolar, LONGi, Risen, Tongwei Solar and Trinasolar – have already availed of the badge, which is also indicated in the efficiency table below. Product details of these awardees can be viewed in special company editions published on our website (see here).

Background

Efficiency and output power are the 2 key characteristics of a solar module. While there are several means to improve module power, such as employing larger cell sizes or integrating more cells into a module, it’s the efficiency that truly speaks to the ability of the solar device to convert sunlight into power per area. That’s why this list includes only the highest efficiency solar modules.

TaiyangNews has been covering the efficiency progress of solar modules through its annual reports on Advanced Module Technologies starting in 2017. We also cover cell/module technology updates in our High Efficiency Solar Technologies Conference once a year; the most recent one took place in Dec. 2023 (access the presentations here).

However, in the quickly changing solar sector, a lot happens over the course of a year, which is also covered in the many events we are organizing on different topics (see latest on Solar Power Plants in April 2024).

To put these pieces of information together and keep our readers updated about the global module efficiency progress more frequently, TaiyangNews started publishing this monthly column on commercial TOP SOLAR MODULES at the beginning of 2022. TaiyangNews has also published several reports presenting the analysis of this monthly list – the latest in July 2024 (see TOP SOLAR MODULES H1-2024).

Methodology

Before going into the details, here is some background on the methodology and selection criteria: module efficiencies have been improving considerably in recent years. In order to make the list rewarding for technically advanced products, we set the minimum efficiency of 21.5% as the criterion to feature in the list. We have listed only commercially available top modules from each cell technology stream of a module maker. For example, if a company is offering 2 different product streams based on PERC technology that have more than 21.5% efficiency, then only the product with the higher efficiency is considered for this list. But if a module maker is offering, for example, products based on PERC and TOPCon with efficiencies of 21.5% or above, then both products are listed. Efficiency is the only criterion for ranking in the list (whenever available in the specs, we have used 2 digits after the decimal point for efficiencies, otherwise one). However, as we see products with the same efficiency more often, power determines the order in this case. And when both the efficiency and power are the same, we list the manufacturers in alphabetical order.

The list does not distinguish between different module formats. All typical module sizes used in rooftop and ground-mounted solar system applications are included and treated equally as companies increasingly use larger modules also for rooftop applications.

We only list modules that are based on the manufacturer’s cells produced in-house, which means modules using externally sourced cells are not featured in the TOP SOLAR MODULES list. Having the complete data sheet listed on its manufacturer’s website is the first step for a module to be considered a commercially available product. As such, the efficiency and power data listed here are taken from the datasheet available on the respective company’s website. This also means that any new product announcements without final technical data published are not included in the list as their module specs often differ considerably from the products that are finally available for purchase, and some products presented at trade fairs do not even see commercial light at all. However, just the existence of an online datasheet generally does not suffice, especially for top efficiencies in the respective technology stream. If module specs listed on the websites seem to have ‘conspicuously’ high efficiencies or new record-efficiency products are announced, we ask for additional proof of commercialization before we include a product in the list.

Results & Changes

Our current list, compiled as of the first week of November 2024, includes 54 products from 33 companies. While both numbers remain unchanged, there are some interesting updates in product details. This month’s list highlights remarkable improvements in TOPCon efficiencies from 3 companies. A particularly notable update comes from JA Solar. This vertically integrated PV manufacturer now offers a high-efficiency DeepBlue 4.0 module with an efficiency of 23% and a power output of 595 W. This commercially available model allows it to share the 5th rank with Tongwei Solar’s HJT product. Its inclusion not only helps JA Solar climb 2 ranks in the list, but it also marks the first time a TOPCon product has hit 23% efficiency in our listing.

Astronergy also requested to update its TOPCon offerings in the list. The best TOPCon product among its commercial offerings has a 22.9% efficiency and a higher power of 640 W. SolarSpace is the 3^rd company in this list to provide proof of commercialization for a higher efficiency product over the one listed last month, with the newer one offering 22.65% efficiency.

AIKO has retained its top seat ever since announcing its entry into the list in March 2023 with its ABC series module featuring an efficiency of 23.6%. AIKO broke its own record and created history in June 2023 with another ABC series module by reaching the benchmark efficiency of 24% for a commercial module. Again, after about a year, in May 2024, AIKO continued its legacy with its latest Comet 2U series that features 24.2% efficiency. This product – AIKO-G655-MCH72M – is built with 144 half-cells of the M10 format, enabling it to reach a power rating of 655 W, 35 W higher than its predecessor. This rise in power rating is not just due to efficiency improvement, but the module size, i.e., the length, has been increased from 2,278 mm to 2,382 mm, while the width remains the same at 1,134 mm. It is a monofacial module featuring a grid-free front design for improved aesthetics and uniform appearance. AIKO has delivered third-party test lab measurement data, shipment data, and a list of projects where the module series has been used in commercial-scale installations as proof. AIKO showcased a product with up to 24.4% efficiency at SNEC & Intersolar Europe 2024, but we have yet to receive certification and shipment data from the company. AIKO also presented a very impressive 25% module at its booth, but first shipments will probably only start toward the end of the year.

Maxeon Solar secured the 2^nd position in May 2024, propelled by the introduction of its latest high-efficiency module Maxeon 7, which replaces the Maxeon 6 panel. Despite maintaining the same power output of 445 W, Maxeon 7 comes with an impressive increase in efficiency from 23% to 24.1%. Similar to its predecessor, this IBC module features a sleek design with a white backsheet and a black frame structure. An important point to be noted here is unlike the previous product, which was built with 166 mm wafers, this Maxeon 7 series module is built with 112 cells based on a 125 mm wafer size. The Maxeon 7 panel comes with a performance warranty of 40 years. As mentioned above, the back contact technology expert announced the new 24.1% product earlier this year – in Feb. 2024, it said that the product is available for select partners of the manufacturer in Europe, while Maxeon had plans to make these fully commercially available in Q3/2024 (see World’s Highest Commercial Solar Module Efficiency). However, we received shipment details and other data only in the May edition of the TOP SOLAR MODULES Listing.

As a result of the above changes, the Hi-MO 6 module from LONGi, which was upgraded from 22.8% efficiency to 23.2% in May 2023, moved a place down to 3^rd one year later in May 2024. LONGi’s product is based on its proprietary HPBC cell technology, which is essentially a back contact (BC) cell architecture. Apart from being top-class in efficiency, the Hi-MO 6 module series is also powerful. It reaches up to 600 W in the highest power class. The 144 (6 × 24) half-cell panel is a single-glass (3.2 mm) product with an anodized aluminum alloy frame, measuring 2,278 × 1,134 × 35 mm and weighing 27.5 kg. The module with up to 23.2% efficiency also features a 25-year power warranty with <1.5% power degradation in the first year and an average of 0.4% from years 2 to 25. The world’s largest vertically integrated module maker recently published a new solar lab cell efficiency record of 27.3% and announced its Hi-MO 9 panel with 24.43% efficiency (see LONGi Announces New Lab-Scale Cell Efficiency Record). LONGi also showcased it at SNEC and Intersolar Europe. However, the product does not find itself in our listing as the company has yet to provide details about the commercial status of this high-efficiency module.

Huasun’s HJT module, introduced in September 2023, which moved to the 4^th position in May 2024, has now improved efficiency and power ratings. Until August, Huasun’s top product was listed with 22.53% efficiency and 700 W power. The Himalaya series module from Huasun is based on the G12 wafer size in a 132-half-cell configuration. The module has an efficiency of 23.02% and a power rating of 715 W, which was the highest among all listed products for a few months. The release of this product was also the first time that a module surpassed the 700 W benchmark. It is also bifacial, which, along with its high-power attribute, makes the product highly compatible with utility-scale applications. This 2 mm double-glass bifacial module has a bifaciality of 90±5%, measures 2,384 × 1,303 × 33 mm, and weighs 37.9 kg. It comes with a 15-year product warranty and a 30-year power warranty. Now, this module has improved its efficiency to 23.18% and power to 720 W. Despite an improvement in efficiency, the module stays at the 4^th rank (see Huasun’s Director of Business Development Europe Christian Comes’ presentation on State of the Art High Efficiency – Heterojunction in 2024 here, which he presented during our Solar Power Plants 2024 Conference in April).

In December 2023, Tongwei Solar also started offering a 715 W module. Its HJT module, which entered the list at 4^th, moved to 5^th in May and has remained unchanged. Till November 2023, Tongwei was only represented in the TOPCon segment and PERC (shingled) modules. With the inclusion of this HJT product, Tongwei is among the few companies to have been featured simultaneously in all 3 different technology streams in our listing; however, this is no longer the case since its PERC module was delisted in September. Tongwei’s HJT module is built with 132 half-cells of the 210 mm format. It is designed with the company’s THC cells – an n-type HJT cell technology. The highest power rating for this bifacial module is 715 W, and an efficiency of 23.0%. Tongwei has also provided production details and a testing report for this panel (see details on Tongwei’s latest downstream plans in its presentation at a recent TaiyangNews Conference here).

JA Solar’s previously best-performing TOPCon module, the JAM72D42 630/LB, which had remained unchanged since August 2023, was replaced in July 2024 by the higher efficiency JAM72D40 590/MB. This new module from the DeepBlue 4.0 series initially featured an efficiency of 22.8%, up from 22.5%, and has now improved to 23%. As a result, JA Solar, which was ranked 12^th prior to July 2024 and 6^th until September, dropped to 7^th in October and now shares the 5^th rank with Tongwei. Despite having the same 144 half-cells of M10 size and higher efficiency, this module has a lower power rating of 595 W, which is 35 W less than the previous 630 W. This is obviously due to a change in wafer format. JA Solar has developed 3 different half-cell formats derived from a single wafer size of 182 x 199 mm. One format involves cutting the cells into 2 symmetrical pieces along the longer length into 99.5 mm each. Cutting the same cell asymmetrically – one at 105 mm and another at 94 mm – gives 2 additional base formats. The company has designed several module configurations based on these 3 different wafer formats. While not explicitly mentioned in the datasheet, the earlier product, measuring 2,465 mm in height, seems to be built with the 99.5 mm half-cell wafers. The latest product, with a height of 2,278 mm, is most likely based on the smallest wafer size of 94 mm. This is a bifacial double-glass module with a bifaciality of 80 ± 10%, interconnected with 16 busbars, and weighs 31.8 kg.

In March 2024, Astronergy upgraded its module efficiency from 22.65% to 22.8% and introduced a high-power, high-efficiency module from the same Astro N5 series. This latest bifacial panel, now featuring 156 half-cut cells of the 182 mm wafer format, is rated with an efficiency of 22.9% and a power output of 640 W – an increase of 40 W over the previous model. This enhancement was achieved by increasing the cell count from 144 to 156, which also resulted in larger module dimensions of 2465 x 1134 x 30 mm. Despite these improvements, Astronergy's ranking has remained steady, still positioned at 7^th as in the October update.

Grand Sunergy, a China-based manufacturer specializing in HJT cell manufacturing, entered the renewable energy sector in 2022. The company's heterojunction (HJT) module debuted on the list in October 2024 with an efficiency of 22.86%. Following recent updates from JA Solar and Astronergy, the Grand Sunergy module, which was previously ranked 6^th, has now dropped to 8^th. Its GSM-MH3/132-BHDG710 module, which delivers a power output of 710 W, utilizes G12 large-size wafers and measures 2,384 × 1,303 × 33 mm, with a weight of 38.5 ± 0.5 kg. It features an 85% bifaciality and is supported by a 30-year linear power warranty.

The next efficiency band on our list is 22.8%, which, since July, has been represented by 5 products. It now has reduced representation with only 3 products, following the advancements of Astronergy and JA Solar, previously part of this group, to higher efficiency. The products at this efficiency are now ranked 9^th, 2 positions lower than last month’s 7^th.

DMEGC’s Infinity series TOPCon module, which was last updated in April 2024 with 22.6% efficiency, was replaced with the Infinity RT series in July 2024. This module is built on the 210 mm rectangular wafer format and a 132-half-cell configuration. Compared to its previous 182 mm 144-half-cell configured module, this module has a 30 W higher rated power of 610 W and boasts an efficiency of 22.8%. This module, which moved up to 6^th from 10^th in the July edition, now ranks 9^th. The module dimensions are 2,382 × 1,134 × 30 mm and it weighs 32.3 kg. The 2 mm double-glass module features a bifaciality factor of 80% ± 5%. The module comes with a 30-year linear power warranty, less than 1% degradation in the first year, and a maximum of 0.4% annual degradation thereafter. Since DMEGC’s Infinity RT series module has the highest power output among all 3 modules listed at the 9^th rank, it is placed first among the group and at the top in the TOPCon module technology category.

Tongwei Solar updated the efficiency of another product, its TOPCon panel, in February 2024. The module, making its entry into the list in April 2023, improved its efficiency from 22.5% to 22.8%, along with an improvement in power from 580 W to 590 W. These improvements enabled its move from 10^th place to 6^th, and now is down to 9^th. The product is designed with a TNC cell type and an anodized aluminum alloy frame, and features a linear power output warranty of 30 years. This product is built with 144 half-cells of the G12 wafer format.

Having maintained its 6^th rank since December 2023, SPIC  stepped down to 7^th in October and now to 9^th, alongside its fellow rankers. While the Chinese company had been promoting a product with an efficiency of 22.3% till August 2023, it made a remarkable change in September 2023 by improving the efficiency of its top product by 0.5% absolute. Its latest Andromeda 3.0 product series comes with a top efficiency of 22.8%. The company has also provided shipment and production data, indicating the product’s commercial availability. The module features an elegant full black design combined with SPIC’s TBC cell technology, which is an IBC concept adopted on a TOPCon base cell architecture. The bifacial module, with a bifaciality of 70% and built with 120 half-cells, has a power rating of 410 W. SPIC is offering a 30-year power warranty for this product.

JinkoSolar, which moved 2 places down from 9^th to 11^th in the July edition and then to 12^th in October, remains ranked 12^th. The Tiger Neo TOPCon module is offered with a power rating of 585 W. This panel, which was last updated in September 2022, has a 144-half-cell configuration and an efficiency of 22.65%. This 2 mm dual-glass module has a bifaciality of 80±5%.

Another significant update in this version of the TOP SOLAR MODULES listing involves SolarSpace, a leading cell manufacturer that has ventured into module production. SolarSpace is represented in our listing with both PERC and TOPCon modules. The Lumina II TOPCon module, which entered the rankings in July 2023, was upgraded in December to a high-efficiency variant, increasing its efficiency from 22.02% to 22.45%. This month, the company has further enhanced the top efficiency of its commercial TOPCon offering to 22.65%, resulting in a significant jump in its ranking from 20^th to 12^th. This 580 W module is constructed with 144 half-cells using the 182 mm wafer format. Additionally, SolarSpace's Lumina I, a PERC module with an efficiency of 21.57%, is one of 7 products tied for the 44^th rank on the list.

In July 2024, REC Group, the Singapore-based manufacturer, made a significant update to its product lineup by commercializing the new bifacial Alpha Pure-RX module. This new module replaces its predecessor, the Alpha Pure-R series, in our list. This HJT module boasts an efficiency of up to 22.6% and a power output of 470 W. Designed with foil-wire combination interconnection technology, the new Alpha Pure-RX has significant improvements over the previous model, which had an efficiency of up to 22.3% and a module power of 430 W. As a result of this advancement, REC’s ranking jumped from 27^th to 12^th, and now a couple of places down to 14^th. The Alpha Pure-RX module is built with 88 half-cut bifacial HJT cells, compared to 80 cells in the Alpha Pure-R, contributing to its higher power. The physical dimensions of the Pure-RX module are slightly larger, measuring 1,728 × 1,205 × 30 mm and weighing 22.7 kg, compared to the Pure-R’s 1,730 × 1,118 × 30 mm and 21.5 kg. It also features a bifaciality of 80 ±10%. Constructed with a highly resistant black polymer backsheet and an anodized aluminum frame, the module is made in Singapore and is offered with a comprehensive 25-year product and power warranty.

The best module from Jolywood, the early adopter of TOPCon technology whose products have not undergone any changes technically, ranks 15^th. The last change for this product was in August 2023 when its former Niwa Light module was replaced with a bifacial product called Niwa Pro, which has the same specifications of 440 W power and 22.53% efficiency.

The next group of products are all listed with 22.5% efficiency. The number of companies sharing this spot decreased from 7 to 6 in July and remains unchanged since. However, their collective ranking has fallen from 15^th to 16^th.

Risen gets the first mention among the 16^th rankers, a group that is structured according to power first and, if equal, according to alphabetical order. Risen Energy’s Hyper-ion module, which was included in June 2023, remains unchanged. This HJT module from Risen has an efficiency of 22.5%, corresponding to a high rated power of 700 W. The product is built with 132 half-cells, cut from the 210 mm original format, and is bifacial.

Trina Solar’s Vertex N series replaced the previous Vertex S+ in the September 2023 edition. While both product groups have the same efficiency, the currently-featuring Vertex N has a high power of 700 W compared to 450 W for the former. Thus, the company’s order among the products with 22.5% efficiency went from the penultimate position up to 2^nd from the top in May 2024. The TSM-NEG21C.20 is built with 210 mm wafers and 132 half-cut cells. This bifacial module, using a 2 mm glass on both sides, reaches a bifaciality of 80 ± 5%.

DAS Solar's DAS-DH156NA solar module remains unchanged in design. This n-type TOPCon module features 156 half-cells and delivers a power output of 630 W. Built on the 182 mm wafer format, this bifacial half-cell module has 2 mm glass on both sides, offering up to 80% bifaciality.

Canadian Solar’s TopHiKu6 TOPCon model is yet another module that offers 22.5% efficiency. The module entered our list in June 2023, replacing a bifacial product, and has an efficiency that is 0.2 percentage points higher. CS6W-580T has 144 half-cells based on the 182 mm wafer format and has a rated power of 580 W.

EGing PV improved its TOPCon module efficiency slightly in May 2024. Also from the Star Pro series, the company’s best TOPCon product has an efficiency of 22.5%, increased from 22.45%. This bifacial module, comprising 144 half-cells of the 182 mm wafer format, maintains its power rating at 580 W.

Runergy’s TOPCon module, listed with 22.4% efficiency until November 2023, improved its efficiency to 22.5% in December. With this change, the company moved from 21^st place to 10^th. This dropped to 12^th in April 2024, to 14^th in July, and now holds the 16^th rank. The company is another leading Chinese cell vendor that ventured into the module business not too long ago (for background, watch our interview with Runergy CTO Yang Yang). Its 2 product streams, based on TOPCon and PERC cell technologies, were featured in our review for the first time in July 2023. Runergy’s HY-DH144N8 is built with 144 half-cells of the 182 mm wafer format. The bifacial TOPCon module has an efficiency of 22.5%. However, Runergy might soon disappear from that list depending on Tongwei’s plans for the brand. Tongwei’s takeover plans for Runergy became public in August 2024 (see Tongwei Makes Offer To Acquire Majority Stake In Fellow Chinese Company).

The 22.45% efficiency band is now occupied by 2 companies, down from 3 in October and 4 in April. This reduction is due to the upgraded efficiency of SolarSpace’s TOPCon module. In the July 2024 edition, the collective ranking of these companies dropped from 19^th to 20^th, and now stands at 22^nd.Qn-Solar, a Chinese solar cell and module manufacturer, entered our listing in July 2023. Originally a project developer and EPC, the 2014-launched Shanghai-headquartered company also operates its own power plants and has been strongly expanding into the manufacturing field recently to reach 69 GW cell and 39 GW module capacity in 2023, according to the company’s website. It is promoting TOPCon modules with an efficiency of up to 22.45%, qualifying it for the shared 22^nd position. Qn-Solar’s listed bifacial TOPCon product has a rated power of 580 W and is built on the 182-wafer format with 144 half-cells. Qn-Solar is also promoting a PERC module that qualifies with an efficiency of 21.57%, which earns it a place in our current listing at the 44^th position. The PERC module has an output power of 670 W.

URECO is a manufacturer formed after a merger of 3 leading Taiwanese cell manufacturers – Neo Solar Power, Gintech and Solartech. The company offers products based on all 3 mainstream cell technologies – PERC, TOPCon and HJT. While PERC products were already part of our earlier listing, the modules based on the remaining 2 advanced cell technologies were included in our August 2023 edition. Named GLORY, the company’s TOPCon series is represented by its FBF580B8D model with an efficiency of 22.45%, which means it is the 3^rd company that shares the 22^nd rank. URECO’s HJT module, with a rated efficiency of 22.44%, very narrowly misses the spot by 0.01%, thus putting it 2 ranks down at 24^th. Called GLORY HELLO, the module is built with 120 half-cells of the 210 mm wafer format and has a power rating of 635 W.

While the rankings of the companies mentioned above changed due to improved efficiencies of products from JA Solar, Astronergy, and SolarSpace, these updates have had no effect on the rankings of companies starting from the 25^th position. Suntech’s module, which saw a change in April 2024, remains unchanged. The Ultra V Pro Plus module with 625 W was replaced with the lower-power 605 W Ultra V Pro. The latter is built with 132 half-cells, against the previous one that was based on 156 half-cells. While its power output has changed, the module’s efficiency remains the same at 22.4%, as do its other characteristics, such as TOPCon cells and bifacial module technology. This module has moved to 25^th place in October from 24^th  and holds this rank alone. Another product from Suntech featuring since July 2023 has an efficiency of 21.7%, is placed 34^th, and is among the top efficiency products in the PERC category.

Kalyon PV, a vertically integrated PV manufacturer from ingot to module production headquartered in Turkey, debuted in March 2024 with its TOPCon module at rank 24, dropped to 25^th in July, and  to 26^th in October. The company, which has 4 factories and an R&D center, commenced production in 2019. Its TOPCon module, with 22.38% efficiency and 580 W power output, features M10 half-cut cell technology and a bifacial module design. Another module from Kalyon, listed in the PERC category until July, has since been delisted.

Akcome’s HJT module remains unchanged since its last update in December 2023, was down a rank to 26^th in July from 25^th previously, and  ranks 27^th since October The company increased the efficiency of this module to 22.37% from 22.22% in December. The Ak iPower HJT module is built with 132 half-cells based on the 210 mm wafer size and is rated for 695 W of power. Betting on the high bifaciality of 90% for this dual-glass module bestowed by HJT technology, the company claims a power generation gain of 7% to 30% from the back side. Akcome also promotes a 560 W and 21.68% efficient bifacial PERC module built with 144 half-cells sliced from M10 cells. With Tongwei’s PERC module being delisted in September, Akcome’s PERC product ranking stepped up from 39 to 38. With the entry of Grand Sunergy’s new product above, this PERC product retains the 39^th rank and shares it with JinkoSolar’s Tiger Pro PERC module which has the same efficiency.

Yingli Solar, one of the early adopters of n-type wafer-based cell architectures, entered the list in November 2023 with its PANDA 3.0 PRO, a TOPCon module product that remains unaltered. The cells used in this module are made from its in-house 5 GW cell production capacity for TOPCon, while the company has 20 GW of module capacity including PERC and TOPCon. The listed module is built with 156 half-cells. The bifacial module interconnected with MBB technology has an efficiency of 22.36% and a power output of 625 W. This module is down from 27^th to 28^th, while another product from Yingli also earned a spot in our list in the PERC category in February 2022, which is now ranked 44^th.

Part of the vertically integrated GCL Group, which is a global leader in silicon production for the solar industry, GCL Integration (GCL-Si) is offering solar modules and battery storage products as well as full PV project solutions (for details on GCL Group, watch our interview with Group Chairman Gongshan Zhu). In the July 2023 edition, we included 2 module products from GCL-SI. Both the TOPCon and PERC modules of the company are listed under the same series – GCL GEMINI. However, the April 2024 list replaced the TOPCon GCL GEMINI series with GCL LOTUS without altering the key specs of the product, while the PERC range remained under the GCL GEMINI series. The most efficient product of this series, the GCL_NT10/72GDF, represents the company’s TOPCon range and has an efficiency of 22.3% and a power output of 575 W. The bifacial module is designed with 144 half-cut cells based on the 182 mm wafer format. In October, this module moved from 28^th to 29^th to share the rank with Qcells. This remains unchanged in this edition as well. The number of companies sharing this position dropped from 3 to 2 in July, with REC’s move up.

Qcells, which re-entered our list in February 2024 with its TOPCon Q.TRON SMART product, which was replaced with a higher power Q.TRON variant already in March 2024. While its efficiency remains the same, the Q.TRON module delivers 35 W of additional power over the previous one. Interestingly, despite the power increase, the cell count has reduced from 120 to 108. This is only possible when adopting larger wafer formats. The current 108-cell configuration is most likely based on the M10 wafer format, half-cell and MBB module technology. According to the website, the module is available in the UK region.

CECEP Solar Technology Zhenjiang is a Chinese cell and module producer founded in 2010 that operates around 4 GW of cell and 8 GW of module capacity, according to its website. CECEP’s TOPCon product is a High Efficiency series bifacial solar module made with 144 half-cells based on M10 n-type wafers. The product is rated with an efficiency of 22.1% and a power output of 570 W. This module has had no changes to its specifications and ranks 31^st.

The remaining 23 products listed are below 22%, of which 2 are HJT-based while the bulk are PERC modules. The number of PERC modules has been declining recently. In July, Kalyon PV’s PERC module, and thus the company itself, was delisted, followed by Tongwei Solar in September, and this month, 1 module each from Astronergy and Talesun have been delisted.

Jinergy’s HJT module, which was updated in September 2023,  is ranked 32^nd. Its efficiency of 21.85% is 0.17 percentage points higher than the previously listed product. Not just efficiency, the featured JNHM144-475 is a slightly larger module compared to the previous one, built with 144 cells, and thus has a higher power rating of 475 W. It is bifacial too, with a bifaciality of over 85%.

Meyer Burger is offering its HJT product with the same efficiency of 21.8% and a power rating of 390 W,  listed at the 33^rd position since last month.

There are several module series available today with efficiencies slightly exceeding 21.5%, as high-efficiency cell architectures are not a must to reach that level, but in order to design products beyond 21.7%, cell technology is key.

As shown in our recent TOP SOLAR MODULES analysis report, PERC in general was not able to support efficiencies above 21.6% until the end of last year. At the time, modules with efficiencies above 21.6% usually employed cells based on high-efficiency cell architectures such as IBC, TOPCon or HJT.

Of late, however, we have observed an increase in the number of companies reaching module efficiencies of up to 21.7% with PERC. Until November 2022, LONGi and Risen were part of this group. Canadian Solar joined the list of 21.7% efficiency PERC modules in January, Tongwei in February, DAS Solar in April, and Suntech in July 2023 – and all of them are ranked #34. However, in September Tongwei’s PERC module with shingled technology was delisted, reducing the number of companies, then ranked #33 from 6 to 5. Following the order of rated power, the second module of Canadian Solar in this list, the HiKu7, is based on a 132 half-cell configuration with 210 mm wafer size and a rated power of 675 W. Risen Energy’s TITAN module is built with 132 half-cells of the 210 mm wafer format for a rated power of 675 W. DAS Solar’s DAS-DH144PA module is based on a 144-cell and 182 mm wafer format. LONGi’s Hi-MO 5m module is built with 144 cells of 182 mm cell size, offering 560 W of power. Suntech’s Ultra V module has a 144-half-cell design based on the 182 mm wafer format and a rated power output of 560 W. As mentioned above, Tongwei Solar’s shingled interconnection technology-based product with 21.7% efficiency and a power output of 430 W has been delisted as the company is not offering the module anymore.

If rounded, the next 2 products would also reach 21.7%, but the companies – Akcome and JinkoSolar – chose not to do so in their spec sheets. Thus, they continue to share the 39^th rank, which was 38^th previously. JinkoSolar’s Tiger Pro is a module with 21.68% efficiency based on a 144-cell configuration, resulting in a rated output of 560 W. Akcome has a bifacial product with the same number of cells, cell format and output as Jinko.

With Talesun’s PERC module being delisted in October, the 41^st rank is shared by 3 other companies – GCL-SI, Trinasolar and JA Solar.

The products from GCL-Si and Trina Solar share a power rating of 670 W due to the same 132 half-cells of G12 size. However, JA Solar’s DeepBlue 3.0, built with M10-sized 156 half-cells, has a lower power rating of 605 W.

The next 7 products, with an efficiency of 21.57%, share the 44^th rank. Jinergy, Qn-Solar, Seraphim, Yingli and ZNShine leverage bifacial capabilities, while modules from SolarSpace and URECO are not specified. All these products are built with 132 half-cells of the 210 mm wafer format interconnected with MBB. Not just efficiency, these 7 products have the same rated power of 670 W due to the same wafer format and count of half-cell strips.

EGing PV’s PERC product is the lone beholder of the current 51^st rank, moving up from the 53^rd place it had slipped to in April. It has a lower efficiency of 21.56%, but the power rating of 670 W is the same as the products from the group above.

The lowest efficiency of 21.5%, which is also the minimum criterion to be included in this list, is represented by 3 products at rank 52 – Runergy, Qcells and CECEP – which is one less than the September edition. Astronergy’s longstanding PERC module, which entered our listing in September 2023, was delisted in October 2024.

Summary

The November TOP SOLAR MODULES listing features notable efficiency improvements among TOPCon modules, while the size of the list remains unchanged with 54 products represented by 33 companies. JA Solar's latest DeepBlue 4.0 module, with a higher efficiency of 23% and a power output of 595 W, has climbed 2 ranks to share the 5^th place with Tongwei’s HJT product. Astronergy's new high-power TOPCon module, delivering 640 W at 22.9% efficiency, has maintained its previous 7^th position but now holds it exclusively. SolarSpace has improved its TOPCon module efficiency from 22.45% to 22.65%, which also resulted in a power gain of 5 W, increasing the output to 585 W. As a result, the top rankings from the 5^th position onwards were adjusted, while the listings from the 22^nd position onwards remain unchanged.

Reports: If you want to learn more about the commercial module efficiencies of integrated module producers, please check our latest TOP SOLAR MODULES H1-2024 report. This TaiyangNews TOP SOLAR MODULES H1-2024 report summarizes the key findings from over 30 editions published during 2022 and H1-2024 and analyzes the trends and developments for the different cell technologies (PERC, TOPCon, HJT, Back Contact) and listed companies (download the TOP SOLAR MODULES H1-2024 report for free here).

PS: If you have spotted a solar module somewhere that meets our criteria and is missing from this list, please send us the website link with the product specs to rajee.gattu@taiyangnews.info.

Disclaimer: TaiyangNews does not guarantee the reliability, accuracy or completeness of this TOP SOLAR MODULES Listings content. TaiyangNews does not accept responsibility or liability for any errors in this work.