Indosol Solar and ANU have partnered on advanced TOPCon cell development
The partners will target higher cell efficiency and improved resistance to light- and UV-induced degradation
ANU’s advanced cell designs will be tested on Indosol’s integrated manufacturing lines in Andhra Pradesh
The Australian National University (ANU) and Indian solar manufacturer Indosol Solar Private Limited have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and collaboration agreement to develop advanced TOPCon solar cell technologies.
The partners plan to combine ANU’s photovoltaic research with Indosol’s integrated manufacturing operations in Andhra Pradesh, India. Their work will focus on improving cell conversion efficiency and resistance to light-induced degradation (LID) and ultraviolet-induced degradation (UVID). These improvements are intended to increase energy output and lower the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE).
ANU researchers will work with Indosol’s process teams to co-develop advanced TOPCon cell architectures and optimize their manufacturing processes. ANU’s advanced cell designs will then be tested and validated on Indosol’s production lines to support their transition from laboratory research to commercial production.
The collaboration will also allow researchers and technical teams from both organizations to visit each other’s facilities, conduct joint research, and exchange manufacturing knowledge.
“Our team at ANU has a long history of driving silicon solar efficiency breakthroughs,” said ANU researchers Rabin Basnet and Marco Ernst. They added that the partnership would help transfer TOPCon developments to GW-scale production for the Indian solar market.
Indosol’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Balachander Krishnan said the collaboration would support the company’s plans to develop a fully integrated solar manufacturing ecosystem and introduce higher-efficiency products for domestic and international markets.
The collaboration was facilitated by the India-Australia Technology Commercialisation Challenge Pilot Program, which is funded by Australia’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and delivered by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).
Indosol is developing integrated ingot, wafer, cell, and module manufacturing capacity in Andhra Pradesh. In an interview with TaiyangNews at the Solar Technology Conference.India 2026, the company outlined its manufacturing strategy and 9 GW solar manufacturing expansion plan (watch here).
ANU is separately involved in research on TOPCon back-contact (TBC) solar cells. The university recently secured funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency for a project targeting cell efficiencies above 28% and assessing the technology’s transition to pilot-scale production (see ARENA Backs 20 Solar R&D Projects With AUD 105.6 Million).
