21.5% – 21.7% Efficiency Band: Product Count Up, But Share Declines In 2024

The TaiyangNews TOP SOLAR MODULES Analysis Report 2024 categorized module efficiency into 4 distinct bands: >22.5%, 22%–22.5%, >21.7%–22%, and 21.5%–21.7%. Our previous articles focused on the first 3 bands. The efficiency range of 21.5% to 21.7%, the narrowest and lowest band in our rankings, has the highest number of products and is mostly represented by PERC technology. The product count in this band increased from 18 to 24 from the start to the end of 2023, corresponding to a share of 53%and 44%, respectively. In 2024, the count of products actually decreased from 24 to 20 and the share from 44% to 38% (see Growth of >22.5% Efficiency Band In TOP SOLAR MODULES).

Going into the details, during 2024, the number of products in March increased from 24 to 25 and remained flat till June. However, starting in July 2024, the count began to decline. 1 product was removed in July, followed by 2 more in September, 1 in October, and another in December. This reduction brought the count down from 24 to 20, leading to a significant drop in the corresponding share from 44% to 38% by the end of 2024. In 2023, the number of products remained at 18 for the first half but surged to 24 in July, which was maintained through the end of the year. The corresponding shares were 53%, 49%, and 44%, respectively. (see Efficiency Band >22% to 22.5%: A Gateway For Advanced Solar Technologies).

As to the changes and developments with respect to the products and companies in this band, the only change to take place during the first 6 months of 2024 was the inclusion of Kalyon's PERC product in the TOP SOLAR MODULES list at 21.61% efficiency in March. None of the 25 products listed in this group experienced any changes during this period. However, this situation changed in the second half of 2024. Kalyon's PERC module was delisted in July, and Tongwei Solar was removed from the list in September. In October, 2 modules – 1 each from Astronergy and Talesun – were deleted from the list. Finally, in December, JinkoSolar exited the list. All these omissions, which reduced the count from 25 to 20, were due to the discontinuation of PERC products from the respective companies’ portfolios (See Growth of >22.5% Efficiency Band In TOP SOLAR MODULES).

In 2023, products from LONGi, Risen and Canadian Solar were at the top level of 21.7% all along the year. Other products that remained unchanged during the course of 2023 were from JinkoSolar and Akcome at 21.68%, 3 modules at 21.6% from Trinasolar, JA Solar and Talesun; also 3 from Jinergy, Seraphim and Yingli with 21.57%, EGingPV’s module at 21.56%, and the Qcells module listed at 21.5%. The first change came in March, when Tongwei ascended to the top band efficiency of 21.7% from 21.5%, establishing itself as the topper among its peers. Astronergy also increased its top PERC offering from 21.5% to 21.6% in the same month and maintained this updated efficiency until August before reverting to 21.5% in September, where it remained through the end of the year. DAS Solar reached the top PERC efficiency in April and maintained its position without further changes. By July, Suntech elevated its efficiency from 21.6% by an additional 0.1%. That month also saw 6companies reaching new efficiency milestones: Qn-SOLAR, SolarSpace, and URECO achieved 21.57%efficiency, while CECEP, GCL SI, and Runergy debuted at 21.5%. In August, GCL SI boosted its top PERC efficiency to 21.6%. Jinergy’s 21.6%efficiency HJT module, which the company was promoting in addition to the above described PERC module listed at 21.57%, moved up from this band with a jump in its efficiency. In October, ZNSHINE entered the field with a 21.5% efficiency module, and all mentioned products retained their efficiency levels until December 2023 (see Low Representation Of >21.7% To 22% Efficiency Band In TOP SOLAR MODULES).

The TaiyangNews TOP SOLAR MODULES 2024 Report summarizes the key findings from over 24 editions published during 2023 and 2024. Download the free report here.