Highest Solar Module Efficiency Band

In our previous article, we outlined the development of module efficiencies across 4 different bands: >22.5%, >22% to 22.5%, >21.7% to 22%, and 21.5% to 21.7%. Continuing with the same chronology, we start here with the highest efficiency band of >22.5%, which saw steady growth through H1 2025.In H1 2025, this category saw moderate but consistent growth. It started the year with 15 products, accounting for a 30% share in January. Although no new modules were added to this band that month, the overall number of listed products dropped due to the delisting of 3 modules from lower efficiency categories. As a result, the relative share of the >22.5% band increased from 28% in the previous month to 30%. It remained at this level until April 2025 (see Share Of Different Module Efficiency Bands).

However, there were some changes within this band that were not reflected in the product count. In March,3 improvements took place, with LONGi making the most significant development. The company increased the efficiency of its best commercial BC module by 0.9% in one stretch. It also provided proof of commercialization for modules based on its HPBC2.0 technology with an efficiency of 24.1%, replacing the earlier 23.2% product. The other 2 improvements came from Astronergy and DMEGC Solar, which both joined the 23% club. Astronergy increased the efficiency of its TOPCon module from 22.9%, while DMEGC Solar made a slightly higher leap from 22.8%. In May, Trinasolar’s module moved into this band, improving the share to 32%. Trinasolar achieved a considerable single-step improvement of 0.5% by raising the top efficiency of its commercial TOPCon module from 22.5% to 23%, adding one more member to the 23% group.

June brought a wave of activity to the TOP SOLAR MODULES listing. A new entrant, Jetion Solar, made its debut with a module in this efficiency band, while GCL also joined the ranks – bringing the total count to 18 and raising the segment’s share to 35%. But beyond the numbers, several notable improvements were introduced in the June 2025 edition. With the world’s largest PV trade show scheduled for June, many companies appeared to have reserved their innovations for this moment – reflected in the 6 changes featured in this update (see TOP SOLAR MODULES Listing – June 2025).

Once again, AIKO stole the spotlight by breaking its own record and proving the commercialization of its 24.4%-efficient module. LONGi followed suit, bumping the efficiency of its HPBC module from 24.1% to 24.2%. Huasun also earned a mention by launching its most powerful commercial HJT module to date, rated at 730 W with 23.5% efficiency – up from its earlier 23.18%. Another highlight in the HJT segment came from Jetion, which for the first time provided proof of commercialization for its HJT modules. Its top offering boasts an efficiency of 22.9% and a power rating of 710 W, marking the first new HJT entrant in the list since October. TOPCon also saw a new benchmark in June. JA Solar raised the efficiency of its top commercial module to 23.2% – a new high for the technology in our listing. Meanwhile, GCL’s entry was backed by an improvement in its own TOPCon module, which moved from 22.3% to 22.53% efficiency.

During 2024, the >22.5% efficiency band saw its product count increase from 9 in January to 15 in December, while its share rose from 16% to 28%. The first change took place in February, when Tongwei Solar increased the efficiency of its TOPCon product from 22.5% to 22.8%. This marked Tongwei Solar’s first appearance in this band, sharing space with SPIC’s BC module, which had been listed at this level since September 2023. The very next month, in March 2024, Astronergy – already part of this club – improved the efficiency of its modules to 22.8%, increasing the number of companies listed at this level to 3, along with Tongwei Solar and SPIC. In April, DMEGC Solar entered this efficiency band with a TOPCon module achieving 22.6% efficiency. With this, the number of products in the band increased to 11. May 2024 saw the most significant advancements. Not only did AIKO introduce a module with an even higher efficiency of 24.2%, but another BC leader, Maxeon, also commercialized a 24.1% module. This marked the first time that 2 commercially available modules surpassed 24% efficiency.

The pace picked up in the second half. In July 2024, JA Solar and REC each added a module to this band, raising the total to 13 and lifting the share to 23%. JA Solar increased its module’s efficiency from 22.5% to 22.8%, while REC improved the efficiency of its HJT module from 22.3% to 22.6%. DMEGC Solar, already in this band, also raised its module efficiency to 22.8% in the same month, bringing the number of companies at this level to 5. In August, another intra-band upgrade took place: Huasun improved its module’s efficiency from 23.02% to 23.18%. In October, Grand Sunergy made its debut in the list with a 22.86% HJT module, followed by SolarSpace in November, pushing the product count to 15 and the share to 28%. SolarSpace entered the list with a 22.65% module – a level that had long been occupied by JinkoSolar. A few more changes occurred within the band in November. JA Solar increased its product efficiency to 23%, while Astronergy improved its TOPCon module to 22.9%.

In 2023, the band began with 5 products and a 15% share in January. AIKO made a remarkable entry in March 2023, directly taking the top spot with its 23.6%-efficient ABC module series. This improved both the share to 16% and the count to 6. While LONGi increased the efficiency of its HPBC module from 22.8% to 23.2% in May, and AIKO raised the bar again with a 24% product in June, these improvements had no impact on the total number of products or overall share. In July and August, the share declined to 12% due to a sharp increase in total product count, although the number of products in this band remained at 6. However, one intraband change took place in August, when Maxeon improved its BC module efficiency from 22.8% to 23%.

Several developments occurred in September. First, Huasun improved its module efficiency from 22.53% to 23.02%. While this had no impact on the number of products, 2 companies entered the band – raising the count to 8 and the share to 16%. SPIC’s TOPCon-based BC module came with an efficiency of 22.8%, replacing its previous 22.3% version, and Astronergy’s TOPCon product was improved from 22.3% to 22.6%. In October, the product count held at 8, but the share dipped slightly to 15%. By December, the count rose to 9 with the inclusion of Tongwei Solar, and the share returned to 16%. While TOPCon and HJT modules from Tongwei Solar were already included, December 2023 marked the debut of Tongwei Solar’s HJT module with 23% efficiency – a level already occupied by Maxeon since August. Another intra-band improvement also took place in the same month, when Astronergy raised the efficiency of its TOPCon module from 22.6% to 22.65%.

This text is an edited excerpt from the TaiyangNews TOP SOLAR MODULES H1-2025 report, which can be downloaded for free here.

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