LONGi Half-Cut Mono PERC Module Breaks 360 W

• LONGi Solar's 120-cell half-cut monocrystalline PERC module has exceeded 360 W, setting a new world record, says the Chinese PV company
• Certified by Germany's TÜV-SÜD, the achievement adds to LONGi's previous success for a 60-cell monocrystalline PERC module for power and conversion efficiency
• Average cell efficiency reached 22%, degradation in the first year is less than 2% and stabilizing at less than 0.55% every year

The world's leading mono wafer producer LONGi says its 120-cell half-cut monocrystalline PERC module has exceeded 360W. This is a new world record for a 120-cell half-cut monocrystalline PERC module, said the Chinese company. The module, which carries certification from German testing and certification firm TÜV-SÜD,follows LONGi's previous achievement for a 60-cell monocrystalline PERC module for power and conversion efficiency.

Half cut cells is a simple but effective way to improve the module power. By cutting a fully processed cell into two pieces, resistance losses can be reduced, providing a power boost of about 5 to 6 W (for background on half cells, see TaiyangNews Advanced Solar Module Technology Report 2017).

 "LONGi Solar's 120-cell half-cut monocrystalline PERC module applies our leading PERC technology, which has been proven to increase power generation performance in low-light conditions and has excellent resistance to hot spots," said Dr Jun Lv, Vice President of LONGi Solar. Average cell efficiency reached 22%; degradation in the first year is less than 2%, and stabilizing at less than 0.55% per year.

The Chinese company is swiftly moving completely to PERC technology and expects to complete the transformation in 2018. It plans to gradually get into mass production, but initially 8 GW of PERC cell supply capacity will be available for its clients through strategic cooperation. LONGi recently signed a long term supply agreement with fellow Chinese company, Daqo New Energy for 39,600 MT of ultra-high quality polysilicon (see Daqo Secures Big Silicon Deal With LONGi).

In February 2018, LONGi broke its own conversion efficiency record for a monocrystalline PERC solar cells when it achieved 23.6% efficiency (see 23.6% PERC Mono Cell World Record From LONGi).

In an interview with TaiyangNews in September 2017, LONGi President Zhengguo Li shared that his company's technology roadmap for 2018 targets mass production of 21.6% mono cells and 72-cell solar modules of over 380 W(see Entering PV3.0 Era With PV Modules Exceeding 360 W).

The new 360 W record half-cell module fits well into LONGi's PV 3.0 terminology. LONGi had termed 2017, the year when the PV 3.0 Era started, which they defined as 60-cell modules with over 300 W nominal power and 72-cell modules exceeding 360 W. As these power levels were first reached in large-scale GW-size commercial mass production in 2017, its said that PV 3.0 era was starting that year.