LONGi's latest HIBC cell efficiency record breaks of 28.29% its own previous 28.13% world record for single-junction crystalline silicon solar cell efficiency
LONGi has set 3 HIBC world records in 2026 and 4 since it introduced the 27.81% HIBC record cell in April 2025
The hybrid design successfully combines a TOPCon-derived n-type contact with an HJT-derived p-type contact on the rear
Chinese integrated PV manufacturer LONGi has once again raised the world record solar cells efficiency for single-junction crystalline silicon to 28.29. Germany's Institute for Solar Energy Research Hamelin (ISFH) certified the result for LONGi's hybrid interdigitated back-contact (HIBC) cell. This year marks LONGi's third HIBC world record in 2026, breaking its own previous record of 28.13% in April and 28.04% in January. Including the 27.81% result announced in April 2025, the company has raised the HIBC benchmark 4 times. The certified efficiency has increased by 0.48 percentage points over this period. LONGi says the latest cell has reached 96.2% of the theoretical efficiency limit it uses for crystalline silicon.
Back-contact cell architectures have led the efficiency race for a decade, especially in terms of world records. Japan's Kaneka reached 26.33% in 2016 and 26.63% in 2017 with heterojunction back-contact cells. The 26.63% result remained the world record until November 2022. By placing both polarities of the metal contacts on the rear, the architecture eliminates contact shading from the light-receiving front of the cell.
LONGi ended Kaneka's more than 5-year streak at the world’s top crystalline silicon solar cell efficiency with a 26.81% HJT cell. Unlike the Kaneka record cell, this device used a conventional front-and-back-contact architecture. LONGi boasted that it was the first Chinese solar company to set a world record for silicon solar cell efficiency and that it has maintained its lead ever since.
The record returned to a back-contact design in December 2023, when LONGi reached 27.09% with a heterojunction back-contact (HBC) cell. It increased the performance to 27.3% in May 2024. The next big change in cell architecture was the hybrid HIBC structure, which reached 27.81% in April 2025. In a Nature paper, LONGi’s research team described the hybrid design as combining a TOPCon-derived n-type contact with an HJT-derived p-type contact on the rear. The technology combines advanced all-surface passivation with laser-treated tunneling contacts. The approach integrates the high- and low-temperature processes to suppress recombination and enhance contact performance, the researchers underscore.
LONGi subsequently raised the HIBC record to 28.04%, 28.13% and now 28.29%. Its April 2026 announcement referred to improvements in cell structure, materials, passivation and charge transport. The latest announcement does not specify what changes produced the 0.16-percentage-point gain over the previous record. LONGi also showcased HIBC modules exceeding 700 W alongside the cell result.
On a side note, the company has separately reported a certified HIBC module efficiency of 26.4%. In comparison, its commercially produced EcoLife series was listed at 25% module efficiency in TaiyangNews’ TOP SOLAR MODULES Listing.
