Driving Solar Forward: Innovation, Silver Savings, And Supply Security

The post-COVID-19 world has compelled nations to focus on strengthening their local solar supply chains. Now, countries around the world are working to build stronger and more self-sufficient solar manufacturing systems. New technologies, tools, and materials are helping make production faster, more efficient, and less expensive. Advances in production equipment are contributing to increased output, improved yields, and reduced investment costs. 

All these factors are changing how cells and modules are made, especially with the 3 main commercial cell technologies: TOPCon, heterojunction (HJT), and back contact (BC). To highlight these developments and explore the way forward, TaiyangNews hosted the Cell & Module Production Equipment & Processing Materials Conference on September 2, 2025, bringing together industry players and experts to discuss the latest cell and module equipment, materials, and manufacturing innovations. 

Opening the conference as the keynote speaker, Markus Fischer, International Technology Roadmap for Photovoltaics’ (ITRPV) Steering Committee Chair, presented an overview of the latest technology trends in the PV market from the ITRPV’s 16th edition 2025. The global solar PV market continues to grow in keeping with demand.  

In 2024, 703 GW DC of modules were shipped globally at an average module spot market price of $0.08/W, while installations totaled 570 GW DC. This year, ITRPV forecasts up to 750 GW DC of module shipments at a $0.09/W spot market price, and a range of 560 GW DC to 650 GW DC of installations. 

n-Type wafers have become the mainstream technology, with M10 and G12 formats dominating, while rectangular wafers are best suited for rooftops. Wafer thickness for n-type is projected to decline from today’s 130 µm to 110 µm by 2035. Among cell technologies, TOPCon is expected to continue its domination through 2032. It has a 68% market share in 2025, while PERC, with an 18% share, appears to be on its way out. HJT’s share is set to increase from 8% in 2024 to 12% in 2035, while BC concepts – SHJ and TOPCon-based – are expected to grow their share from 6% in 2025 to 33% in 2035. All new cells are designed for bifacial use. As production capacity stabilizes, starting from 2025, prices are also expected to stabilize.

Fischer shared that the new manufacturing capacity will mainly come from replacing older lines with advances such as higher ALD throughput and reduced silver use in metallization. The solar PV industry’s overall silver consumption last year was 6.147 tons. Based on the 703 GW DC of solar modules shipped last year, silver usage amounted to approximately 9 mg/W. As new cell technologies are introduced and further technical advancements take place, ITRPV does not see the supply of silver as a concern for the solar PV industry.

He added that while tandem modules may require strong warranties for market introduction, they offer higher efficiencies and reduced silver needs. As for repowering, Fischer views it as a niche market, since it is often limited by costs and grid factors.  

Solar PV cell equipment manufacturer LAPLACE’s Director of Technology – International Business Unit, Josua Stückelberger, emphasized that the company safeguards customers’ patent security through its proprietary LPCVD with ex-situ doping technology, enabling them to adopt innovations. He emphasized that the company’s customers can easily sell their cells in the US and Europe without worrying about patent challenges. 

Stückelberger noted that BC technology is more complex, requiring 120% more manpower compared to TOPCon, which drives higher demand for TOPCon and TOPCon+. Despite this, LAPLACE ensures full compatibility with both TOPCon+ and XBC integration. The company states that it has already delivered 500 GW of TOPCon and IBC equipment, including over 20 GW outside China, mainly to Southeast Asia and the US.  

Stückelberger highlighted that the cost of ownership (CoO) difference between PECVD and LPCVD stands at 39% with $0.129/W and $0.079/W, respectively. Customers increasingly seek stable and uniform thermal SiOx, where LPCVD is essential for tunnel oxide and polysilicon deposition. Lasers also play a vital role in localized poly or BC processes, with LAPLACE having developed its own laser technologies. The company has additionally introduced pilot equipment for perovskite and new tools for edge passivation, poly thickness removal, and laser-based contact opening for BC. On the benefits of TOPCon+ over BC, Stückelberger explained that thinner metallization reduces front losses, while lower doping minimizes emitter losses.

Homer Chen, Associate Dean of Research Institute at S.C New Energy Technology, emphasized that TOPCon cell technology will dominate the solar PV market for at least the next decade, offering the best ROI for investors with payback in 2-3 years compared to 5 years for HJT. He shared data to support the fact that in 2024, Chinese manufacturers sold 562 GW of TOPCon modules out of a total 573 GW capacity sold.  

The company is a global leader in this space, claiming a 72% share of installed TOPCon equipment and over 575 GW delivered to date. For PECVD, its market share is around 95%. 

The solar cell production equipment supplier sees PECVD as the main deposition process for TOPCon solar cells. Chen listed the benefits of PECVD in terms of both cost and efficiency over LPCVD, including lower consumables (around $20,000/year vs. $140,000/year), higher wafer throughput (6,144 UPH vs. 3,600 UPH), and shorter cycle times (approximately 45 min vs. 220 min). 

Chen added that the current mass production solar cell efficiency of TOPCon is 25.5% with yields above 98%, and the potential to reach 26.8%. While HJT and TBC (XBC) show high efficiency potential, both face cost and scalability barriers. With over 800 GW of global TOPCon capacity already deployed, the technology is now the most widely adopted n-type architecture, supported by ongoing R&D and incremental efficiency enhancements.

He sees TOPCon to dominate the global PV industry until 2028, transitioning to n-IBC beyond 2029 and tandem IBC after 2036, marking a staged evolution in solar cell architectures. 

Speaking about the metallization techniques at the conference was Fangqing Guo, Director of New Technology Development at DKEM. He discussed copper as a cost-effective alternative to silver in solar cell metallization, while noting challenges with oxidation, firing sensitivity, and reliability. 

Guo presented DKEM’s solution of using an ultra-low silver seed layer followed by high copper paste, which is already in mass production with proven cell and module reliability. This approach of combining silver seed layers with copper addresses cost and performance, he explained. 

DKEM has also introduced silver-lean and silver-free pastes, new processes like LECO for fine-line and poly-finger printing, and advanced recipes for weak etching to boost Voc in TOPCon cells.  

Jerry Liao, CTO at Leadmicro, emphasized that BC is the future of solar cell technology and outlined the company’s recent equipment advancements to support this transition. Leadmicro’s turnkey BC line integrates 2 LPCVDs, 1 ALD, and 1 PECVD. The new LPCVD tool delivers 40% higher throughput of 8,000 pieces per tube, and features a double-paddle design, improved furnace hot zone, and optimized gas flow, ensuring uniform film deposition on both full and half cells with just 3% deviation in uniformity, he explained.  

The latest 6th-generation PECVD tool, designed for SiNx deposition, offers a 20% higher capacity, improved film uniformity, higher yield, and a throughput of 5,382 pieces per hour. Liao recommends batch ALD as the preferred choice for TOPCon and BC. He said Leadmicro’s tube ALD achieves 50% higher capacity at 4,000 pcs/h while delivering excellent passivation performance with average lifetimes exceeding 750 µs. 

Chun Zhang, CTO of CETC Red Solar, presented the company’s TOPCon equipment portfolio, covering ALD, PECVD, PVD, and LPCVD solutions. He particularly emphasized the company’s patented stacked graphite boat PECVD system, which he claims boosts throughput by 15% to achieve up to 500 MW, while lowering ownership costs by 10% and improving material utilization.  

Zhang noted that LPCVD is gaining traction and that the industry is increasingly moving toward BC technology. Founded in 2009 as a subsidiary of CETC, CETC Red Solar is a state-owned enterprise and Fortune Global 500 company, with over 400 systems sold and 400 patents, offering turnkey PV solutions worldwide. Its TOPCon portfolio includes boron diffusion furnace, oxidation annealing furnace, PECVD/LPCVD, and ALD, among others. For instance, with the company’s M82300-10/UM Model PECVD Coating Equipment, featuring an exclusive patent-auxiliary heating furnace body, the typical process production throughput for G12 rear reaches 5500 pcs/h and 4928 pcs/h for the front. 

CETC Red Solar is also evaluating BC technology and integrating PECVD in mass production for future cell concepts like HJT and tandem. 

Cybrid Technologies is advancing encapsulant solutions for TOPCon cells with its Raybo encapsulant film, designed to combat UV-induced degradation (UVID). Unlike conventional UV cut films, Raybo utilizes a patented UV down-shifting additive that absorbs UV light and re-emits it as visible light, preserving UV sensitivity and boosting power output by around 1%. According to Cybrid’s Deputy CTO, Hisanari Onouchi, this innovation significantly reduces UVID (cutting power loss to under 1% versus 3–10% in reference modules), while achieving a quantum efficiency above 98% and durability of over 30 years. 

Referring to the results of field tests in Osaka, Onouchi shared that Raybo-equipped modules delivered a 1.4% yield gain, or an additional 2.5 kWh/m² annually. Double-glass modules are subjected to higher lamination stress, increasing the risk of reliability failures. Cybrid claims its EPE (EVA/POE/EVA), in addition to addressing these stress-related issues, also offers better PID resistance and UV stability. In harsh PID testing (−1,500 V, 85°C, 85% RH), Cybrid’s EPE showed only 1% power loss, outperforming standard EVA and EPE films, claimed Onouchi. 

In comparative trials, Raybo reduced UVID losses in TOPCon modules to <1%, compared to >3% in reference modules.

Sukumar Madugula, Sales Director at RCT Solutions, discussed the engineering pathways for solar module manufacturing plants, right from concept to production. He reflected on India’s rapid expansion of solar cell lines against a backdrop of over 100 GW of installed module production capacity, annual demand exceeding 45 GW, and domestic content requirements (DCR). Madugula noted that instead of focusing only on branded modules, the market could pursue cell-only lines or partnerships.  

While India’s module-line capacity has surged from 30–40 GW pre-COVID to over 100 GW, challenges remain in timelines, costs, and overcapacity risks. According to Madugula, profitability depends on staying below ASP with disciplined execution and realistic schedules of 8–9 months, as opposed to the often-promised, but rarely achieved 6–8 months. RCT outlines phased execution from concept to ramp-up, stressing owner-driven processes, early utility planning, and standardized facility design to avoid costly delays.  

He added that with proper strategies, module line investments remain viable, supported by falling CapEx – now about $5 million/GW for equipment and $10 million to $12 million/GW for full-builds – though further cost declines will stabilize. He highlighted the shift toward TOPCon-ready lines, with pathways to BC and HJT, reflecting India’s transition to n-type modules, while cautioning that China’s role in materials and equipment will remain decisive. 

Panel Discussion  

Moderated by TaiyangNews’ Head of Technology, Shravan Chunduri, the panel discussion revolved around key trends in PV cell and module manufacturing.  

Leadmicro's CTO, Jerry Liao, sees strong potential in BC technology, while admitting that production challenges exist, including yield. TOPCon is now mature and is transitioning into overcapacity, but the future lies in upgrades, like poly-finger and edge passivation.  

DKEM’s Fangqing Guo sees room for further efficiency gains in TOPCon, but highlights the difficulty of implementing bi-poly, especially due to the challenges posed by texturized front surfaces and lower Voc compared to BC. On silver-saving, he shared that DKEM is pursuing both efficiency improvements and cost reduction, exploring options such as narrow fingers, Ni-based alternatives, silver-coated copper, and pure copper. Reliability concerns remain with pure copper, but silver-coated copper is already in production on several lines and delivering significant cost savings.

Chunduri asked the panelists for their advice on setting up solar cell production lines outside China. According to RCT’s Sukumar Madugula, while India is likely to host 30 GW solar cell production lines within a year, driven by TOPCon, growth in the US and European markets will be limited due to the political climate, even as module growth is imminent. 

Among the key messages from all the panelists was an emphasis on cost management, strong engineering, and skilled teams. Leveraging local sourcing offers an edge, they echoed, while stressing the importance of friendly local policies and reliable supply chains for smooth operations. 

During the event, TaiyangNews also ran a live blog for real-time updates from the conference. 

TaiyangNews is gearing up for more discussion and dialogue with regard to solar PV technology and markets in the upcoming weeks.  

On September 8, 2025, TaiyangNews will be in Las Vegas, US, where it is co-organizing the 2025 Solar Made in USA Summit, in collaboration with RE+ and EUPD Research. This event will explore the US market amid evolving regulations. Register for this physical event here.  

Later this month, on September 30, 2025, TaiyangNews will host a Special Webinar on Back Contact Technology. It will be followed by the TaiyangNews Solar & Sustainability 2025 Conference on October 9, 2025, for which free registrations are now being accepted here. Block your dates!