Top Solar Modules Listing – January 2024

The first TOP SOLAR MODULES Listing in 2024 is the 25^th edition of this commercial product overview and marks its entry into its 3^rd year. This monthly edition is a continuation of our effort to provide a clear and concise overview of the most technically advanced, commercially available modules on the market. We keep efficiency at the center of our focus for the obvious reason that it is the fundamental parameter that maximizes energy output, minimizes project footprints, reduces costs, and shrinks a solar panel’s carbon footprint. Nevertheless, we have also been providing the corresponding power output of these modules – a sales metric for solar modules – as reference. As a value addition to these monthly updates, we’ve published 2 in-depth reports analyzing data for 2022 and H1 2023. Stay tuned as we are set to publish our analysis for 2023 very soon. In our Dec. 2023 edition, we announce the launch of our Excellence Badge scheme – manufacturers featured in the TOP 10 for at least 6 months in a calendar year (see the 13 companies’ logos for 2023) are eligible to apply for the 2023 Badge of Excellence (pictured below efficiency table).

At total of 13 module manufacturers remained in the TOP 10 of our listing for more than 6 months in calendar year 2023.

Changes

In this January 2024 listing, the only change of note is that DMEGC has increased the efficiency of its TOPCon module marginally, from 22.45% to 22.5%, while its power rating remains the same at 580 W. As a result, DMEGC’s product not only leaps from its previous rank of 18^th to 10^th, but it also takes the number of products representing the efficiency level of 22.5%, which was already the highest at 8, to 9.

This also means, the TaiyangNews Top Solar Modules Listing remains unchanged up to the 9^th rank. As in the previous edition, Aiko Solar, one of the leading Chinese cell manufacturers that has expanded into modules, again holds the top position with a ground-breaking commercial record efficiency of 24%. Aiko’s AIKO-A620-MAH72Mw has a power rating of 620 W. Like its predecessor, the new record module product is also from its ABC module series that relies on the back contact cell architecture. In May 2023, we included LONGi Solar’s Hi-MO6 module with an updated efficiency of 23.2%. As a result, LONGi has made the No. 2 position its own, which it shared with Maxeon before May 2023. Huasun, which has moved to 3^rd place from 5^th in September 2023 – when it released the 715 W module from its Himalaya G12 series, which uses HJT 2.0 technology and is aimed at utility-scale applications – has retained its position.

For details about the different modules, please check the Results & Changes section below, following the Background and Methodology chapters.

Background

Efficiency and output power are the 2 key characteristics of a solar module. While there are several means to improve module power such as employing larger cell sizes or integrating more cells into a module, it’s the efficiency that truly speaks to the ability of the solar device to convert sunlight per area into power. That’s why this list includes only the highest efficiency solar modules.

TaiyangNews has been covering the efficiency progress of solar modules through its annual reports on Advanced Module Technologies starting from 2017 and its annual conference as of 2020. Our latest Solar Module Innovations Report was published in August 2022 (download report here ) and our most recent annual conference on Solar Module Innovations took place on January 31, 2023 (access the presentations here). However, in the quickly changing solar sector, a lot happens over the course of a year. To keep our readers updated about the efficiency progress more frequently, TaiyangNews started publishing this monthly column on commercial TOP SOLAR MODULES at the beginning of 2022. TaiyangNews has also published 2 reports presenting the analysis of this monthly list – an annual overview analyzing the developments over the course of last year, (see TOP SOLAR MODULES 2022), and an extended analysis to June 2023 that was published and distributed during Intersolar Europe (see TOP SOLAR MODULES H1-2023).

Methodology

Before going into the details, here is some background on the methodology and selection criteria: Module efficiencies have been improving considerably in recent years, more than 0.5% average per year. In order to make the list rewarding for technically advanced products, we set the minimum efficiency to feature in the list at 21.5%. We have listed only commercially available top modules from each cell technology stream of one module maker. For example, if a company is offering 2 different product streams based on PERC technology that have more than 21.5% efficiency, then only the product with the higher efficiency is considered for this list. But if a module maker is offering, for example, products based on PERC and TOPCon that have efficiencies of 21.5% or above, then both the products are listed here. Efficiency is the only criterion for ranking in the list (whenever available in the specs, we have used 2 digits after the comma for efficiencies, otherwise one). However, as we see more often products with the same efficiency, power determines the order in this case. And when both efficiency and power are the same, we list the manufacturers in alphabetical order.

The list does not distinguish between different module formats; all typical module sizes used in rooftop and ground-mounted solar system applications are included and treated equally as companies increasingly use larger modules also for rooftop applications.

A commercially available module is considered a product that has the complete data sheet listed on its manufacturer’s website. As such, the efficiency and power data listed here are taken from the data sheet available on the respective company’s website. This also means that any new product announcements without final technical data published are not included in the list as their module specs often differ considerably from the products that are finally available for purchase, and some products presented at trade fairs do not even see commercial light at all. Finally, we are only listing modules based on in-house-produced cells of a respective module manufacturer, which means modules using externally sourced cells are not featured in the TOP SOLAR MODULES list. If module specs listed on the websites seem to have ‘conspicuously’ high efficiencies, we ask for certificates from third-party test institutes, among other information, before we include a product in the list.

Results & Changes

Meeting these criteria, according to our research (status: first week of January 2024), a total of 55 products from 32 companies have made it to the current list with no change in count but one module update.

Aiko’s ABC module series remains at the top with an efficiency of 24%, surpassing its own previous high of 23.6%. This change happened in the month of June 2023. Aiko’s ABC module product is rated with up to 620 W power coming from 144 M10 half cells. Aiko has not specified the exact cell architecture, but it’s based on n-type wafers and characterized as ABC, which is also the designation of the module series and stands for All Back Contact. The panels of its ABC White Hole Series feature a grid-free front design for improved aesthetics and a uniform appearance. Their low temperature coefficient (0.29%/℃) minimizes power loss in hot climates. The module efficiency was certified by TÜV SÜD, and the product is also commercially available. Aiko has also provided a list of projects as proof where the module series has been used in commercial-scale installations.

The Hi-MO6 module from LONGi was updated in May – at 23.2% from 22.8%; it has remained unchanged in the No. 2 position. LONGi’s product is based on its proprietary HPBC cell technology, which is essentially a back contact cell architecture. Apart from being top class in efficiency, the new Hi-MO6 module series is powerful too. It reaches up to 600 W in the highest power class. The 144 (6×24) half-cell panel is a single glass (3.2 mm) product with an anodized aluminum alloy frame, measuring 2,278 x 1,134 x 35 mm and a weight of 27.5 kg. The module with up to 23.2% efficiency also features a 25-year power warranty with <1.5% power degradation in the first year and an average of 0.40% from years 2 to 25.

Huasun’s HJT module remains at the 3^rd place, which is the most prominent change that happened in September 2023. Until August, Huasun was listed with 22.53% efficiency and 700 W power. The Himalaya series module from Huasun is based on the G12 wafer size in a 132 half-cell configuration. The module has an efficiency of 23.02% and a power rating of 715 W, which was the highest among all listed products for a few months – a rank it now has to share with Tongwei. However, the release of that product was also the first time that a module surpassed the 700 W benchmark. The module is also bifacial, which, along with its high power attribute, makes the product highly compatible to utility-scale applications. Huasun has been promoting this outstanding product for a few months but provided production and shipment numbers only recently, thus confirming its commercial availability and earning a place in our ranking (See Huasun’s Director of Business Development Europe Christian Comes’ presentation on Designing HJT Modules For Various Applications here).

One of the most prominent changes in the previous edition was TW Solar’s HJT module jumping in directly at the 4^th position, a place it keeps in this edition as well. Till November 2023, TW Solar was only represented in the TOPCon segment and PERC (shingled) modules. With the inclusion of this HJT product, TW Solar is among a handful of companies that is featuring 3 times in our list, meaning in 3 different technology streams.

The HJT module is built with 132 cells of the 210 mm format. It is designed with the company’s THC products – an n-type HJT cell technology. The highest power rating for this bifacial module is 715 W, and an efficiency of 23.0%. TW Solar has also provided production details and a testing report for this panel. This module shares the 4^th rank with Maxeon’s IBC module, called Maxeon 6. This module is built with 66 cells of the 166 mm format, and is designed with a white backsheet and a black frame structure. With 23% efficiency, 445 W power and n-type IBC cell technology, it comes with an outstanding performance warranty period of 40 years.

SPIC, which slipped to 6^th last month, remains unchanged. While the company had been promoting an efficiency of 22.3% till August 2023, it made a remarkable change in September by improving the efficiency of its top product by 0.5% absolute. Its latest Andromeda 3.0 product series comes with a top efficiency of 22.8%. The company has also provided the shipment and production data, indicating the commercial availability of the product. The module features an elegant full black design combined with SPIC’s TBC cell technology, which is an IBC concept adopted on TOPCon base cell architecture. The bifacial module, with a bifaciality of 70% and built with 120 half cells, has a power rating of 410 W. SPIC is offering a 30-year power warranty for this product.

Astronergy improved its efficiency in December 2023 to move up to the 7^th place. ASTRO N5, which was last updated in the September edition to 22.6%, was upgraded by 0.05% in December. The company promotes the product now with 22.65% efficiency that is produced and shipped in commercial quantities. The latest variant of the ASTRO N5 series, like the previous one, is also a bifacial panel built with 144 half-cut cells of the 182 mm wafer format and an unaltered power rating of 585 W.

JinkoSolar shares the 7^th rank with Astronergy with its Tiger Neo TOPCon module JKMN-72HL4-V that is offered with a power rating of 585 W. This module has a 132 half-cell configuration and an efficiency of 22.65%.

The best module from Jolywood, the early adopter of TOPCon technology whose products have not undergone any changes technically, stays at 9^th. However, its former Niwa Light module was replaced with a bifacial product called Niwa Pro in August, which has the same specifications of 440 W power and 22.53% efficiency.

The next efficiency level of 22.5% is shared by as many as 9 companies ranked 10^th. This group has grown by one with the addition of DMEGC. Risen gets the first mention in the group, which is structured according to power first, and if equal, an alphabetical order is applied.

Risen Energy’s Hyper-ion module, which was included in June, remains unchanged. This HJT module from Risen has an efficiency of 22.5%, corresponding to a very high rated power of 700 W. The product is built with 132 half cells, cut from the 210 mm original format, and is bifacial.

Trina Solar’s Vertex N series replaced the previous Vertex S+ in the September edition. While both the product groups have the same efficiency, the currently featuring Vertex N has a high power of 700 W compared to 450 W for the former. Thus, the company’s order among the products ranked 10^th (22.5% efficiency) has gone up from the penultimate position to second. The TSM-NEG21C.20 is built with 210 mm wafers and 132 half cut cells. This bifacial module, using a 2 mm glass on both sides, reaches a bifaciality of 80 ± 5%.

DAS Solar’s DAS-DH156NA is also listed at the 10^th position. This n-type TOPCon solar module remained unchanged with 156 half cells and 630 W power.

JA Solar’s TOPCon listing saw a change in power ratings in the August edition. The JAM72D42 630/LB has a higher power of 630 W compared to the 530 W JAM72D40 580/GB product, but the efficiency has stayed the same at 22.5%, and thus ranked 10^th. It is a bifacial double-glass module with a bifaciality of 80 ±10% and is built with 144 half cells of the G12 size and 16 busbars. As to the physical characteristics, the module measures 2,465 x 1,134 x 35 mm and weighs 34.6 kg.

Canadian Solar’s TopHiKu6 TOPCon model is yet another module that offers 22.5% efficiency. The module entered our list in June 2023, replacing a bifacial product, and has an efficiency that is 0.2 percentage points higher. CS6W-560-580T has 144 half cells based on the 182 mm wafer format. Interestingly, one more product from Canadian Solar also shares the 10^th rank. However, this HiHero series, based on HJT, is a smaller module built with 108 G12 wafers in a half-cell configuration, and thus a lower rated power of 440 W.

The new entrant to the list in 10^th is DMEGC, with an  efficiency of 22.5%. The TOPCon module from the company has made a drastic move upward from 18^th. This n-type module from DMEGC now features  an improved efficiency of 22.5%, up from 22.45%. It featured in the listing for the first time in June 2023, which continued to the end of the year. This bifacial module is designed with 144 half cells of the 182 mm wafer format and has a corresponding rated power output of 580 W, which is essentially unchanged.

Runergy made its move to 10^th last month, up from the 21^st place, through a 0.1% absolute efficiency increase. Runergy’s TOPCon module’s efficiency, listed with 22.4% efficiency until November, has improved it to 22.5%. The company is another leading Chinese cell vendor that ventured into the module business recently (for background, watch our interview with Runergy CTO Yang Yang). The 2 product streams of Runergy, based on TOPCon and PERC cell technologies, were featured in our review for the first time in July. Runergy’s HY-DH144N8 is built with 144 half-cells in the 182 mm wafer format. The bifacial TOPCon module has an efficiency of 22.5%.

TW Solar’s TOPCon module, which joined the list in April 2023, has remained unchanged since then and is now at the 10^th position. The product is designed with a TNC cell type, an anodized aluminum alloy frame and features a linear warranty of 30 years for power output. This product is also built with 144 half-cells of the G12 wafer format and has an efficiency of 22.5% and 580 W power.

The next spot, the 19^th, is shared by the 4 companies mentioned below, instead of the 5 previously with DMEGC moving out of this group to join the 22.5% club. These products have also slipped by a rank with this move.

A product series called STAR Pro, which was updated in August, is representing EGingPV’s TOPCon range in the list. The top module of the STAR Pro features a module efficiency of 22.45%. This bifacial module, built with 144 half-cells of the 182 mm wafer format, has a rated power of 580 W.

Qn-Solar, a Chinese solar cell and module manufacturer, entered our list in July 2023. Originally a project developer and EPC, the 2014 launched Shanghai-headquartered company also operates its own power plants, and has been strongly expanding into the manufacturing field recently to reach 69 GW cell and 39 GW module capacity in 2023, according to the company’s website. It is promoting TOPCon modules with an efficiency of up to 22.45%, thus is one of the 4 products featured at the 19^th position. Qn-Solar’s listed bifacial TOPCon product has a rated power of 580 W and is built on the 182-wafer format with 144 half-cells. Qn-Solar is also promoting a PERC module that qualifies with an efficiency of 21.57%, which earns it an inclusion in our current listing at the 44th position. That module has an output power of 670 W.

SolarSpace also belongs to the category of leading cell manufacturers venturing into module making. The company, offering both PERC and TOPCon products, entered our rankings in July 2023. In December, the TOPCon module of Lumina II was upgraded to a high-efficiency variant, increasing its efficiency from 22.02% to 22.45%. Consequently, its ranking improved significantly, moving up 10 places from 28^th to 18^th and now to 19^th. The 580 W module is built with 144 half-cells based on the 182 mm wafer format and has an efficiency of 22.45%. Lumina I from SolarSpace is a PERC module with 21.57% efficiency and is one among 7 products sharing the 44^th rank on the list.

URECO is a manufacturer formed after a merger of the 3 leading Taiwanese cell manufacturers – Neo Solar Power, Gintech and Solartec. The company has products on offer that are based on all 3 mainstream cell technologies – PERC, TOPCon and HJT. While PERC products were already part of our earlier listing, the modules based on the remaining 2 advanced cell technologies were included in our August edition. Named GLORY, the company’s TOPCon series is represented by its FBF580B8D model with an efficiency of 22.45%, which means it shares the 19^th place with the abovementioned 3 products from EGingPV, Qn-Solar and SolarSpace. URECO’s HJT module, with a rated efficiency of 22.44%, misses the spot with a very narrow gap of 0.01%, putting it 4 ranks down to #23, which has also not changed. Called GLORY HELLO, the module is built with 120 half-cells using the 210 mm wafer format and has a power rating of 635 W.

Suntech’s TOPCon module stays alone at the 24^th position with an unchanged efficiency of 22.4%. This bifacial module is built with 182 mm sized 156 half-cells and has a power rating of 625 W. Another product from Suntech featuring since July 2023 has an efficiency of 21.7% and is among the top efficiency products in the PERC category, which is now in the 32^nd place.

Akcome moved one step up to 25^th in the last edition, where it continues in this edition as well. The product upgraded to 22.37% efficiency from 22.22%. While the product branding has not changed, including the model name, the power and efficiency have been updated. The Ak iPower HJT module is built with 132 half-cells based on the 210 mm wafer size and is rated for a power of 695 W. The dual-glass module achieves a bifaciality of up to 90%, resulting in a power generation gain of 7%-30% on the back side. Akcome also promotes a 560 W and 21.68% efficient bifacial PERC module built with 144 half-cells sliced from M10 cells. This PERC product shares the 38^th rank with JinkoSolar’s Tiger Pro PERC module that has the same efficiency.

Yingli Solar, one of the early adopters of cell architectures based on n-type wafers, finally found its way into our November listing through its PANDA 3.0 PRO, a TOPCon module product. The cells used in this module are made from its in-house 5 GW cell production capacity for TOPCon, while the company has 20 GW of module capacity including PERC and TOPCon. The listed module is built with 156 half-cells. The bifacial module interconnected with MBB technology has an efficiency of 22.36% and a power output of 625W. This module is at the 26^th position, while another module from Yingli ranks 44^th in the PERC category.

Part of the vertically integrated GCL Group, which is a global leader in silicon production for the solar industry, GCL Integration (GCL-Si) is offering solar modules and battery storage products as well as full PV project solutions (for details on GCL Group, watch our interview with Group Chairman Gongshan Zhu). In the July 2023 edition, we included 2 module products from GCL-Si. The GCL GEMINI series’ more efficient product, GCL_NT10/72GDF, representing the TOPCon range of the company, has an efficiency of 22.3% and a power output of 575 W. The bifacial n-type module is designed with 144 half-cut cells based on the 182 mm wafer format – and shares the 27^th rank with REC.

REC’s top HJT module offered commercially hasn’t seen any change in 2023 and now. The Singapore based manufacturer’s Alpha Pure-R series HJT product is available with an unaltered efficiency of up to 22.3% and 430 W module power.

CECEP Solar Technology Zhenjiang is a Chinese cell and module producer founded in 2010 that operates around 4 GW of cell and 8 GW of module capacity, according to its website. CECEP’s first-time featuring TOPCon product is a High Efficiency series bifacial solar module made with 144 half-cells based on M10 n-type wafers. The product is rated with an efficiency of 22.1% and a power output of 570 W. This module ranks 29^th.

The remaining 26 products listed are below 22%, of which 2 are based on HJT while the bulk are PERC modules.

Jinergy’s HJT module, which was updated in September 2023, now ranks 30^th. Its efficiency of 21.85% is 0.17 percentage points higher than the previously listed product. Not just efficiency, the featured JNHM144-475 is a little larger module compared to the previous one, built with 144 cells, thus has a higher power rating of 475 W. It is bifacial too, with a bifaciality of over 85%.

As previously, Meyer Burger is offering its HJT product with the same efficiency of 21.8% and a power rating of 390 W, now listed at the 31^st position.

There are several module series with efficiencies slightly exceeding 21.5% available today, as high efficiency cell architectures are not a must to reach that level, but in order to design products today beyond 21.7%, the cell technology is key.

As shown in our TOP SOLAR MODULES H1-2023 overview report, PERC in general was not able to support efficiencies above 21.6% until the end of last year. At the time, modules with efficiencies above 21.6% were generally employing cells based on high-efficiency cell architectures such as IBC, TOPCon or HJT.

Of late, however, we have observed an increase in the number of companies reaching module efficiencies of up to 21.7% with PERC. Until November 2022, LONGi and Risen were part of this group; Canadian Solar joined the list in January, TW Solar in February, DAS Solar in April, and Suntech joined the list of 21.7% efficiency PERC modules in July – and all of them are ranked #32. Following the order of rated power, the third module of Canadian Solar in this list, the HiKu7, is based on the 132 half-cell configuration with 210 mm wafer size and a rated power of 675 W. Risen Energy’s TITAN module is built with 132 half-cells of the 210 mm wafer format for a rated power of 675 W. DAS Solar’s DAS-DH144PA module is based on a 144-cell and 182 mm wafer format. LONGi’s Hi-MO 5m module is built with 144 cells of 182 mm cell size, offering 560 W of power. Suntech’s Ultra V module has a design of 144 half cells of the 182 mm wafer format and a rated power output of 560 W. TW Solar, which was listing a 21.5% efficiency product until February 2023, has come up with a 21.7% product that reaches a power output of 430 W. Like its predecessor, this product is also based on shingled interconnection technology, stripping cells into 5 and a total of 61 cells are used to build this shingled module.

If rounded, the next 2 would also reach 21.7%, but the companies – Akcome and Jinko – chose not to do so in their spec sheets. JinkoSolar’s Tiger Pro is a module with 21.68% efficiency based on a 144-cell configuration, resulting in a rated output of 560 W. Akcome has a bifacial product with the same number of cells, cell format and output of Jinko. Thus, the 2 products now share the 38^th rank.

Of the remaining 16 PERC products, 4 reach 21.6% efficiency, 3 products from this group – from GCL-Si, Talesun and Trina Solar – have the same power rating of 670 W owing to the same cell count of 132 half-cells of the G12 size. JA Solar’s DeepBlue 3.0, built with M10 sized 156 half-cells, has a lower power rating of 605 W. While listed lower, it is ranked the same at 40^th.

The next 7 products rated with 21.57% efficiency share the 44^th rank, of which 3 are from Qn-Solar, SolarSpace and URECO that all entered our list in July, while Jinergy, Seraphim and Yingli are the other 3. ZNShine’s PERC module is a new member of this group. The company has a total capacity of 10 GW. The product also leverages bifacial capabilities, the half-cell design, and MBB technology. Like the other 6 products listed with 21.7% efficiency, this module also has the same rated power of 670 W. All these products are built with 132 half-cells of the 210 mm wafer format. EgingPV’s PERC product is the lone beholder of the 51^st rank with an efficiency of 21.56%, but the power rating of 670 W is the same as the products from the group above. The lowest efficiency of 21.5%, which is also the minimum criterion to be included in this list, is represented by 4 products at rank 52. These products are offered by Runergy, Q CELLS, Astronergy and CECEP, all sharing this position.

Summary

TaiyangNews’ January 2024 TOP SOLAR MODULES list comprises of 55 products from 32 companies. Aiko Solar still leads with its ABC module of 24% efficiency, while LONGi Solar secures the second spot with its Hi-MO 6 module at 23.2%. Huasun’s HJT module holds the third position with 23.02% efficiency and 715 W power. All these top 3 ranks remain unchanged over the previous edition.

This month’s listing features only one change; the TOPCon module from DMEGC is now featured with an improved efficiency of 22.5%, up from 22.45%. Since featuring for the first time in June 2023, it remained in the 18^th position until the end of 2023. This bifacial module is designed with 144 half-cells of the 182 mm wafer format and has a corresponding rated power output of 580 W.

As a result, the rankings of products from a few companies have changed. The number of module products ranked 10^th increased from 8 to 9, while those at the 18^th position have now been demoted to 19^th.

Report: If you want to learn more about commercial module efficiencies of integrated module producers, please check our TOP SOLAR MODULES H1/2023 report. Here we have looked at the monthly columns for the last 18 months of this ranking – with a focus on H1/2023 – and analyzed the trends and developments for the different cell technologies (PERC; TOPCon, HJT, Back Contact) and listed companies (free download of TOP SOLAR MODULES H1/2023 report here).

PS: If you have spotted a solar module somewhere that meets our criteria and missing in this list, please do send us the website link with the product specs to [email protected].

Disclaimer: TaiyangNews does not guarantee reliability, accuracy or completeness of this TOP SOLAR MODULES Listings content. TaiyangNews does not accept responsibility or liability for any errors in this work.