Key takeaways
China-based Grand Sunergy joins the list with its HJT module, offering 22.86% efficiency and 710 W power
A noticeable ongoing decrease in the number of PERC modules, with a module each from Astronergy and Talesun being delisted this month
The October TOP SOLAR MODULES listing features 54 products, down 1 from 55 last month, while the number of companies remains steady at 33
The October TOP SOLAR MODULES Listing features 54 products from 33 companies, 1 product less than the previous month. Notable changes include the entry of China-based Grand Sunergy, whose HJT module, with 22.86% efficiency at 710 W of power, ranks 6th on the list. The number of PERC modules declined by 2 this month, with the delisting of a product each from Astronergy and Talesun. While Astronergy has confirmed the discontinuation of PERC products, Talesun’s website was not accessible. Thus, Talesun finds itself delisted from the TOP SOLAR MODULES listing as a company only represented in the PERC stream. With the addition of Grand Sunergy, however, the number of companies remains the same at 33.
As in the previous edition, AIKO continues to hold the top spot with a module efficiency of 24.2% and 655 W power output for its top product. AIKO broke its own record in May 2024, about a year after creating history with a landmark efficiency of 24% for commercial modules, by commercializing a module with an even higher efficiency of 24.2% and 655 W of power.
Another very interesting aspect in May’s listing was that the pioneer of back contact technology, Maxeon Solar, commercialized a module with 24.1% efficiency and a power output of 445 W. While the Maxeon 7 module series was publicly introduced a few months ago, we received the proof of its commercialization in our May edition, when Maxeon Solar jumped to the 2nd position, moving up from rank 4. This also pushed LONGi’s HPBC back contact module to 3rd place from the May listing onwards.
Huasun's Himalaya series HJT module, which entered the list in September 2023, increased its efficiency from 23.02% to 23.18% in August 2024. Previously, this module shared the highest power rating of 715 W with Tongwei Solar. With a 5 W increase, this module now leads the listing with a power output of 720 W. Despite this improvement, the module’s ranking remains 4th. Thus, the rankings of the listed companies have not changed since July. This also means the top 3 ranks remain unchanged.
For more details on the different modules, please check the Results & Changes section below, following the Background and Methodology chapters.
Before diving into the details, we reiterate the launch of our Excellence Badge scheme announced in December 2023. Manufacturers who have featured in the Top 10 for at least 6 months within a calendar year are eligible to apply for the badge. A total of 8 companies – AIKO, Huasun Energy, JA Solar, JinkoSolar, LONGi, Risen, Tongwei Solar and Trinasolar – have already availed of the badge, which is also indicated in the efficiency table below. Product details of these awardees can be viewed in special company editions published on our website (see here).
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 into power per area. 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 in 2017. We also cover cell/module technology updates in our High Efficiency Solar Technologies Conference once a year; the most recent one took place in Dec. 2023 (access the presentations here).
However, in the quickly changing solar sector, a lot happens over the course of a year, which is also covered in the many events we are organizing on different topics (see latest on Solar Power Plants in April 2024).
To put these pieces of information together and keep our readers updated about the global module efficiency progress more frequently, TaiyangNews started publishing this monthly column on commercial TOP SOLAR MODULES at the beginning of 2022. TaiyangNews has also published several reports presenting the analysis of this monthly list – the latest in July 2024 (see TOP SOLAR MODULES H1-2024).
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. In order to make the list rewarding for technically advanced products, we set the minimum efficiency of 21.5% as the criterion to feature in the list. We have listed only commercially available top modules from each cell technology stream of a 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 with efficiencies of 21.5% or above, then both products are listed. Efficiency is the only criterion for ranking in the list (whenever available in the specs, we have used 2 digits after the decimal point for efficiencies, otherwise one). However, as we see products with the same efficiency more often, power determines the order in this case. And when both the 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.
We only list modules that are based on the manufacturer’s cells produced in-house, which means modules using externally sourced cells are not featured in the TOP SOLAR MODULES list. Having the complete data sheet listed on its manufacturer’s website is the first step for a module to be considered a commercially available product. As such, the efficiency and power data listed here are taken from the datasheet 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. However, just the existence of an online datasheet generally does not suffice, especially for top efficiencies in the respective technology stream. If module specs listed on the websites seem to have ‘conspicuously’ high efficiencies or new record-efficiency products are announced, we ask for additional proof of commercialization before we include a product in the list.
Results & Changes
Our current list, compiled as of the first week of October 2024, includes 54 products that meet our criteria, from 33 companies.
In July, the listing saw major product updates from DMEGC, JA Solar, and REC. In August, there was an update from Huasun. While there were no updates from the listed companies in September, one major change was the delisting of Tongwei Solar’s PERC module based on shingled technology.
The product count in the October TOP SOLAR MODULES listing is down by 1 from September. Notable changes include the entry of China-based Grand Sunergy, whose HJT module, with 22.86% efficiency at 710 W power, now ranks 6th, affecting overall rankings of the product down the list. There is a continuing decline in PERC modules, with 2 being delisted this month—one from Astronergy and another from Talesun. Earlier, Kalyon PV’s PERC module was delisted in July, followed by Tongwei Solar’s in September. Astronergy’s PERC module was removed due to its unavailability on the company’s website, owing to Astronergy ceasing PERC production. Talesun’s product, and as a result the company since it was represented only in the PERC stream, was delisted as the company’s website is not accessible. Thus, the list with 33 companies remained unchanged with respect to the number of companies.
AIKO has retained its top seat ever since announcing its entry into the list in March 2023 with its ABC series module featuring an efficiency of 23.6%. AIKO broke its own record and created history in June 2023 with another ABC series module by reaching the benchmark efficiency of 24% for a commercial module. Again, after about a year, in May 2024, AIKO continued its legacy with its latest Comet 2U series that features 24.2% efficiency. This product – AIKO-G655-MCH72M – is built with 144 half-cells of the M10 format, enabling it to reach a power rating of 655 W, 35 W higher than its predecessor. This rise in power rating is not just due to efficiency improvement, but the module size, i.e., the length, has been increased from 2,278 mm to 2,382 mm, while the width remains the same at 1,134 mm. It is a monofacial module featuring a grid-free front design for improved aesthetics and uniform appearance. AIKO has delivered third-party test lab measurement data, shipment data, and a list of projects where the module series has been used in commercial-scale installations as proof. AIKO showcased a product with up to 24.4% efficiency at SNEC & Intersolar Europe 2024, but we have yet to receive certification and shipment data from the company. AIKO also presented a very impressive 25% module at its booth, but first shipments will probably only start toward the end of the year.
Maxeon Solar secured the 2nd position in May 2024, propelled by the introduction of its latest high-efficiency module Maxeon 7, which replaces the Maxeon 6 panel. Despite maintaining the same power output of 445 W, Maxeon 7 comes with an impressive increase in efficiency from 23% to 24.1%. Similar to its predecessor, this IBC module features a sleek design with a white backsheet and a black frame structure. An important point to be noted here is unlike the previous product, which was built with 166 mm wafers, this Maxeon 7 series module is built with 112 cells based on a 125 mm wafer size. The Maxeon 7 panel comes with a performance warranty of 40 years. As mentioned above, the back contact technology expert announced the new 24.1% product earlier this year – in Feb. 2024, it said that the product is available for select partners of the manufacturer in Europe, while Maxeon plans to make these fully commercially available in Q3/2024 (see World’s Highest Commercial Solar Module Efficiency). However, we received shipment details and other data only in the May edition of the TOP SOLAR MODULES Listing.
As a result of the above changes, the Hi-MO 6 module from LONGi, which was upgraded from 22.8% efficiency to 23.2% in May 2023, moved a place down to 3rd one year later in May 2024. LONGi’s product is based on its proprietary HPBC cell technology, which is essentially a back contact (BC) cell architecture. Apart from being top-class in efficiency, the Hi-MO 6 module series is also powerful. 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 × 1,134 × 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 0.4% from years 2 to 25. The world’s largest vertically integrated module maker recently published a new solar lab cell efficiency record of 27.3% and announced its Hi-MO 9 panel with 24.43% efficiency (see LONGi Announces New Lab-Scale Cell Efficiency Record). LONGi also showcased it at SNEC and Intersolar Europe. However, the product does not find itself in our listing as the company has yet to provide details about the commercial status of this high-efficiency module.
Huasun’s HJT module, introduced in September 2023, which moved to the 4th position in May 2024, has now improved efficiency and power ratings. Until August, Huasun’s top product 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. The release of this product was also the first time that a module surpassed the 700 W benchmark. It is also bifacial, which, along with its high-power attribute, makes the product highly compatible with utility-scale applications. This 2 mm double glass bifacial module has a bifaciality of 90±5% and measures 2,384 × 1,303 × 33 mm, with a weight of 37.9 kg. It comes with a 15-year product warranty and a 30-year power warranty. Now, this module has improved its efficiency to 23.18% and power to 720 W. Despite efficiency improvement, the module stays at the 4th rank (see Huasun’s Director of Business Development Europe Christian Comes’ presentation on State of the Art High Efficiency – Heterojunction in 2024 here, which he presented during our Solar Power Plants 2024 conference in April).
In December 2023, Tongwei Solar also started offering a 715 W module. Its HJT module, which entered the list at 4th, moved to 5th in May and has remained unchanged. Till November 2023, Tongwei was only represented in the TOPCon segment and PERC (shingled) modules. With the inclusion of this HJT product, Tongwei is among the few companies to have been featured simultaneously in all 3 different technology streams in our listing; however, this is no longer the case since its PERC module has been delisted. Tongwei’s HJT module is built with 132 half-cells of the 210 mm format. It is designed with the company’s THC cells – an n-type HJT cell technology. The highest power rating for this bifacial module is 715 W, and an efficiency of 23.0%. Tongwei has also provided production details and a testing report for this panel (see details on Tongwei’s latest downstream plans in its presentation at a recent TaiyangNews Conference here).
The newly added heterojunction (HJT) module from Grand Sunergy, featuring 22.86% efficiency, slots in at 6th place in the current edition. It displaces a set of 5 companies that held the 6th rank until September, with products featuring 22.8% efficiency, led by SPIC since December 2023.
A China-based solar cell and HJT module manufacturer, Grand Sunergy entered the renewable energy sector in 2022, specializing in HJT cell manufacturing. Its GSM-MH3/132-BHDG710 module, with a power output of 710 W, uses G12 large-size wafers and has dimensions of 2,384 × 1,303 × 33 mm, weighing 38.5 ± 0.5 kg. It features an 85% bifaciality and is supported by a 30-year linear power warranty.
DMEGC’s Infinity series TOPCon module, which was last updated in April 2024 with 22.6% efficiency, was replaced with the Infinity RT series in July 2024. This module is built on the 210 mm rectangular wafer format and a 132-half-cell configuration. Compared to its previous 182 mm 144-half-cell configured module, this module has a 30 W higher rated power of 610 W and boasts an efficiency of 22.8%. As a result, the module, which moved up to 6th from 10th in the July edition, now ranks 7th. The module dimensions are 2,382 × 1,134 × 30 mm, weighing 32.3 kg. The 2 mm double-glass module features a bifaciality factor of 80% ± 5%. The module comes with a 30-year linear power warranty, less than 1% degradation in the first year, and a maximum of 0.4% annual degradation thereafter. Since DMEGC’s Infinity RT series module has the highest power output among all 5 modules listed at the 7th rank, it is placed first among the group and at the top in the TOPCon module technology category.
Astronergy, which updated its module efficiency from 22.65% to 22.8% in March 2024, remains unchanged. Along with the efficiency, the company has also improved the module’s power output from 585 W to 590 W. This bifacial panel from Astronergy is built with 144 half-cut cells of the 182 mm wafer format. This update lifted its product to 6th place from 8th in the July edition, and is now ranked 7th.
JA Solar’s previous best TOPCon module JAM72D42 630/LB, which had remained unchanged since August 2023, was replaced with the higher efficiency module JAM72D40 590/MB in July 2024. The new DeepBlue 4.0 series at the time featured a higher efficiency of 22.8%, up from 22.5%. As a result, JA Solar, ranked 12th prior to July 2024 and 6th until September, now stands 3rd among the 7th rankers. This module, despite having the same 144 half-cells of M10 and higher efficiency, has a lower power rating of 590 W, 40 W less than the 630 W previously. While there is no official confirmation, the discrepancy is most likely due to the change in wafer format, which is also reflected in module dimensions. The previous module seems to be based on a larger wafer format of rectangular wafers, resulting in a module length of 2,465 mm, while the latest product, which is slightly shorter at 2,278 mm, appears to be based on the lower end. It is a bifacial double-glass module with a bifaciality of 80 ±10%, interconnected with 16 busbars, and weighs 31.8 kg.
Tongwei Solar updated the efficiency of another product, its TOPCon panel, in February 2024. The module, making its entry into the list in April 2023, improved its efficiency from 22.5% to 22.8%, along with an improvement in power from 580 W to 590 W. These improvements enabled its move from 10th place to 6th, and now a step down to 7th. The product is designed with a TNC cell type, an anodized aluminum alloy frame and features a linear power output warranty of 30 years. This product is built with 144 half-cells of the G12 wafer format.
Having maintained its 6th rank since December 2023, SPIC now moves down to 7th alongside its fellow rankers. While the Chinese company had been promoting a product with an efficiency of 22.3% till August 2023, it made a remarkable change in September 2023 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 shipment and production data, indicating the product’s commercial availability. The module features an elegant full black design combined with SPIC’s TBC cell technology, which is an IBC concept adopted on a 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.
JinkoSolar, which moved 2 places down from 9th to 11th in the July edition, now finds itself a step down again at 12th. The Tiger Neo TOPCon module is offered with a power rating of 585 W. This panel, which was last updated in September 2022, has a 144-half-cell configuration and an efficiency of 22.65%. This 2 mm dual glass module has a bifaciality of 80±5%.
In July 2024, REC Group, the Singapore-based manufacturer, made a significant update to its product lineup by commercializing the new bifacial Alpha Pure-RX module. This new module replaces its predecessor, the Alpha Pure-R series, in our list. This HJT module boasts an efficiency of up to 22.6% and a power output of 470 W. Designed with foil-wire combination interconnection technology, the new Alpha Pure-RX has significant improvements over the previous model, which had an efficiency of up to 22.3% and a module power of 430 W. As a result of this advancement, REC’s ranking jumped from 27th to 12th, and now a place down to 13th. The Alpha Pure-RX module is built with 88 half-cut bifacial HJT cells, compared to 80 cells in the Alpha Pure-R, contributing to its higher power. The physical dimensions of the Pure-RX module are slightly larger, measuring 1,728 × 1,205 × 30 mm and weighing 22.7 kg, compared to the Pure-R’s 1,730 × 1,118 × 30 mm and 21.5 kg. It also features a bifaciality of 80 ±10%. Constructed with a highly resistant black polymer backsheet and an anodized aluminum frame, the module is made in Singapore and is offered with a comprehensive 25-year product and power warranty.
The best module from Jolywood, the early adopter of TOPCon technology whose products have not undergone any changes technically, ranks 14th. The last change for this product was in August 2023 when its former Niwa Light module was replaced with a bifacial product called Niwa Pro, which has the same specifications of 440 W power and 22.53% efficiency.
In 15th place are the modules with 22.5% efficiency which slipped to 14th in July from an even higher 12th in June. The number of companies sharing this spot dropped from 7 to 6 in July and remains so in this edition as well.
Risen gets the first mention among the 15th rankers, a group that is structured according to power first and, if equal, according to alphabetical order. Risen Energy’s Hyper-ion module, which was included in June 2023, remains unchanged. This HJT module from Risen has an efficiency of 22.5%, corresponding to a 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 2023 edition. While both 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 with 22.5% efficiency has gone from the penultimate position up to 2nd from the top in May 2024. 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 solar module remains unchanged in design. This n-type TOPCon module features 156 half-cells and delivers a power output of 630 W. Built on the 182 mm wafer format, this bifacial half-cell module has 2 mm glass on both sides, offering up to 80% bifaciality.
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-580T has 144 half-cells based on the 182 mm wafer format and has a rated power of 580 W.
EGing PV improved its TOPCon module efficiency slightly in May 2024. Also from the Star Pro series, the company’s best TOPCon product has an efficiency of 22.5%, increased from 22.45%. This bifacial module, comprising 144 half-cells of the 182 mm wafer format, maintains its power rating at 580 W.
Runergy’s TOPCon module, listed with 22.4% efficiency until November 2023, improved its efficiency to 22.5% in December. With this change, the company moved from 21st place to 10th. This dropped to 12th in April 2024, to 14th in July, and now holds the 15th rank. The company is another leading Chinese cell vendor that ventured into the module business not too long ago (for background, watch our interview with Runergy CTO Yang Yang). Its 2 product streams, based on TOPCon and PERC cell technologies, were featured in our review for the first time in July 2023. Runergy’s HY-DH144N8 is built with 144 half-cells of the 182 mm wafer format. The bifacial TOPCon module has an efficiency of 22.5%. However, Runergy might soon disappear from that list depending on Tongwei’s plans for the brand. Tongwei’s takeover plans for Runergy became public in August 2024 (see Tongwei Makes Offer To Acquire Majority Stake In Fellow Chinese Company).
The next efficiency band of 22.45% is represented by 3 companies as opposed to 4 until April. In the July 2024 edition, the companies’ collective rank slipped from 19th to 20th, and now to 21st.
Qn-Solar, a Chinese solar cell and module manufacturer, entered our listing 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%, qualifying it for the shared 21st 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 a place in our current listing at the 44th position##. The PERC module has an output power of 670 W.
SolarSpace also belongs to the category of leading cell manufacturers venturing into module making and is represented with both PERC and TOPCon modules in our listing. Having entered our rankings in July 2023, its Lumina II TOPCon module was upgraded in December to a high-efficiency variant, increasing its efficiency from 22.02% to 22.45%, which has remained unchanged so far. The 580 W module is built with 144 half-cells based on the 182 mm wafer format and has an efficiency of 22.45%. Additionally, a PERC module from SolarSpace with 21.57% efficiency, Lumina I, is one among the 7 products sharing the 44th rank on the list.
URECO is a manufacturer formed after a merger of 3 leading Taiwanese cell manufacturers – Neo Solar Power, Gintech and Solartech. The company offers products 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 2023 edition. Named GLORY, the company’s TOPCon series is represented by its FBF580B8D model with an efficiency of 22.45%, which means it is the 3rd company that shares the 21st rank. URECO’s HJT module, with a rated efficiency of 22.44%, very narrowly misses the spot by 0.01%, thus putting it 3 ranks down at 24th. Called GLORY HELLO, the module is built with 120 half-cells of the 210 mm wafer format and has a power rating of 635 W.
Suntech’s module, which saw a change in April 2024, remains unchanged. The Ultra V Pro Plus module with 625 W was replaced with the lower-power 605 W Ultra V Pro. The latter is built with 132 half-cells, against the previous one that was based on 156 half-cells. While its power output has changed, the module’s efficiency remains the same at 22.4%, as do its other characteristics, such as TOPCon cells and bifacial module technology. This module has moved to 25th place from 24th and holds this rank alone. Another product from Suntech featuring since July 2023 has an efficiency of 21.7%, is placed 34th, and is among the top efficiency products in the PERC category.
Kalyon PV, a vertically integrated PV manufacturer from ingot to module production headquartered in Turkey, debuted in March 2024 with its TOPCon module at rank 24, dropped to 25th in July, and now to 26th. The company, which has 4 factories and an R&D center, commenced production in 2019. Its TOPCon module, with 22.38% efficiency and 580 W power output, features M10 half-cut cell technology and a bifacial module design. Another module from Kalyon, listed in the PERC category until July, has since been delisted.
Akcome’s HJT module remains unchanged since its last update in December 2023, and was down a rank to 26th in July from 25th previously, and now ranks 27th. The company increased the efficiency of this module to 22.37% from 22.22% in December. The Ak iPower HJT module is built with 132 half-cells based on the 210 mm wafer size and is rated for 695 W of power. Betting on the high bifaciality of 90% for this dual-glass module bestowed by HJT technology, the company claims a power generation gain of 7% to 30% from 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. With Tongwei’s PERC module being delisted in September, Akcome’s PERC product ranking stepped up from 39 to 38. With entry of new product above from Grand Sunergy, this PERC product retains the 39th rank and shares it with JinkoSolar’s Tiger Pro PERC module which has the same efficiency.
Yingli Solar, one of the early adopters of n-type wafer-based cell architectures, entered the list in November 2023 with its PANDA 3.0 PRO, a TOPCon module product that remains unaltered. 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 625 W. This module is down from 27th to 28th, while another product from Yingli also earned a spot in our list in the PERC category in February 2022, which is now ranked 44th.
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. Both the TOPCon and PERC modules of the company are listed under the same series – GCL GEMINI. However, the April 2024 list replaced the TOPCon GCL GEMINI series with GCL LOTUS without altering the key specs of the product, while the PERC range remained under the GCL GEMINI series. The most efficient product of this series, the GCL_NT10/72GDF, represents the company’s TOPCon range and has an efficiency of 22.3% and a power output of 575 W. The bifacial module is designed with 144 half-cut cells based on the 182 mm wafer format. This module has moved from 28th to 29th and shares the rank with Qcells. The number of companies sharing this position dropped from 3 to 2 in July, with REC’s move up.
Qcells, which re-entered our list in February 2024 with its TOPCon Q.TRON SMART product, which was replaced with a higher power Q.TRON variant already in March 2024. While its efficiency remains the same, the Q.TRON module delivers 35 W of additional power over the previous one. Interestingly, despite the power increase, the cell count has reduced from 120 to 108. This is only possible when adopting larger wafer formats. The current 108-cell configuration is most likely based on the M10 wafer format, half-cell and MBB module technology. According to the website, the module is available in the UK region.
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 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 has had no changes to its specifications and ranks 31st.
The remaining 23 products listed are below 22%, of which 2 are based on HJT while the bulk are PERC modules. The number of PERC modules has been declining recently. In July, Kalyon PV’s PERC module, and thus the company itself, was delisted, followed by Tongwei Solar in September, and this month, 1 module each from Astronergy and Talesun have been delisted.
Jinergy’s HJT module, which was updated in September 2023, now ranks 32nd. 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 slightly larger module compared to the previous one, built with 144 cells, and thus has a higher power rating of 475 W. It is bifacial too, with a bifaciality of over 85%.
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 33rd position.
There are several module series available today with efficiencies slightly exceeding 21.5%, as high-efficiency cell architectures are not a must to reach that level, but in order to design products beyond 21.7%, cell technology is key.
As shown in our recent TOP SOLAR MODULES analysis 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% usually employed 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 of 21.7% efficiency PERC modules in January, Tongwei in February, DAS Solar in April, and Suntech in July 2023 – and all of them are ranked #34. However, in September Tongwei’s PERC module with shingled technology was delisted, reducing the number of companies ranked #33 from 6 to 5. Following the order of rated power, the second module of Canadian Solar in this list, the HiKu7, is based on a 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 144-half-cell design based on the 182 mm wafer format and a rated power output of 560 W. As mentioned above, Tongwei Solar’s shingled interconnection technology-based product with 21.7% efficiency and a power output of 430 W has been delisted as the company is not offering the module anymore.
As a result, the rankings for the below modules have changed slightly.
If rounded, the next 2 products would also reach 21.7%, but the companies – Akcome and JinkoSolar – chose not to do so in their spec sheets. Thus, they continue to share the 39th rank, which was 38th previously. 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 as Jinko.
With Talesun’s PERC module being delisted due to its website being inaccessible, the 41st rank is now shared by 3 other companies – GCL-SI, Trinasolar and JA Solar.
The products from GCL-Si and Trina Solar share a power rating of 670 W due to the same 132 half-cells of G12 size. However, JA Solar’s DeepBlue 3.0, built with M10-sized 156 half-cells, has a lower power rating of 605 W.
The next 7 products, with an efficiency of 21.57%, share the 44th rank. Jinergy, Qn-Solar, Seraphim, Yingli and ZNShine leverage bifacial capabilities, while modules from SolarSpace and URECO are not specified. All these products are built with 132 half-cells of the 210 mm wafer format interconnected with MBB. Not just efficiency, these 7 products have the same rated power of 670 W due to the same wafer format and count of half-cell strips.
EGing PV’s PERC product is the lone beholder of the current 51st rank, moving up from the 53rd place it had slipped to in April. It has a lower 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 3 products at rank 52 – Runergy, Qcells and CECEP – which is one less than previous editions. Astronergy’s longstanding PERC module, which entered our listing in September 2023, is now delisted.
Summary
The October TOP SOLAR MODULES Listing features 54 products, down by a count of 1 from the previous month. The count of companies, however, remains the same at 33. Notable changes include the delisting of 2 PERC modules and the entry of China-based Grand Sunergy. Grand Sunergy's HJT module, with 22.86% efficiency and 710 W power, now ranks 6th, impacting overall rankings. The decline of PERC modules continues, with the delisting of PERC products from Astronergy and Talesun, and also the company itself in the latter case. Earlier delistings include Kalyon PV in July and Tongwei Solar in September. Astronergy's module was removed due to the company’s decision to discontinue its PERC product offerings, while Talesun's delisting was because of the inaccessibility of the company’s website.
Reports: If you want to learn more about the commercial module efficiencies of integrated module producers, please check our latest TOP SOLAR MODULES H1-2024 report. This TaiyangNews TOP SOLAR MODULES H1-2024 report summarizes the key findings from over 30 editions published during 2022 and H1-2024 and analyzes the trends and developments for the different cell technologies (PERC, TOPCon, HJT, Back Contact) and listed companies (download the TOP SOLAR MODULES H1-2024 report for free here).
PS: If you have spotted a solar module somewhere that meets our criteria and is missing from this list, please send us the website link with the product specs to rajee.gattu@taiyangnews.info.
Disclaimer: TaiyangNews does not guarantee the reliability, accuracy or completeness of this TOP SOLAR MODULES Listings content. TaiyangNews does not accept responsibility or liability for any errors in this work.
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