Recently, certified by an authoritative testing institution - Institut für Solarenergieforschung Hameln (ISFH), Maxwell, together with SunDrive, an Australian plating technology start-up, with its mass production equipment of self-developed HJT high-efficiency cells and SunDrive's plating technology, has achieved a photoelectric conversion efficiency of 25.54% on full-scale (M6 and 274.5cm2) monocrystalline HJT cells, creating a new world record.
For the new-record cell, Maxwell provided all processes of blue wafer (including Texturing, PECVD and PVD, etc.), which are completed on the mass production equipment of HJT cells developed by Maxwell. The electrode of cell is made by SunDrive with its original seedless direct copper plating. This record means that the mass production efficiency of the HJT cells will pass the 25.5% mark in the near future.
Zhou Jian, chairman of Maxwell, said: "We believe that HJT will be the key technology for the sustainable future of the PV industry. Therefore, we devote ourselves to the mass production equipment and technology solution of HJT high-efficiency cell, and strive to explore ways to reduce its cost. Through cell microcrystalline technology, half-cut cell process, half-cut silicon rod & wafers, silicon wafer annealing and impurity absorption optimization, SMBB technology, copper-in-silver technology, and electro copper plating, we’re trying to promote the development of mass production of HJT cells. This time, we are delighted to see that HJT as a high-quality technology platform, which is combined with copper plating technology, has achieved 25.54% of such high conversion efficiency and low-cost process. We are developing mass production equipment for HJT cells with microcrystalline technology, which will be launched by the end of this year. We expect to increase the mass production cell efficiency of HJT microcrystalline to over 26% by 2023."
Hu Youzhong, co-founder of SunDrive, said: "In the future, both cost and annual output of the silver paste will be the stumbling block to the PV industry to TW scale. It is urgent to find a low-cost metallization process that can replace silver paste. We believe that plating, with its advantages of low cost, high-efficiency and thin silicon wafers suitability, will be the best choice for the next generation of ultra-efficient cell. I personally expect that in the near future, the mass production efficiency of HJT cells by using new technologies such as microcrystalline silicon and plating technology will reach 26%!"
About SunDrive
Founded in 2015 by Vince Allen and David Hu Youzhong, SunDrive is headquartered in Sydney, Australia. Most of its team members are graduated from the University of New South Wales in Australia. Since its foundation, SunDrive has been committed to the R& D of copper plating that can be used for industrialization.