The proposed inverted perovskite solar cell design reduces band misalignment and electron accumulation, suppressing recombination losses and enabling high efficiency in both small-area devices and scalable modules.

Longi claims to have achieved the world’s highest efficiency for a silicon solar cell. The result was confirmed by Germany’s Institute for Solar Energy Research Hamelin.

A Qatari research team found that utilising bifacial 2P horizontal single-axis tracking PV systems in desert conditions produced up to 13.5% more electricity than fixed-tilt systems over long-term field testing. The study also showed strong seasonal and technology-dependent performance, with tracker advantages varying with irradiance and weather conditions.

The Chinese manufacturer said its lightweight Light Diamond TOPCon module delivers 560 W at 24.94% efficiency.

Researchers have identified a new source of underperformance in utility-scale PV plants caused by “suboptimal backtracking” on slightly uneven terrain. The study shows that real tracker control systems deviate from ideal flat-terrain assumptions, reducing irradiance capture and causing measurable energy losses compared with simulations.

Free midday electricity schemes aim to shift household demand into periods of high solar PV generation, reducing midday surplus and evening fossil-fuel ramp-up. Research on Australia’s Solar Sharer program suggests such incentives could significantly improve renewable utilisation, but outcomes depend on consumer behaviour, load shifting, and rebound effects.

A new UNSW study shows that laser-enhanced contact optimisation can boost industrial TOPCon solar cell efficiency by improving contact properties and reducing recombination losses. By combining optimised firing conditions with LECO “repair” of contacts, the approach balances recombination and resistance, offering a practical path for conventional TOPCon cells to compete with PV technologies offering higher efficiencies.

New research from the University of New South Wales shows that PV module degradation varies widely with system design and location, driven by UV exposure, temperature, humidity, and atmospheric conditions. Tropical and desert regions face the highest stress, highlighting the need for climate-specific testing and system design.

Scientists at the Australian National University claim that TOPCon cells are rapidly closing the open-circuit voltage gap with HJT counterparts, now under 10 mV, while offering greater wafer tolerance and high industrial scalability. Despite slightly lower efficiency, TOPCon-based perovskite/silicon tandems can achieve a levelised cost of energy comparable to HJT-based tandems due to reduced fabrication costs, according to the researchers.

UNSW researchers developed a chemically selective, nitrate-based, single-sided accelerated ageing method for TOPCon solar cells that replicates the mildly acidic environment inside EVA-encapsulated modules. The proposed approach enables rapid, physically meaningful screening of front-side metallisation stability, reliably predicting module-level degradation and reducing development time and costs, according to its creators.