Trina Solar sets world record for solar module efficiency at 25.44%

Trina Solar has set a world record for solar module efficiency at 25.44%, verified independently by the CalLab at Fraunhofer ISE.

Chinese PV module maker Trina Solar announced it achieved a 25.44% power conversion efficiency in an n-type fully passivated heterojunction (HJT) solar panel.

The CalLab at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Fraunhofer ISE) independently verified the result, which is a world record for a large-area crystalline silicon solar panel featuring front-and-rear contact structures.

Trina said this achievement represents its 30th world record in solar efficiency and sets a new benchmark for the PV industry. The company added the result beats the previous record of 25.40% held by Chinese competitor Longi's back contact (BC) modules.

The module was developed at Trina’s National Key Laboratory of PV Science and Technology in China. It features 210 mm x 105 mm industrial-grade phosphorus-doped n-type silicon wafers, combining advanced passivation techniques, rear-side HJT technology, and multi-frequency RF processes. Key innovations include light-trapping structures, ultra-dense encapsulation, and low-resistance interconnections, resulting in superior optical and electrical performance, according to the company.

“This record is a testament to our relentless focus on research and innovation,” said Trina CEO and chairman, Gao Jifan. “We will continue to invest in the development of passivated contact cells and modules to maintain our leadership in solar technology.”

The achievement underscores Trina’s commitment to HJT technology, which has gained traction as a high-efficiency alternative to traditional TOPCon and PERC technologies. Over the past four months, Trina has set two world records for TOPCon cell efficiency and one for HJT cells.

In December, it achieved a world record 27.08% efficiency for an n-type fully passivated HJT device and the Institute for Solar Energy Research in Hamelin (ISFH CalTEC) verified the result. Earlier in October, it announced an efficiency of 25.9% for a large-area industrial TOPCon solar cell, and a month later it achieved an efficiency of 26.58% for the same cell technology, with both results being certified by ISFH CalTeC.