Sunways AG and the Institut für Solarenergieforschung Hameln (ISFH) have reached an important milestone as part of a joint development project with the aim of further increasing the efficiency of silicon solar cells. Using established screen printing technology for metallising silicon solar cells, the team succeeded in producing monocrystalline cells with an efficiency of 19.1 percent.

The work focused on the development of a highly efficient back for silicon solar cells, resulting in yield improvements in the long-wave range of the solar spectrum. This approach combines the high efficiency potential of the new back with the tried and tested processability of solar cells that have been metallised by screen printing. The individual process steps for the production of the prototypes with an area of 155 square centimetres (5-inch cells) were carried out at ISFH and under near-production conditions at Sunways.

Roland Burkhardt, Chief Technology Officer of Sunways AG, said: "I am delighted with the success of our development work. An efficiency of more than 19 percent for silicon solar cells with screen-printed contacts is an internationally leading achievement. This impressive progress is the result of our long-standing successful cooperation with the Institut für Solarenergieforschung Hameln (ISFH)." He added: "Sunways aims to continuously improve the technical potential and conditions for generating electricity from the sun. In this way we keep improving the electricity yield and the benefit of photovoltaic systems.“