Two U.S. photovoltaic giants team up to develop ultra-efficient battery technology

Recently, after "careful consideration", the U.S. Department of Commerce decided to launch an investigation into Chinese solar energy producers who circumvented solar tariffs by doing business in Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam in four Southeast Asian countries.

Considering that about 80% of the imported modules in the United States come from the above four Southeast Asian countries, and the domestic photovoltaic companies in the United States do not have enough production capacity and leading photovoltaic technology, the response of the US Department of Commerce is considered by many to be "killing a thousand enemies, self-confidence". The move to lose 800" has also allowed many local photovoltaic companies in the United States to see an opportunity.

Recently, American solar energy companies First Solar and SunPower announced that they will jointly develop thin-film/crystalline silicon tandem cells and modules.

As we all know, most photovoltaic modules are currently crystalline silicon modules. The main advantages are mature technology, high efficiency, low price, and a lifespan of up to 25 years. Although thin-film solar modules have low production costs and simple manufacturing processes, they have high technical difficulties and high conversion efficiency. Relatively low, many companies are discouraged.

However, if crystalline silicon cells and thin-film cells can be integrated, the advantages of both can be maximized, and the conversion efficiency will be greatly improved. Of course, the difficulty will also skyrocket, so there are only a handful of companies developing thin-film/crystalline silicon tandem cells and modules.

However, the combination of First Solar and SunPower is expected to enable thin-film/crystalline silicon tandem cells and modules to enter commercial mass production as soon as possible.

First Solar is a leader in photovoltaics in the United States, and its module shipments have always ranked among the top ten in the world during the nearly ten years of Chinese photovoltaic companies. And all of this stems from its deep accumulation in thin-film solar cells/modules, and has established a whole industry chain system from polysilicon production to photovoltaic module recycling. It is a global representative enterprise of thin-film solar cell technology.

SunPower is also a well-known photovoltaic company in the United States. Although its production capacity is not high, its subsidiary Maxeon has strong strength in crystalline silicon cell technology and has become a leader in the field of new-generation high-efficiency cell technology IBC cells.

Therefore, the strong alliance between First Solar and SunPower is conducive to giving full play to the advantages of both parties in thin-film solar cell and crystalline silicon solar cell technology, and creating a more efficient thin-film/crystalline silicon tandem cell technology.

Of course, the cost of thin-film/crystalline-silicon tandem cells and modules will definitely be higher than single thin-film modules or crystalline silicon modules, which largely masks their efficiency advantages.

However, if the U.S. Department of Commerce determines that Chinese photovoltaic companies use the four Southeast Asian countries to avoid solar tariffs, it will make China's photovoltaic modules exported to the United States reach an unimaginable price. By then, thin-film/crystalline silicon laminates will have broad market prospects in the United States.