Jiangsu Runergy New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (“Runergy”) recently announced that its independently developed full-area M10 N-type solar cell has achieved a photoelectric conversion efficiency of 26.55%, as certified by the authoritative German Institute for Solar Energy Research Hamelin (ISFH).
This achievement not only breaks Runergy’s previous record but also surpasses the 26.4% efficiency for full-area N-type TOPCon cells recorded by Professor Martin Green in Solar Cell Efficiency Tables (Version 66), Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications. It now stands as the highest publicly reported efficiency for a full-area N-type solar cell.
Verified by a Leading International Testing Authority
The record-setting cell was produced on a pilot line at Runergy’s R&D Institute using standard-thickness M10 wafers and fully mass-producible processes. The result was independently verified by ISFH, one of the world’s most recognized testing institutions for solar cell performance. ISFH’s results are routinely cited in the Solar Cell Efficiency Tables, underscoring their international authority and credibility.
Dr. Tao Longzhong, General Manager and Director of Runergy’s PV Research Laboratory, stated that the result reflects years of accumulation in the company’s N-type TOPCon 3.0 technology.
“This is not only a new world record for full-area N-type cells but also a milestone achieved with a pilot line process suitable for mass production, not a single laboratory cell. It demonstrates that high efficiency and industrial scalability can coexist,” said Dr. Tao.
Technological Innovation Breaks Efficiency Barriers
The high-efficiency cell is based on Runergy’s proprietary N-type TOPCon 3.0 architecture. Through comprehensive process optimization and the company’s RunPass passivation technology, the cell achieved Jo_rearpoly < 1 fA/cm². On the front side, high sheet resistance diffusion and hydrogen passivation were applied, reducing Joe to < 3 fA/cm², effectively minimizing surface recombination losses and improving carrier lifetime.
Additionally, Runergy’s R&D team developed a proprietary Powerloss online analysis system, capable of real-time quantification of efficiency losses caused by wafer bulk recombination, diffusion layer recombination, poly layer absorption, and gridline resistance. This provides data-driven insights for process optimization.
A Global Top-Three Solar Cell Manufacturer
Runergy is among the world’s leading solar cell manufacturers, ranking within the global top three for cell shipments for three consecutive years (data from PV InfoLink).
The company operates multiple high-efficiency cell production bases in China and Thailand, with a total capacity exceeding 63 GW. Its products consistently deliver industry-leading efficiency levels and are widely adopted in solar module manufacturing and utility-scale PV projects across dozens of countries and regions.
Runergy’s R&D Institute, with an investment of approximately USD 60 million, holds TÜV Rheinland “Witness Laboratory” certification and maintains long-term collaborations with international research institutions. Its R&D scope spans PERC, TOPCon, HJT, BC (Back Contact), perovskite, and tandem cells, advancing multi-path innovation in high-efficiency solar technologies.
From its earlier 24.87% efficiency record for P-type cells to the current 26.55% world record for N-type cells, Runergy continues to lead solar cell technology evolution through steady R&D investment and innovation-driven growth.
Expert Insights and Industry Significance
Industry experts note that Runergy’s achievement of 26.55% efficiency not only sets a new world record for full-area N-type TOPCon cells but also represents a critical breakthrough in the industrialization limits of this technology. It provides a new path for manufacturers to enhance power generation performance and reduce costs.
Dr. Tao emphasized that Runergy will continue to advance TOPCon technology, further improving mass production efficiency and reliability while promoting the development of higher-efficiency, lower-cost, and broader-application solar cells.
“We firmly believe that combining high efficiency with large-scale production will be the key to achieving true grid parity in the photovoltaic industry,” Dr. Tao said.
Source：https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/P78pSQa_K8MIO3IM6l6sUw