Fraunhofer ISE showcases 24% efficient TOPCon cell, using M10 silicon wafers

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
fraunhofer ise
“We are very excited that we can now support our industrial partners in optimizing their production processes with this large-area wafer format,” said Sabrina Lohmüller, deputy head of the Silicon and Perovskite-Silicon Tandem Solar Cells Department. Image: Fraunhofer ISE

German research organisation Fraunhofer ISE has developed a tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) solar cell with a power conversion efficiency of 24%, which is comprised of large-area M10 silicon wafers.

M10 wafers are those with an edge length of 182mm, and larger products such as these have seen increased attention in recent years, as they tend to have lower manufacturing costs, and higher efficiency output, than smaller wafers.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

Fraunhofer ISE researchers presented the cell to industry representatives at its 20th Photovoltaic Technology Advisory Board meeting in Freiburg, Germany. It is the first European research institute to switch to large-area M10 wafers with the latest TOPCon cell combining this larger wafer with cell architecture first presented in 2013.

“Achieving an efficiency of 24.0% with the first batch suggests that we will exceed 25% with the next optimisation steps,” said Dr Ralk Preu PD, director of the Photovoltaics Division at Fraunhofer ISE. “This recent success lays the foundation for our medium-term goal of large-area silicon-based tandem solar cells with an efficiency potential of well over 30%.”

The growth in popularity of M10 wafers is well-documented, with Chinese module manufacturer Couleenergy reporting that such wafers are expected to account for 62% of the wafer market by 2026. This is a significant increase from the 27% market share held by M10 wafers in 2021.

However, an oversupply of silicon has driven the polysilicon price down in recent months, and has had a knock-on effect on wafer prices. PV Tech Premium’s latest PV Price Watch notes that, in early May, the average price of a p-type M10 wafer fell by 3.68% week-on-week, while the average price of an n-type M10 wafer fell even further, by 9.68%.

The news follows efforts made to standardise wafer sizes by leading manufacturers. Earlier this week, Chinese giant LONGi launched its Hi-MO X6 Max series of modules, which use the M11 wafer size and that the company notes was developed in consultation with other industry leaders.

2 December 2025
Málaga, Spain
Understanding PV module supply to the European market in 2026. PV ModuleTech Europe 2025 is a two-day conference that tackles these challenges directly, with an agenda that addresses all aspects of module supplier selection; product availability, technology offerings, traceability of supply-chain, factory auditing, module testing and reliability, and company bankability.
10 March 2026
Frankfurt, Germany
The conference will gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing out to 2030 and beyond.

Read Next

July 14, 2025
Elements Green has secured €80 million (US$93.5 million) in financing from Danish investment firm Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP).
July 11, 2025
Renewable electricity generation has grown more than twice as fast as total global electricity generation since 2012, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
July 11, 2025
The Asia Pacific (APAC) region has accounted for 69% of the 589GW solar PV inverters shipped in 2024, according to a report from analyst Wood Mackenzie.
July 10, 2025
German renewables company BayWa r.e. has secured a €3 billion (US$3.5 billion) loan for 'operational initiatives and pipeline expansion.'
July 10, 2025
UbiQD has signed a supply agreement with First Solar to supply its fluorescent quantum dot technology for use in the latter’s PV panels.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Media Partners, Solar Media Events
September 2, 2025
Mexico City, Mexico
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 22, 2025
Bilbao, Spain
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK