Solar Frontier produces record 20.9% CIS thin-film solar cell

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

Thin-film producer, Solar Frontier has produced a CIS solar cell with a record conversion efficiency of 20.9% at the Atsugi Research Center, Japan in collaboration with the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).

Using sputtering-selenization process, which is Solar Frontier’s deposition method of choice at its volume production facilities, researchers achieved the 20.9% conversion efficiency on a 0.5cm2 CIS cell, verified by the Fraunhofer Institute ISE.

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

“Solar Frontier’s new 20.9% efficiency record resulted from a CIS cell cut from a 30cm by 30cm substrate produced using a sputtering-selenization formation method, the same method we use in our factories,” said Satoru Kuriyagawa, chief technology officer of Solar Frontier. “The significance is twofold: it ensures we can transfer our latest achievement into mass production faster, and it proves the long-term conversion efficiency potential of Solar Frontier’s proprietary CIS technology. Solar Frontier has entered into the next phase in the development of CIS technology, and we look forward to building on this achievement and driving our efficiency even higher.”

The latest record results surpass Solar Frontier’s previous CIS cell record of 19.7%.

Read Next

May 22, 2025
US energy utility AES has signed two long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) with technology giant Meta for two solar PV projects in the US states of Texas and Kansas.
May 22, 2025
The New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) has contracted 2.2GW of solar PV across 18 projects.
May 22, 2025
SMA Solar will begin local assembly of power systems for large-scale solar and energy storage systems in the US.
May 22, 2025
Prefabricated solar structure provider 5B has become the first recipient of the Australian government’s AU$1 billion Solar Sunshot Program, securing up to AU$46 million for its “Maverick” automated solar deployment system.
May 21, 2025
There is potential for cPPAs to deliver the energy transition, according to speakers at the Renewables Procurement and Revenue Summit.
May 21, 2025
US PV module manufacturer Silfab Solar has acquired a patent portfolio for back-contact (BC) solar cells from solar research firm EnPV.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
June 17, 2025
Napa, USA
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
July 8, 2025
Asia
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece