What is the TopCON Solar Panel

TOPCon Solar Panels

Tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) solar technology is a relatively new type of solar cell technology. TOPCON stands for “Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact”.

About TOPCon Technology

The TOPCon solar cell structure consists of a thin tunnel oxide layer sandwiched between a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer and a p-doped crystalline silicon layer. While the TCO layer serves as the front contact for the solar cell, the p-doped layer serves as the absorber layer. The tunnel oxide layer acts as a passivation layer that prevents recombination of charge carriers on the surface of the solar cell. Increased efficiency allows the solar panel to capture a greater amount of energy per unit area.

Photo: A Solar Energy Santral under development

Advantages of TOPCon Solar Panels

The adoption of TOPCon technology has gained popularity due to the various benefits associated with it. Some key advantages of using TOPCon solar cell technology are:

Manufacturing process: TOPCon solar cells can be produced with the same machines as P-type solar cells, meaning manufacturers do not need to invest high capital to adopt this technology, making the production of TOPCon solar panels easier and more cost-effective. In a large size.

Higher efficiency: TOPCon cells are more efficient at converting sunlight into electricity than P-type cells. The maximum efficiency of TOPCon cells is approximately 28%, which is higher than the maximum efficiency of PERC cells of approximately 24%. This higher efficiency results in more electricity production from a given surface area.

Lower degradation: TOPCon modules have lower power dissipation in the first year and over 25 years of use compared to PERC solar PV modules. Thus, it will maintain its efficiency for a longer period of time, and therefore the life of the solar panels will be longer.

Lower temperature coefficient: The temperature coefficient of TOPCon solar panels is lower than PERC solar panels. This means that TOPCon solar panels can maintain their efficiency at higher temperatures, which is especially important in hot climates.

Bifaciality ratio: TOPCon cells have higher bifaciality than PERC cells. This means that TOPCon solar panels can generate electricity from both the front and back of the solar panel.

Low light performance: TOPCon solar modules have higher efficiency than PERC modules in low light conditions. This means that TOPCon solar panels can produce more electricity even when there is not enough sunlight.

Photo: Solar DC Cables in a Roof Top Solar Energy Santral

Disadvantages of TOPCon Solar PV Module Technology

Some potential challenges to TOPCon solar cell technology:

Cost: TOPCon solar cells can be more expensive to manufacture than traditional solar cells due to the additional materials and manufacturing steps required to create the thin film layers required for the cell.

Complexity: The manufacturing process of TOPCon cells is more complex than that of conventional cells; This can make it more difficult to scale up production to meet high demand.

High-temperature processing: Production of TOPCon cells requires high-temperature processing steps; This can lead to increased energy consumption and carbon emissions, as well as the risk of defects or damage to the cell.

Sensitivity to foreign substances: TOPCon cells are more sensitive to foreign substances in the materials used to create them; This can lead to reduced efficiency or even complete cell failure.

Applications of TOPCon Solar Panels

Utility-scale solar power plants: TOPCon solar panels are frequently used in utility-scale solar power plants due to their high efficiency, which allows more electricity to be produced from a smaller area.

Agriculture and farming: TOPCon solar panels can be used in agricultural applications such as water pumping, irrigation and crop drying, providing off-grid electricity to remote areas.

Electric vehicle charging stations: TOPCon solar panels can be used to power electric vehicle charging stations, enabling clean and sustainable transportation.