Kaining Ding studied material science at the RWTH-Aachen University in Germany. He is with the Forschungszentrum Jülich in Germany since 2010 and currently leading the silicon heterojunction solar cells and modules department at Forschungszentrum Jülich. Research experience and interest include silicon heterojunction and perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells and modules.
Silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar technology has emerged as a frontrunner in the pursuit of efficient and cost-effective photovoltaic solutions. The years 2023/2024 have witnessed significant strides in this domain, marked by the continuous integration of advanced concepts into mass production. This contribution at PVCON2024 in Ankara, Turkey, aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in SHJ technology, focusing on key updates from the industry and outlining future trajectories. Additionally, this contribution will report on the industrial and scientific works presented at the 6th International Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cell Workshop, which took place in 2023 in China. This provides a good overview of the state-of-the-art research in SHJ solar technology. Most of the current activities aim to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve reliability. It is observable that the strongest push for this technology now comes from the industry, including both cell and module producers and equipment turnkey solution providers. Furthermore, this contribution will also examine the geographical situation of SHJ manufacturing, investigating the current players in various regions of the world. While the SHJ industry was expanding in China, reaching a production capacity of around 50GW by the end of 2023, some plans have been announced in the EU, the US, etc. It seems that SHJ is the primary technology to be chosen outside China.
