World efficiency record of 16.4% achieved using photovoltaic modules with multicrystalline silicon solar cells manufactured by REC

The modules with aperture-area efficiencies beyond 16% were manufactured with high-efficiency cells made from wafers supplied by REC Wafer Norway, belonging to the wafer division of the REC Group, the world's largest producer of silicon materials for photovoltaic (PV) applications and PV wafers, and Deutsche Solar. The world record was achieved using industrial-scale equipment for interconnection and encapsulation of rear-contact cells provided by the Dutch equipment builder Eurotron.

ECN’s rear-contact technology is based on metallization wrap-through (MWT) solar cells which are interconnected in modules using conductive adhesives and a patterned conductive foil. This has similarities with surface mounting of electronic components on a printed circuit board. In MWT cells the front electrode is “wrapped through” small vias in the cell, so that it can be contacted at the rear, in parallel with the rear-side electrode.

The research and development has been financed by the European Commission within the project CrystalClear and by the Dutch government through SenterNovem.