Introduction
To make solar energy cheaper, you have to make the technology better. Every extra drop of sunlight converted into electricity drives down the final cost for the consumer. We spoke with Rajan Rao, CTO of Fourth Partner Energy, to learn how cutting-edge technological innovations are making solar more affordable than ever.
Technological Advancements: TOPCon and HJT
Interviewer: Rajan, what are the most exciting technological breakthroughs happening right now? Rajan Rao: “We are currently moving away from standard Mono PERC technology towards TOPCon (Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact) and HJT (Heterojunction) cells. In simple terms, these new cells are better at trapping light and lose less energy to heat. They push the efficiency limits from around 20% up to 23% or even 24%. More power from the same panel size means you need fewer panels on your roof.”