Longi Solar Claims Monocrystalline PERC Panel Efficiency Record

China’s Longi Solar likes breaking efficiency records  – the company has claimed its third in four months and appears to have big things in store for this year.

If you haven’t heard of the company, the vertically-integrated tier one manufacturer is a relatively new entrant on Australia’s solar scene – SQ’s Ronald provided background on Longi Solar and its products in October last year.

During October, the company set a record efficiency for a monocrystalline PERC cell of 22.71% (soon afterwards bested by JinkoSolar); which was verified by Germany’s Fraunhofer ISE CalLab. Then in December, Longi said its Hi-MO2 bifacial PERC monocrystalline cell achieved a world record bifaciality value of 82.15%.

Earlier this month, Longi announced the connection of what it says is the world´s largest bifacial solar project, 71MW of capacity in a 100MW solar farm in Golmud, in China´s western province of Qinghai. The facility features 20MW of  bifacial solar panels from the company.

Longi now states its 60-cell  P-type monocrystalline PERC module has achieved a conversion efficiency of “up to” 20.41%; as tested by TÜV SÜD, a German company that provides inspection and product certification services.

Li Wenxue, President of Longi Solar is again a happy chappy, promising more breakthroughs to come.

“Through continuous technological innovations, we will bring more efficient monocrystalline module products to the market to help PV investors earn more power generation benefits and contribute to the cause for clean water and blue sky,” stated Mr. Wenxue.

It looks like we’ll be hearing a lot more from Longi during 2018.

Big Bump For Ingot And Wafer Production?

PV-Tech reports Longi Green Energy Technology, part of the Longi Group,  reached 15GW of monocrystalline wafer nameplate capacity by the end of last year and is mulling over plans to bump up ingot/wafer production to 28GW by the end of this year, 36GW by the end of 2019 and 45GW in 2020.

Make In India/Made In The USA?

In December last year, it was reported Longi Green was progressing  plans to build cell and module manufacturing plants in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh under the “Make In India” programme. Construction of the plants could begin soon.

Longi is also considering setting up manufacturing facilities in the USA and rumoured to be sniffing around bankrupt manufacturer Suniva’s assets. It could be a wise move given the recent announcement of the Trump Solar Tax, Trump Solar Tariff or whatever you wish to call it. Suniva was the company that kicked off the push for punitive tariffs on imported cells and modules in April last year, just prior to going belly-up.

Even if Longi does set up production in the USA, the panels we’ll get here in Australia are likely to continue to be from China, or perhaps their new and expanded plants in Malaysia.

While we don’t have much in the way of Longi Solar panel reviews here on SQ as yet from Australians who have had the modules installed, no doubt that will change as more installers embrace the brand.