An international research team led by Professor Martin Green at the University of New South Wales has released Version 68 of the “Solar Cell Efficiency Tables” in the journal Joule. This latest update introduces 21 new performance records, highlighting significant advancements in silicon, perovskite, and tandem solar technologies. Notably, the tables will transition to an open-access format starting in July 2026, a shift intended to reflect the growing global importance of photovoltaics. The report underscores rapid progress in cell and module efficiency, with manufacturers like Longi achieving major milestones in both silicon-based and tandem solar cell development.
Among the most significant findings are new efficiency records for large-area silicon technology. Longi achieved 28.1% efficiency for a 140-cm2 cell and 26.4% for a 1.9-m2 encapsulated module. While these figures were recorded using masked measurements, an unmasked “total area” measurement for a separate Longi cell reached 27.8%, establishing a new benchmark for that category. These results demonstrate the ongoing refinement of silicon-based photovoltaics, as researchers continue to push the boundaries of performance for both cells and full-scale modules.
Perovskite technology also reached a notable milestone, with a small 0.05-cm2 cell from Hainan University achieving 28.0% efficiency. Although this cell is significantly smaller than standard silicon counterparts, its performance is now comparable to the best silicon cells. However, perovskite modules continue to trail behind, with recent records reaching 19.3% and 22.1% for varying sizes. Meanwhile, perovskite-silicon tandem cells have shown remarkable gains, with Longi reporting efficiencies as high as 35.2% for small cells and 31.4% for small modules, further signaling the potential of multi-junction designs in the future of solar energy.