LONGi breaks its own efficiency record with next-gen solar tech

Chinese solar manufacturer LONGi Green Energy Technology Co Ltd said on Tuesday that its crystalline silicon-perovskite tandem solar cell achieved a certified power conversion efficiency of 35.5 percent, setting a new world record as the industry races to commercialize next-generation photovoltaic technology.

The result, certified by the European Solar Test Installation, surpasses LONGi’s previous record of 35.2 percent from earlier this year, the company said at the 2026 Solar and Energy Storage Innovation Conference in Shanghai.

Crystalline silicon-perovskite tandem cells are widely regarded as one of the most promising technologies for boosting solar power generation beyond the limits of conventional silicon cells. By stacking a perovskite layer on top of a silicon cell, the technology can capture a broader spectrum of sunlight and has a theoretical conversion efficiency of up to 43 percent, significantly higher than the 33.7 percent theoretical limit for single-junction silicon cells.

The latest milestone comes as Chinese solar manufacturers intensify investment in tandem cell technology in search of the next wave of efficiency gains, even as the industry grapples with excess manufacturing capacity and falling prices for conventional photovoltaic products.

LONGi has steadily improved the efficiency of its tandem cells in recent years, setting successive world records as it seeks to advance the technology toward commercial production. Earlier this year, the company’s 35.2 percent two-terminal crystalline silicon-perovskite tandem cell was included in the latest edition of the internationally recognized Solar Cell Efficiency Tables, compiled by researchers led by Martin Green at the University of New South Wales in Australia, according to the company.

The company also said it has achieved conversion efficiencies of 34.3 percent and 32.2 percent on larger-area tandem cells, as well as 31.4 percent and 29.4 percent for tandem modules, results it said demonstrate progress toward industrial-scale applications.

LONGi did not disclose a timeline for mass production of the record-setting tandem cells.