High-efficiency solar cells are favored by 31% of the photovoltaic industry in 2015

According to IHS iSuppli's Photovoltaic (PV) research report, due to tremendous efforts in improving the photoelectric conversion efficiency, high-efficiency solar cells will account for at least 30% of crystalline silicon (c-Si) batteries and modules in 2015. This may change the industrial landscape, and it may also be the best hope for the industry to prevent future declines in prices and profits.

So-called high-efficiency solar cells accounted for only 14% of the overall c-Si battery market in 2011. In solar panels, c-Si cells are responsible for converting solar energy into electricity. Standard efficiency solar cells using older technologies accounted for 86%.

However, if the industry adopts any number of conversion technologies to improve the applicability of solar energy—the industry seems to be forming such a trend, the share of high-efficiency solar cells may rise rapidly, rising to 31% after four years, as shown in the figure. In early 2011, most of the high-efficiency solar cell shipments came from SunPower Corp of California, USA. And Japan's Sanyo Electric, but several other companies are expected to introduce their own products during the year.

High-efficiency solar cells use advanced conversion technology that can increase solar efficiency by 0.3% to 5%. For example, the efficiency of a module is generally 15%, which can be increased to at least 15.3%, and the maximum degree can be increased to 20%.

One of the major obstacles to adopting high-efficiency solar cells is their high production cost. If the panel efficiency is increased from 16% to 19%, the price may increase by 10-15%. In the past two years, since the photovoltaic industry is committed to meeting the market's demand for existing products, conversion efficiency is not the primary issue. However, as the price of solar energy continues to fall – at least 25% per year, major modules and battery suppliers realize that high-efficiency technology may become a key competitive weapon in the future and that it can use it to achieve market differentiation and introduce superior products. IHS believes that it is also possible to use this strategy to slow down the rate of decline of PV prices so that manufacturers can obtain reasonable profits.