Frankfurt am Main, 28th April 2026 - LONGi has announced two efficiency records for its Hybrid Interdigitated-Back-Contact (HIBC) technology. The Institute for Solar Energy Research Hamelin (ISFH) in Germany has certified a solar cell efficiency of 28.13 percent. Additionally, modules based on HIBC cells have been certified by the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) in the United States with an efficiency of 26.4 percent.
Technical developments in passivation and crystallization improve HIBC cell efficiency
The HIBC cells were developed by the Central R&D Institute of LONGi. The development team implemented core technologies including in-situ Patterned Edge Passivation (iPET) and Laser-Induced Crystallization modification (LIC). Through the optimization of structural design, material selection, and fabrication processes, the team focused on improving optical performance, interface passivation quality, and charge transport efficiency. These technical developments are intended to provide a pathway for the commercial deployment of high-efficiency crystalline silicon cells.
LONGi EcoLife series modules reach 25 percent mass production efficiency in global rankings
While laboratory benchmarks continue to rise, the technology has already achieved significant performance levels in commercial applications. In April 2026, the global media outlet TaiyangNews released its ranking of commercialized module efficiencies. The LONGi EcoLife series modules, which utilize HIBC technology, secured the top position with a mass-production efficiency of 25 percent. This result represents the successful transition of HIBC technology from the research stage to large-scale commercial use.
LONGi focuses on the industrial application of laboratory efficiency gains
The company is prioritizing the translation of laboratory research into large-scale industrial production. By accelerating the transition from research achievements to high-volume manufacturing, LONGi aims to provide more competitive solar products for the global market. The focus remains on independent technological development to support the requirements of the international energy transition and the development of sustainable energy systems.
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About LONGi and LONGi Solar
LONGi Solar is one of the world’s largest solar technology companies. It is a subsidiary of LONGi Green Energy Technology (LONGi), which was founded in 2000. LONGi has 30+ locations and 30 manufacturing sites globally. LONGi Europe is headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. The company has established five business sectors, covering mono silicon, wafers, cells and modules, commercial and industrial as well as residential distributed solar solutions, green energy solutions and hydrogen equipment to support the development of zero-carbon energy globally.
Since 2021, LONGi has broken the photovoltaic (PV) cell conversion efficiency record 21 times in a row. In 2025, the company has set two new world records in solar cell efficiency: 28.13% for Heterojunction Interdigitated Back Contact (HIBC) cells (certified by ISFH, Germany) and 34.85% for crystalline silicon-perovskite tandem cells (certified by NREL, USA). In addition, LONGi launched its new Hybrid Passivated Back Contact (HPBC) 2.0 technology and currently holds the module efficiency world record of 25.4%. LONGi has decided to focus on back-contact technology as the solar technology of the future and has dedicated a significant portion of its annual production capacity to this technology. LONGi was also the first Chinese solar manufacturer to join the three distinguished climate initiatives RE100, EP100 and EV100. Under the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), LONGi has set a 2030 emission reduction target aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60 percent across its operations and productions compared to 2020 levels.