HD Hyundai Energy Solutions to develop ultra-high efficiency solar panel

South Korea's HD Hyundai Energy Solutions, HD Hyundai Co.'s solar power subsidiary, has set a goal to mass produce ultra-high efficiency solar panels by 2026. The company recently announced that it has been selected as the lead organization for the national project "advancement of large size thinness heterojunction technology (HJT) for solar cell and module mass production."

A total of eight domestic component and equipment manufacturers, solar research institutions and universities are participating in this national project under the supervision of HD Hyundai Energy Solutions.

Through this project, HD Hyundai Energy Solutions plans to embark on the mass production of large-area high-efficiency HJT solar panels by 2026. The key objective is to increase the power generation efficiency of solar panels, which currently remains around the early 20s, to 26%.

HJT features a structure where amorphous silicon is coated on monocrystalline silicon, minimizing surface energy loss during the photovoltaic conversion process and thus achieving high efficiency. The manufacturing process is relatively simple, and it offers the highest power generation per unit area, making it suitable for applications in urban high-rise buildings and electric vehicles. It is also highly compatible with "Tandem cell" technology, the next-generation solar technology with an efficiency of over 30%.

HD Hyundai Energy Solutions is collaborating with domestic industry, academia and research institutions to develop Tandem solar cell technology. The company has also commenced the development of core technology for Tandem modules in partnership with Hyundai Motor Co..

"Through this national project, we will lay the foundation for securing Tandem core technology based on ultra-high efficiency HJT," a company official said. "We aim to preempt the global market through various solar applications, such as zero-energy buildings and eco-friendly mobility solutions, and contribute to achieving carbon neutrality."

Write to Hyung-Kyu Kim at khk@hankyung.com