HIBC back-contact silicon cells by LONGi: status and timeline

HIBC back-contact silicon cells

HIBC (High-Efficiency Back-Contact) silicon cells move all electrodes to rear, freeing front for light. LONGi record: 28.13% efficiency.

ProtoStage 2 of 5

World record at 28.13% efficiency for silicon; pilot production in development.

Updated Apr 2026Checked 10 Oct0 updates this week

Milestones

Next · Pilot line under development

HIBC cell efficiency reaches 28.13%, world recordApr 2026Complete.
Pilot line under developmentTarget 2026Current milestone.
Commercial module production plannedTarget 2027Not yet reached.

Most important updates

LONGi HIBC silicon cell reaches 28.13% efficiency, world record for back-contact siliconApr 2026

Upcoming

2026Pilot line under development (next)
2027Commercial module production planned

Current obstacles

Manufacturing yield and cost-competitivenessLower yields than front-contact cells. Extra steps and tolerances increase $/W unless efficiency gains offset cost.
Scaling from lab to factoryMoving from demonstration to pilot and production requires new equipment and facilities; capital-intensive transition.

Physics limits

Silicon efficiency ceilingSingle-junction silicon theoretical max ~29%; already near limit. Further gains need tandem or multi-junction architectures.

How it works

2 parts

Rear electrode design

Hidden contacts increase light capture

Metal contacts on rear, front unobstructed. Typical front-contact cells lose 2-3% to front shading; back-contact avoids this.

Manufacturing precision

Tighter tolerances required

Rear electrode routing requires more precision steps. Contact resistance harder to control than front-contact cells.

Spec sheet

Spec	HIBC back-contact silicon cells
Efficiency record (April 2026)	28.13%^R (reported)

^R reported by the company

Update log

1 update

Apr 2026

Major: LONGi HIBC silicon cell reaches 28.13% efficiency, world record for back-contact siliconPressTest

About LONGi

The team behind HIBC back-contact silicon cells

LONGi

Solar cells, modules, perovskite, silicon, HIBC back-contact

LONGi is the world's largest solar module manufacturer. It leads in silicon wafer production and developing next-gen perovskite-silicon tandem and back-contact solar cells. Founded in 2000 and rebranded in 2017 after acquiring LERRI Solar.

World records: perovskite-silicon tandem at 35.5% (ESTI-certified July 2026) and HIBC silicon at 28.13%.
Operates world's largest wafer capacity; manufactures at gigawatt-scale across Chinese plants.
Vertically integrated from polysilicon refining to modules, maintaining cost leadership in commodity solar.

longi.com (opens longi.com)Company profile →

Founded: 200026 yrs
Headquarters: China
Status: Public
Valuation: public
Works in: EnergySolar
Coverage: 2 programs · 2 updateslatest 1 Jul 2026checked 10 Oct
People: Li Zhenguo (opens en.wikipedia.org)Founder and President

Spec

HIBC back-contact silicon cells

Efficiency record (April 2026)

28.13%^R (reported)