Background

Metallization is the key step in the production of c-Si solar cells. The photogenerated carriers are led out of the cell by preparing metalized electrodes on the front and the rear of the silicon wafer by screen printing and sintering of conductive paste, or copper electroplating. The paste includes categories such as silver paste, copper paste, silver-aluminum paste, and aluminum paste. Solar cell paste is made up of conductive phase, binder and organic carrier, is the key material for metallization, and has an important influence on the cell’s photoelectric conversion efficiency and cost.

The era of photovoltaic grid parity is coming. It is estimated that in 2025, the global new installed photovoltaic capacity will reach 500GW, bringing a huge market of tens of billions of dollars to the solar cell paste industry. Advanced pastes and metallization processes are helping Heterojunction (HJT), TOPCon, and XBC solar cells achieve 27% mass production efficiency, and will also support c-Si perovskite tandem solar cells in reaching over 30% mass production efficiency. Meanwhile, silver-reduced or silver-free processes, such as ultra-fine line printing, full-back contact steel plates, copper electroplating, copper paste, silver coated copper, aluminum paste and busbar-free are continuously driving down metallization costs.

Laser-Enhanced Contact Optimization (LECO) has the potential to apply high-temperature sintered cell technology, especially TOPCon cells. Combined with advanced conductive silver paste, LECO can help improve the efficiency of TOPCon cells by 0.3-0.5% and enhance the reliability of cells and modules. Copper electroplating technology holds great potential. In June 2024, Tongwei successfully overcame key core technologies on the GW-scale HJT pilot line, including 15μm fine-line copper gridline mass production technology, flexible contact continuous plating, and copper gridline interconnection for HJT solar cells.

The paste with silver coated copper powder greatly reduces the silver content, thereby effectively reducing the metallization cost of HJT cells. The localization of silver coated copper paste and the long-term reliability of cells are the focus of the industry. The PV industry is continuously advancing the industrialization of new technologies and their combined applications. The combined use of silver coated copper paste and laser transfer (PTP) technology, silver coated copper paste and full-back contact steel plate printing, copper electroplating and 0BB technology are expected to further improve PV efficiency and reduce costs.

11^th Solar Cell Paste and Metallization Forum 2025 will be held on March 6 in Changzhou, Jiangsu, China. The conference will discuss the PV industry outlook and paste market prospects, the development trends of HJT, TOPCon and XBC cell technology and metallization processes, LECO laser equipment and advanced silver paste, laser transfer printing, full-back contact steel plate printing, copper electroplating, copper paste, silver coated copper, aluminum paste, 0BB technology and applications, PV cell metallization conductive and contact mechanism, c-Si perovskite tandem cell metallization process and paste technology prospects, etc. This conference will provide ZOOM Global Online Participation and simultaneous interpretation in Chinese and English.

Topics

1. Global and China PV industry outlook and paste market prospects

2. HJT, TOPCon and XBC cell technology and metallization process

3. Research on the conductive mechanism and contact mechanism of photovoltaic cell metallization

4. The key raw materials for photovoltaic paste: conductive phase, binder, and organic carrier

5. Laser equipment and process for achieving laser enhanced contact optimization (LECO)

6. Advanced front and rear silver paste matched with LECO technology

7. Key points of metallization process and conductive paste for XBC cells (HPBC, TBC, and HBC)

8. Latest Developments in PTP Technology and Equipment

9. Combination application of silver coated copper paste and PTP technology

10. Latest progress in full-back contact steel plate printing technology

11. Practical experience in the combination application of silver coated copper paste and steel plate printing

12. Technical characteristics and preparation process of high-reliability silver coated copper powder

13. Research on long-term reliability of silver coated copper paste metallization

14. Selection of copper electroplating equipment: seed layer preparation, patterning, metallization, and post-treatment

15. Analysis of Difficulties in Copper Electroplating Process: Yield, Uniformity, Fragmentation Rate, and Energy Consumption

16. Operation and Demonstration Experience of Copper Electroplating Pilot Line for Photovoltaic Cells

17. Selection of 0BB process route, advanced equipment, and gate line carrier film

18. Combination application of copper electroplating and 0BB technology

19. Ultra low temperature solidification silver paste serving c-Si perovskite tandem cells

20. Research and development status and prospects of copper paste metallization technology

Program

Mar. 5

17:00-20:00  Pre-conference Registration 

Mar. 6

08:30-12:30  Speech

12:30-14:00  Networking Lunch

14:00-18:30  Speech

18:30-20:00  Banquet