Background

Silver is the primary material for metallization in solar cells, and international silver prices have continued to rise, hitting a 13-year high in June 2025. Reducing silver usage is a key approach to lowering solar cell costs, with various technical pathways including silver coated copper, copper/aluminum pastes, copper electroplating, busbar-free (0BB) technology, and ultra-fine line printing. Amid the intense competition in the photovoltaic (PV) industry, PV companies and research institutions are actively advancing the R&D and industrial application of silver-lean or silver-free technologies.

Silver coated copper powders significantly reduce silver content, while copper pastes eliminate silver entirely, effectively cutting metallization costs for solar cells. In June 2025, DKEM® showed the world’s first mass production of low-silver metallization using a combined "seed-layer paste + high-copper paste" approach and signed agreements with partners for projects including 200 tons of silver-coated copper paste and pure copper paste. In November 2024, Fusion introduced its copper paste for PV cells at the Silver-Lean/Silver-Free Technology Innovation Forum, featuring added antioxidants and sintering agents that enable sintering at temperatures as low as 300°C in air without requiring nitrogen protection.

Copper electroplating technology holds great potential. In June 2024, Tongwei achieved breakthroughs in key technologies such as mass production of 15μm fine-line copper grids, flexible-contact continuous electroplating, and interconnection of copper-grid HJT cells on its GW-level pilot line. In November 2024, Sunwell full-line copper grid production equipment was listed in the National Energy Administration’s catalog of major energy-sector technologies. Aiko Solar pioneered silver-free metal grid coating technology, using electrochemical and chemical methods to deposit copper, nickel and tin, achieving superior results compared to conventional silver paste printing on its 10GW production line.

Busbar-free metallization (0BB) improves module efficiency while reducing silver paste consumption, with multiple technical routes under development. The PV industry continues to drive the industrialization of new technologies and their combined applications. Approaches such as silver coated copper paste paired with laser transfer printing, silver coated copper paste with full-open stencil printing and copper electroplating combined with 0BB are expected to further reduce silver consumption in PV cells.

2^nd Solar Cell Silver Lean/Silver Free Technology Forum 2025 on September 3 in Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. This conference will explore industry outlooks and market prospects for low-silver/silver-free technologies, production processes for silver coated copper powders and their application in pastes, advances in oxidation-resistant high-conductivity copper paste metallization, copper electroplating technology roadmaps, equipment selection, process challenges and demonstration project experiences, 0BB stringing equipment, adhesives, lamination equipment, grid-supporting films, ultra-fine line printing technology along with matched advanced screens and pastes. This conference will provide ZOOM Global Online Participation and simultaneous interpretation in Chinese and English.

Topics

1. Photovoltaic Industry Outlook and Market Prospects for Silver-Lean/Silver-Free Technologies

2. Silver-Lean/Silver-Free Metallization Processes for HJT, TOPCon and XBC Solar Cells

3. Long-Term Reliability of Solar Modules with Silver Coated Copper, Copper Paste, Copper Plating and 0BB Designs

4. Technical Characteristics and Production Processes of Photovoltaic Copper Powder and Silver Coated Copper Powder

5. Current R&D Status of Oxidation-Resistant High-Conductivity Copper Paste Metallization

6. Combined Applications of Silver Coated Copper Paste and Laser Transfer Printing Technology

7. Latest Advances in Full-Aperture Steel Mesh/Nickel Plate Printing Technology

8. Practical Experience in Combined Applications of Silver Coated Copper Paste with Steel Mesh/Nickel Plate Printing

9. Copper Electroplating Equipment Selection - Seed Layer Preparation, Patterning, Metallization and Post-Processing

10. Challenges in Copper Electroplating Process - Yield, Uniformity, Breakage Rate and Energy Consumption

11. Pilot Line Operation and Demonstration Experience of Copper Electroplating for PV Cells

12. Wastewater Treatment and Environmental Solutions for Copper Electroplating Processes

13. 0BB Technology Route Selection: Advanced Equipment and Grid-Supporting Films

14. Interconnection Technology for 0BB Copper-Grid Solar Cells

15. Industrialization Progress of 0BB Technology in TOPCon, XBC and HJT Cells

16. Competitiveness Analysis of Aluminum Paste in XBC Solar Cells

17. R&D Progress and Future Prospects of Silver/Nickel Composite Conductive Pastes

18. Ultra-Fine Line Printing Technology with Compatible Advanced Screens and Pastes

Program

Sep. 2

17:00-20:00  Pre-conference Registration 

Sep. 3

08:30-12:30  Speech

12:30-14:00  Networking Lunch

14:00-18:30  Speech

18:30-20:00  Banquet