JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd. has initiated mass production of metal wrap-through (MWT) monocrystalline and multicrystalline solar cells, which have an average conversion efficiency of 19.6% and 18.1%, respectively, and a peak conversion efficiency of 20.0% and 18.6%, respectively.
By moving the emitter contact from the front to the rear of the cell via laser-drilling and plug paste printing, MWT technology reduces the metallized area on the front side, increasing overall conversion efficiency, the company says. When assembled into modules, MWT cells require no welding and are therefore subject to lower power loss and a lower cell-breakage rate.
‘MWT is at the core of the next generation of module technology, and represents a significant breakthrough in terms of power output and conversion efficiency,’ says Yong Liu, chief technology officer of JA Solar.
