LONGi and Solar Express Sign 1 GW Framework Agreement

LONGi Solar, a leading global solar technology company, and Solar Express, a German supplier of photovoltaic solutions, have entered into a 3-year agreement on the supply of highly efficient solar modules, including the Hi-MO X6 with back contact technology. The official signing of the agreement covering a total capacity of 1 GW happened last week at the LONGi headquarters in Xi’an, China, during a 4-day visit of Olaf Krückemeier, Chief Sales Officer of Solar Express. The modules from the frame contract will serve Solar Express customers in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Benelux. 

“We are delighted about joining forces with our partner Solar Express to accelerate the energy transition in Europe. With the Hi-MO X6, Solar Express customers get our most powerful module with LONGi’s proprietary back contact technology, HPBC (Hybrid Passivated Back Contact). It enables end users to generate more electricity on the same surface area, as the modules show a 6%–10% improvement in power generation performance compared to traditional modules”, said Nick Wang, Vice President of LONGi Europe Distributed Generation (DG). 

Olaf Krückemeier, Chief Sales Officer of Solar Express, commented: “More and more industries discover the advantages of solar energy for their businesses. Our customers, who are mostly doing larger-scale commercial and industrial projects, have further grown their businesses over time, which has led to an increased demand for high-efficiency modules. LONGi is a strong partner and can cater for both a reliable supply as well as a top-notch solar tech product.”

Demand for back contact (BC) modules increases 

Since mass production started in the first half of 2023, LONGi recorded an increase in demand for its Hi-MO X6 which employs a proprietary back contact cell technology called HPBC. “The increased demand for modules with back contact technology can be attributed to the higher efficiency and reliability compared to other modules as well as to the aesthetic appeal”, said Gerald Müller, Sales Director of LONGi for the DACH region. 

With LONGi embracing BC (Back Contact) solar cell technologies as the cell technology of the future, the company decided to include a substantial portion of BC solar cell technology in its product portfolio. By the end of 2023, an HPBC production capacity of 30 GW will be in full operation, and the majority of LONGi’s overall production capacity will be dominated by back contact solar cell technology in the future. LONGi is therefore developing a new premium technology for solar cells suitable for mass production. Until now, manufacturing back contact technology cells has been very cost-intensive and complex. 

Hi-MO X6’s power generation outperforms traditional modules by 6 to 10 percent 

The Hi-MO X6 has been built on high-efficiency HPBC cell technology, featuring a frontal busbar-free design. The product’s design thus maximizes the use of incident light, reduces optical losses, enhances conversion efficiency, and consequently optimizes LCOE. The standard version of the HPBC cell has achieved an efficiency breakthrough of 25.5%, while HPBC+ cell efficiency exceeds 25.8%. Equipped with this cutting-edge technology, Hi-MO X6 shows a 6% to 10% improvement in power generation performance compared to traditional modules. With a maximum module efficiency of 23.3%, the product sets a new benchmark in value for the globally distributed market.