Highlights of mainstream solar cell efficiencies in 2025

References

[1] Du H L , Lu W M , An X R . et al. Steel-stencil printing and local polysilicon contacts enable 26.09%-efficient industrial-grade tunnel oxide passivating contact solar cells. Joule, 2026, 10(1): 102231

[2] Wang Q Q , Guo K Y , Wu W P . et al. 26.35%-efficiency and high-bifaciality n-TOPCon solar cells enabled by UV-ps laser-induced selective modification of double-layered SiO_x/n⁺-poly Si passivating contacts. Energy & Environmental Science, 2025, 18(20): 9217–9229

[3] Runenergy . New world record! Runergy achieves 26.55% efficiency for full-area n-type solar cells, topping the global rankings. , 2025,

[4] Zhang C , Yang Z , Zhang Y . et al. Machine learning guided device-level design for high-efficiency tunnel oxide passivating contact solar cells. Small, 2025, 21(37): e06958

[5] Wang X S . The application of edge passivation in continuous innovation of TOPCon. In: The 21st China Solar Grade Silicon and PV Power Conference, Huainan, China, 2025,

[6] Kopecek R , Buchholz R F , Mihailetchi V D . et al. Interdigitated back contact technology as final evolution for industrial crystalline single-junction silicon solar cell. Solar, 2022, 3(1): 1–14

[7] Wang P , Sridharan R , Ng X R . et al. Development of TOPCon tunnel-IBC solar cells with screen-printed fire-through contacts by laser patterning. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 2021, 220: 110834

[8] Smith D D , Cousins P , Westerberg S . et al. Toward the practical limits of silicon solar cells. IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics, 2014, 4(6): 1465–1469

[9] Smith D D , Reich G , Baldrias M . et al. Silicon solar cells with total area efficiency above 25%. Proceeding of 2016 IEEE 43rd Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC). IEEE, 2016, 3351–3355

[10] Haase H , Hollemann C , Schäfer S . et al. Laser contact openings for local poly-Si-metal contacts enabling 26.1%-efficient POLO-IBC solar cells. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 2018, 186: 184–193

[11] Su Q , Lin H , Wang G S . et al. Theoretical limiting-efficiency assessment on advanced crystalline silicon solar cells with Auger ideality factor and wafer thickness modifications. Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, 2024, 32(9): 587–598

[12] Tong H B , Tan S , Zhang Y S . et al. Total-area world-record efficiency of 27.03% for 350.0 cm² commercial-sized single junction silicon solar cells. Nature Communications, 2025, 16(1): 5920

[13] JinkoSolar . Elon Musk likes JinkoSolar’s TOPCon 27.79% efficiency world record on social media. , 2025,

[14] Xie Z G , Lu H J , Yang G T . et al. 27%-efficiency silicon heterojunction cell with 98.6% cell-to-module ratio driving new momentum towards the 29.4% limit. Nature Communications, 2025, 16(1): 9421

[15] Yu C , Gao K , Wang Q . et al. 26.6%-efficiency silicon heterojunction solar cell with high-quality cerium and hydrogen codoped indium oxide transparent electrode. ACS Energy Letters, 2025, 10(5): 2503–2511

[16] Green M A , Dunlop E D , Yoshita M . et al. Solar cell efficiency tables (Version 67). Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, 2026, 33(7): 795–810

[17] Wu H , Ye F , Yang M . et al. Silicon heterojunction back-contact solar cells by laser patterning. Nature, 2024, 635(8039): 604–609

[18] Wang G , Yu M , Wu H . et al. Silicon solar cells with hybrid back contacts. Nature, 2025, 647(8089): 369–374

[19] National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) . Best research-cell efficiency chart. , 2025,

[20] National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) . Champion photovoltaic module efficiency chart. , 2025,

[21] Lin R , Gao H , Lou J . et al. All-perovskite tandem solar cells with dipolar passivation. Nature, 2025, 648(8094): 600–606

[22] Wu W , Gao H , Jia L . et al. Stable and uniform self-assembled organic diradical molecules for perovskite photovoltaics. Science, 2025, 389(6756): 195–199

[23] Dong B , Wei M , Li Y . et al. Self-assembled bilayer for perovskite solar cells with improved tolerance against thermal stresses. Nature Energy, 2025, 10(3): 342–353

[24] You S , Zhu H , Shen Z . et al. C₆₀-based ionic salt electron shuttle for high-performance inverted perovskite solar modules. Science, 2025, 388(6750): 964–968

[25] Liang Z , Xu H , Huang Z . et al. Suppression of PCBM dimer formation in inverted perovskite solar cells. Nature Materials, 2026,,

[26] Li G , Zhang Z , Agyei-Tuffour B . et al. Stabilizing high-efficiency perovskite solar cells via strategic interfacial contact engineering. Nature Photonics, 2026, 20(1): 55–62

[27] Lin Y , Lin Z , Lv S . et al. A Nd@C82-polymer interface for efficient and stable perovskite solar cells. Nature, 2025, 642(8066): 78–84

[28] Feng K , Wang G , Lian Q . et al. Non-fullerene electron-transporting materials for high-performance and stable perovskite solar cells. Nature Materials, 2025, 24(5): 770–777

[29] Tang X , Yang C , Xu Y . et al. Enhancing the efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells via a polymer heterointerface bridge. Nature Photonics, 2025, 19(7): 701–708

[30] Xiong Z , Zhang Q , Cai K . et al. Homogenized chlorine distribution for > 27% power conversion efficiency in perovskite solar cells. Science, 2025, 390(6773): 638–642

[31] Liu W , Xu G , Wu Y . et al. Self-healing hydrophobic buried interfaces for achieving moisture-resistant flexible perovskite solar cells with 26.38% efficiency. Advanced Materials, 2025, e19163

[32] Chu Z , Fan B , Zhao Y . et al. Laser annealing enables rapid, degradation-free ambient processing of perovskite solar modules. Science, 2025, 390(6776): 905–910

[33] Yan B , Dai W , Wang Z . et al. 3D laminar flow-assisted crystallization of perovskites for square meter-sized solar modules. Science, 2025, 388(6749): eadt5001

[34] Liu Q , Ding L , Fu J . et al. Enhancing the efficiency and stability of inverted perovskite solar cells and modules through top interface modification with n-type semiconductors. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2025, 64(4): e202416390

[35] Liang Y , Chen G , Wang Y . et al. A matrix-confined molecular layer for perovskite photovoltaic modules. Nature, 2025, 648(8092): 91–96

[36] He D , Chen P , Steele J A . et al. Homogeneous 2D/3D heterostructured tin halide perovskite photovoltaics. Nature Nanotechnology, 2025, 20(6): 779–786

[37] Li T , Luo X , Wang P . et al. Tin-based perovskite solar cells with a homogeneous buried interface. Nature, 2025, 648(8092): 84–90

[38] Li T , He F , Shen T . et al. Centimetre-scale fullerene-free tin-based perovskite solar cells with a 14.51% certified efficiency. Nature Energy, 2025,

[39] Liu Z , Lin R , Wei M . et al. All-perovskite tandem solar cells achieving > 29% efficiency with improved (100) orientation in wide-bandgap perovskites. Nature Materials, 2025, 24(2): 252–259

[40] Hu S , Wang J , Zhao P . et al. Steering perovskite precursor solutions for multijunction photovoltaics. Nature, 2025, 639(8053): 93–101

[41] Jia L , Xia S , Li J . et al. Efficient perovskite/silicon tandem with asymmetric self-assembly molecule. Nature, 2025, 644(8078): 912–919

[42] Zhang D , Wu T , Li B . et al. Iceberg-like pyramids in industrially textured silicon enabled 33% efficient perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells. Nature Communications, 2025, 16(1): 7331

[43] . , ,

[44] Fang Z , Ding L , Yang Y . et al. Flexible perovskite/silicon tandem solar cell with a dual-buffer layer. Nature, 2026, 649(8095): 65–72

[45] Wang S , Li W , Yu C . et al. Flexible perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells with 33.6% efficiency. Nature, 2026, 649(8095): 59–64

[46] Xu F , Aydin E , Yavuz I . et al. Stabilized perovskite phases enabling efficient perovskite/perovskite/silicon triple-junction solar cells. Nature Materials, 2026,,

[47] Zheng J , Wang G , Duan L . et al. Tailoring nanoscale interfaces for perovskite-perovskite-silicon triple-junction solar cells. Nature Nanotechnology, 2025, 20(11): 1648–1655

[48] Jia Z , Guo X , Yin X . et al. Efficient near-infrared harvesting in perovskite-organic tandem solar cells. Nature, 2025, 643(8070): 104–110

[49] Pei F , Lin S , Tang J . et al. Perovskite/CIGS tandem solar cells with over 1000 h operational stability through interconnection stress relief. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2025, 147(40): 36815–36824

[50] Tian L , Bi E , Yavuz I . et al. Divalent cation replacement strategy stabilizes wide-bandgap perovskite for Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ tandem solar cells. Nature Photonics, 2025, 19(5): 479–485

[51] Zhu L , Zhang M , Xu J . et al. Single-junction organic solar cells with over 19% efficiency enabled by a refined double-fibril network morphology. Nature Materials, 2022, 21(6): 656–663

[52] Zhang M , Wang Z , Zhu L . et al. Jamming giant molecules at interface in organic photovoltaics to improve performance and stability. Advanced Materials, 2024, 36(52): 2407297

[53] Li C , Cai Y , Hu P . et al. Organic solar cells with 21% efficiency enabled by a hybrid interfacial layer with dual-component synergy. Nature Materials, 2025, 24(10): 1626–1634

[54] Zhu L , Zhang M , Zhou G . et al. Achieving 20.8% organic solar cells via additive-assisted layer-by-layer fabrication with bulk p-i-n structure and improved optical management. Joule, 2024, 8(11): 3153–3168

[55] Wang L , Chen C , Gan Z . et al. Diluted ternary heterojunctions to suppress charge recombination for organic solar cells with 21% efficiency. Advanced Materials, 2025, 37(13): 2419923

[56] Fu J , Li H , Liu H . et al. Two-step crystallization modulated through acenaphthene enabling 21% binary organic solar cells and 83.2% fill factor. Nature Energy, 2025, 10(10): 1251–1261

[57] Sun K , Wang Y , Zhang G . et al. 20.64% efficient and stable binary organic solar cells via thermodynamic-engineered interlayer diffusion and exciton generation. Advanced Materials, 2025, 37(47): e09806

[58] Zhang J , Fang F , Zhang B . et al. Prolonging exciton diffusion length via modulating aggregation structures for binary organic photovoltaics approaching 20% certified efficiency. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2025, 64(36): e202509516

[59] Wang J , Li J , Wang Y . et al. Tandem organic solar cells with 21.5% efficiency. Advanced Materials, 2025, 37(43): e10378

[60] Chen H , Huang Y , Zhang R . et al. Organic solar cells with 20.82% efficiency and high tolerance of active layer thickness through crystallization sequence manipulation. Nature Materials, 2025, 24(3): 444–453

[61] Hu H , Jin Z , Ge J . et al. 17.68% efficiency nonhalogenated solvent-processed organic solar cell modules driven by seed crystal strategy. Advanced Materials, 2025, 37(14): 2420308

[62] Park S , Yoon S , Ahn H . et al. Dielectric additive enables humidity-independent preparation of blend morphology for high-performance, large-area organic photovoltaics. Joule, 2025, 9(6): 101927

[63] Liu B , Sandberg O J , Qin J . et al. Inverted organic solar cells with an in situ-derived SiO_xN_y passivation layer and power conversion efficiency exceeding 18%. Nature Photonics, 2025, 19(2): 195–203

[64] Qin J , Xi Q , Wu N . et al. Improved damp heat and thermal cycling stability of organic solar cells. Nature Energy, 2025, 10(12): 1439–1449

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Higher Education Press