Chinese company LONGi has announced a new solar cell with a claimed conversion efficiency of 35.5 percent, verified by the European Solar Test Installation. This significantly surpasses the typical 25 percent efficiency of commercial solar cells.

The breakthrough was achieved using crystalline silicon-perovskite tandem solar cells, an emerging technology LONGi sees as the future of solar energy, with theoretical efficiencies reaching 43 percent. LONGi has progressively increased efficiency, starting from 33.9 percent in November 2023 and reaching 34.6 percent in June 2024 before the latest announcement.

While LONGi states this is a world record for this specific PV technology, it's worth noting the US Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory reported a 39.5 percent efficiency in 2022. The ultimate impact hinges on LONGi's ability to mass produce and commercialize these high-efficiency cells to address global energy needs.