Heterojunction technology (HJT) is a not-so-new solar panel production method that has really picked up steam in the last decade. The technology is currently the solar industry’s best option to increase efficiency and power output to their highest levels.
SANYO marketed its HJT modules under the brand name HIT (Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin-layer technology), which Panasonic still uses today. The first HIT modules, released in 1997, were 14.4% efficient and produced 170 W. Panasonic’s latest 96-cell HIT models average around 20% efficient and produce over 330 W.
It is reported that 60% of the domestic PERC production capacity can be transformed into the TOPCon production line, which can save a certain cost, while The HJT production line must be newly built; on the other hand, HJT batteries are compatible with technologies such as HBC and perovskite tandem batteries, making HJT more potential.
The theoretical conversion efficiency of HJT and TOPCon is over 27%, and the mass production efficiency is about 24%. There is still a lot of room for efficiency increase from the theoretical efficiency, so the market has paid more attention to N-type batteries.