Historically, xBC has been one of the best performing technology categories in terms of efficiency in the Exawatt PV Module Tracker; now, with manufacturing giants Aiko and LONGi having both released collections of xBC module series in 2023, it’s no wonder the technology is currently receiving a lot of attention.

Four of the manufacturers we currently track offer xBC modules: Aiko, LONGi, SPIC and Sunpower (Maxeon). Prior to the release of Aiko’s module series this quarter, LONGi topped the xBC category in terms of efficiency with its portfolio of module series based on its Hybrid Passivated Back Contact (HPBC) cells. Now, in the Q2 2023 edition of the Exawatt PV Module Tracker, Aiko’s newly released xBC modules top the category – and hence the dataset as a whole – in terms of efficiency.

However, as seen in the graph, across the xBC offerings there is a large spread of efficiencies. So much so, that many of the highest performing TOPCon and HJT modules (with max efficiency offerings of 22.67% for TOPCon, and 23.23% for HJT) outperform the bulk of the xBC category.

Outputs from our PV Module Tracker also feature in the May edition of PV Magazine Global to support Jonathan Gifford’s discussion of performance of the advanced module technologies – TOPCon, HJT, and of course xBC.

If you are interested in keeping up to date with all the latest module trends, please get in touch to inquire about subscribing to our quarterly PV Module Tracker.