Solar Cell Efficiency Comparison 2026

The efficiency of a solar cell determines how much sunlight is converted into electrical energy. In this comprehensive comparison, we show you the efficiency of different technologies, explain the key influencing factors and help you choose the right module for your system.

Interactive Technology Comparison

The following table shows all common solar cell technologies in direct comparison. Click on the column headers to sort by different criteria.

As of January 2026 | Prices excluding installation | Sources: Fraunhofer ISE, BSW Solar

Technology↕	Efficiency↕	Temp. coeff.↕	Price/kWp↕	Market share↕
Mono PERC	21.5%	-0.35 %/°C	180,00 €	65%
Mono TOPCon	22.5%	-0.30 %/°C	220,00 €	18%
Mono HJT	22.8%	-0.26 %/°C	280,00 €	5%
Mono IBC	23%	-0.29 %/°C	350,00 €	2%
Polycrystalline	17%	-0.40 %/°C	140,00 €	8%
Thin-film CdTe	18.5%	-0.25 %/°C	120,00 €	4%
Thin-film CIGS	16.5%	-0.32 %/°C	150,00 €	1%
Perovskite (emerging)	25%	variable	0,00 €	0%

Efficiency by Cell Technology

Mono IBC (Maxeon)23 %

Mono HJT22,8 %

Mono TOPCon22,5 %

Mono PERC21,5 %

Thin-film CdTe18,5 %

Polycrystalline17 %

Thin-film CIGS16,5 %

Lab vs. Commercial Modules

Lab efficiencies are significantly higher than commercially available values:

Technology	Lab record	Commercial	Difference
Mono c-Si (IBC)	26.7%	23.0%	-3.7%
Mono c-Si (HJT)	26.8%	22.8%	-4.0%
Perovskite	26.1%	—	(in development)
Tandem (Pero/Si)	33.9%	—	(in development)
Thin-film CdTe	22.1%	18.5%	-3.6%

Advantages and Disadvantages in Detail

Understanding the Temperature Coefficient

The temperature coefficient is one of the most important parameters in practice. It indicates how much output a module loses per degree Celsius above the test temperature (25 degrees C).

Temperatureffekt auf die Modulleistung

Modultemperatur:25°C

0°CSTC: 25°C80°C

Temperaturkoeffizient (benutzerdefiniert):-0,35%/°C

-0,50%/°C (schlecht)-0,20%/°C (gut)

Monokristallin (Standard)Monokristallin (HJT)PolykristallinDünnschicht (CdTe)Benutzerdefiniert

Wirkungsgrad über Temperaturbereich

Monokristallin (Standard)

Wirkungsgrad

21,5%

(STC: 21,5%)

Rel. Leistung

100,0%

(+0,0%)

Temperaturkoeffizient: -0.35%/°C

Monokristallin (HJT)

Wirkungsgrad

22,0%

(STC: 22,0%)

Rel. Leistung

100,0%

(+0,0%)

Temperaturkoeffizient: -0.26%/°C

Polykristallin

Wirkungsgrad

17,5%

(STC: 17,5%)

Rel. Leistung

100,0%

(+0,0%)

Temperaturkoeffizient: -0.4%/°C

Dünnschicht (CdTe)

Wirkungsgrad

18,0%

(STC: 18,0%)

Rel. Leistung

100,0%

(+0,0%)

Temperaturkoeffizient: -0.25%/°C

Winter

0-15°C Modul

STC (Optimal)

25°C Modul

Sommer-Mittag

40-55°C Modul

Extrem heiß

55-70°C Modul

Einfluss auf den Jahresertrag (10 kWp Anlage)▼

💡 Tipps zur Kühlung & Belüftung

• Hinterlüftung sicherstellen: Mindestens 10 cm Abstand zwischen Modul und Dach für Luftzirkulation.
• Helle Dachflächen bevorzugen: Dunkle Dächer heizen Module stärker auf. Helle Materialien reflektieren Wärme.
• Aufständerung auf Flachdächern: Aufgeständerte Module profitieren von Luftströmung unter dem Panel.
• Vegetation am Dach: Gründächer senken die Umgebungstemperatur und verbessern die Modulkühlung.
• Module mit niedrigem Temperaturkoeffizienten: HJT- und CdTe-Module verlieren bei Hitze weniger Leistung.

STC = Standard Test Conditions (25°C Zelltemperatur, 1000 W/m² Einstrahlung)

Temperature Coefficient Comparison

Technology	Temp. coefficient	Power loss at 50°C	Power loss at 65°C
Thin-film CdTe	-0.25 %/°C	-6.25%	-10.0%
Mono HJT	-0.26 %/°C	-6.5%	-10.4%
Mono IBC	-0.29 %/°C	-7.25%	-11.6%
Mono TOPCon	-0.30 %/°C	-7.5%	-12.0%
Mono PERC	-0.35 %/°C	-8.75%	-14.0%
Polycrystalline	-0.40 %/°C	-10.0%	-16.0%

Degradation Over 25 Years

All solar modules lose output over time. This process is called degradation and is accounted for in manufacturer warranties.

HJTTOPConMono PERCPolycrystallineThin-film CdTe

Modultyp	Degradation Jahr 1	Jährliche Degradation	Leistung nach 25 Jahren	Garantie (25 J)
HJT	1,0%	0,3%	93,2%	92,0%
TOPCon	1,5%	0,4%	89,5%	87,0%
Mono PERC	2,0%	0,5%	87,9%	84,8%
Polycrystalline	2,5%	0,6%	85,4%	80,0%
Thin-film CdTe	3,0%	0,5%	86,0%	80,0%

Typical degradation values -- actual values vary by manufacturer and operating conditions

What does LID mean?

LID (Light Induced Degradation) is an effect that occurs in crystalline silicon cells during the first hours of operation. Output drops by 1-3%, then stabilises. Modern technologies such as HJT and n-type cells are barely affected.

Energy Losses in a Sankey Diagram

The following interactive Sankey diagram shows where energy is lost on the path from sunlight to usable electricity. Select different cell types to compare losses.

Energieverluste: Von Sonnenlicht zu Strom

Mono PERCTOPConHJTDünnschicht CdTe

Detaillierte Verlustaufschlüsselung anzeigen

Verlustquelle	Verlust (%)	Verlust (W)	Beschreibung
Reflexion	4%	40 W	Ein Teil des Lichts wird an der Glasoberfläche reflektiert, bevor es die Zelle erreicht.
Wärmeverluste	20%	200 W	Photonen mit mehr Energie als die Bandlücke geben überschüssige Energie als Wärme ab.
Rekombination	15%	150 W	Einige angeregte Elektronen rekombinieren, bevor sie den Stromkreis erreichen.
Ohmsche Verluste	2%	20 W	Elektrischer Widerstand in Zellverbindungen und Kontakten verursacht Verluste.
Wechselrichter	3.5%	35 W	Die Umwandlung von Gleichstrom (DC) in Wechselstrom (AC) ist nicht verlustfrei.
Kabelverluste	1.5%	15 W	Leitungsverluste in den Kabeln zwischen Modulen, Wechselrichter und Einspeisepunkt.
Nutzbare Energie	54.0%	540 W	Elektrische Energie nach allen Verlusten

Ergebnisse kopieren

Price-Performance Analysis

The best efficiency is not always the most economical solution. What matters is the ratio of cost to electricity generated over the system’s lifetime.

CdTe120 EUR

Poly140 EUR

CIGS150 EUR

PERC180 EUR

TOPCon220 EUR

HJT280 EUR

IBC350 EUR

Module prices excluding installation, Q1 2026 | Source: pvXchange

When does each technology pay off?

Situation	Recommendation	Rationale
Limited roof area	TOPCon or HJT	Maximum output per m2
Large budget, maximum yield	IBC or HJT	Highest efficiency and best warranties
Limited budget	Mono PERC	Best price-performance ratio
Hot climate	HJT or CdTe	Low temperature coefficient
Large open area	CdTe or Poly	Lowest price per kWp
Partial shading	Modules with optimisers	Independent of cell type

Manufacturer Examples 2026

Premium Segment (more than 22% efficiency)

Manufacturer	Model	Technology	Efficiency	Power	Feature
Maxeon	Maxeon 7	IBC	23.0%	440 Wp	40-year warranty
REC	Alpha Pure R	HJT	22.3%	430 Wp	Lead-free cells
Meyer Burger	Glass-Glass	HJT	22.0%	405 Wp	Made in Germany
LONGi	Hi-MO 7	TOPCon	22.5%	580 Wp	Large format

Standard Segment (20-22% efficiency)

Manufacturer	Model	Technology	Efficiency	Power	Feature
JA Solar	DeepBlue 4.0	TOPCon	22.0%	550 Wp	Value for money
Trina Solar	Vertex S+	TOPCon	22.2%	445 Wp	Compact format
Canadian Solar	TOPBiHiKu7	TOPCon	21.8%	585 Wp	Bifacial
Jinko Solar	Tiger Neo	TOPCon	22.3%	580 Wp	Market leader

Frequently Asked Questions about Efficiency

What efficiency do I actually need?

It depends on your available roof area:

• Plenty of space: Even 17-18% efficiency is perfectly adequate
• Limited area: At least 20-21% for economical operation
• Very little space: Premium modules with 22%+ make sense

Example: For 10 kWp you need about 50 m2 at 20% efficiency, or about 59 m2 at 17%.

Is the highest efficiency always the best choice?

No. Efficiency is only one factor among many:

1. Price per kWp — often more important than efficiency
2. Temperature behaviour — determines summer yield
3. Warranty conditions — affect long-term value
4. Degradation rate — determines yields over 25 years
5. Available area — only relevant when space is limited

Calculate with our PV calculator which combination is optimal for you.

How do I compare modules fairly?

Pay attention to the test conditions:

• STC (Standard Test Conditions): 1000 W/m2, 25°C cell temperature, AM 1.5
• NOCT (Nominal Operating Cell Temperature): 800 W/m2, 20°C ambient, wind

NOCT values are more realistic, but not all manufacturers provide them.

Important: Always compare the same module size (Wp) or convert to EUR/kWp.

How will efficiency develop in the future?

Development continues:

• Short-term (2026-2027): TOPCon becomes standard, PERC phases out
• Medium-term (2028-2030): Perovskite-silicon tandem up to 30%
• Long-term (2030+): Multi-junction tandem cells above 35%

The theoretical maximum for single-junction is 33.7% (Shockley-Queisser limit), for tandem cells above 45%.

What is the difference between cell and module efficiency?

• Cell efficiency: Efficiency of the individual solar cell
• Module efficiency: Efficiency of the entire module (incl. frame, glass, wiring)

Module efficiency is always slightly lower (approx. 1-2%) due to:

• Non-active area (frame, spacing)
• Optical losses (glass, EVA)
• Electrical losses (strings, junction box)

For system planning, only the module efficiency is relevant.

Can modules exceed 100%?

Yes, under certain conditions:

• Bifacial modules also use reflected light from the rear side (+5-30% additional yield)
• Cold temperatures increase output (a winter midday can exceed rated power)
• High irradiance in the mountains or with clear air

The rated power (Wp) refers to STC (1000 W/m2, 25°C). In practice, higher values are possible briefly.

Conclusion: Making the Right Choice

Efficiency is important, but not everything. For an economically optimal PV system, you should weigh the following factors:

1. Available roof area — high-efficiency modules make sense when space is limited
2. Budget — Mono PERC offers the best price-performance ratio
3. Climate — in hot summers, look for a low temperature coefficient
4. Long-term yields — compare degradation rates and warranties
5. Manufacturer quality — choose Tier 1 manufacturers with stable finances

Use our PV calculator to determine the optimal solution for your situation.

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Further reading:

• How does photovoltaics work? — The physics explained
• Solar modules in detail: Mono vs. Poly vs. Thin-film
• The right inverter for your system