Infinity: Aiko's New Photovoltaic Module That Overcomes Shading
Summary
In the world of renewable energy, innovation is key to improving efficiency and reducing costs. Aiko, a leading company in the photovoltaic sector, is driving this transformation with its revolutionary ABC “all back contact” technology and the new Infinity module, both designed to maximise the efficiency and durability of solar panels.
ABC Technology: A Quantum Leap in Photovoltaic Efficiency
Launched in 2021, Aiko’s ABC technology introduced an innovative concept in photovoltaic cell design, moving all electrical contacts to the rear of the cell. This approach eliminates the classic busbars from the front of the module, significantly increasing the surface area available for light absorption. The larger absorption area allows more solar energy to be captured, reducing optical losses due to reflection and possible shading.
In addition to the rear contact design, ABC technology uses highly resistant, low-oxygen silicon wafers, extending the useful life of minority charge carriers by up to 10 times. This translates into greater operational efficiency compared to other technologies, such as HJT or TopCon, which experience more carrier recombination losses.
Another crucial aspect of ABC technology is the elimination of silver in the contacts. Silver is a limited and expensive resource, and Aiko’s decision not to use it represents a long-term economic and environmental advantage, making ABC modules more sustainable and cost-effective.
Passivation and Recombination: Improvement of Electrical Performance
Passivation of solar cell surfaces is essential for reducing electrical losses due to electron-hole recombination. Aiko applies a double layer of aluminium oxide and silicon nitride to the front of the cell, improving passivation efficiency and reducing recombination losses. In this way, a greater number of electrons contribute to energy generation, improving the overall performance of the module.
This attention to technical detail is what allows ABC technology to push close to the theoretical efficiency limit of silicon cells, which is 29.56%.
The New Infinity Module: A Perfect Combination of Innovation
Aiko further raised the bar for innovation with the launch of the Infinity module in 2024. This module combines ABC technology with Sirius design, completely eliminating busbars, fingers and other metal elements from the front of the cell. The result is a dramatic reduction in electrical and optical losses, and an increase in efficiency without increasing the size of the module.
Thanks to an innovative overlapping welding method, the Infinity module also eliminates the space between cells, increasing the power per module by approximately 4 W. Furthermore, by moving all the collectors to the rear of the module, a power increase of up to 8 W is achieved, while maintaining the standard panel size.
Best Performance under Shading
One of the main problems affecting photovoltaic modules is the reduction in efficiency due to shading, which can be caused by dust, sand, clouds or nearby obstacles. Aiko has also addressed this problem with its ABC technology. Thanks to their low breakdown voltage and the optimised arrangement of the elements within the module, ABC cells maintain good energy production even in conditions of partial shading, reducing the risk of permanent damage and extending the useful life of the module.
This innovation significantly reduces the use of bypass diodes, further improving reliability and reducing maintenance costs.
This innovation significantly reduces the use of bypass diodes, further improving reliability and reducing maintenance costs.
