Gautam Solar Sowcases N-Type TOPCon Modules at Expo

In a sign of the rapid strides it has been making in the past two years, the Uttarakhand-based Gautam Solar, for the first time in India, is showcasing its advanced and transforming N-type TOPCon (Tunnel oxide passivated contact) Solar Modules at the Renewable Energy India (REI) Expo 2023 .

Available in the wattage range 565 – 580 Wp, these modules are best suited for ground mounted projects and have a maximum efficiency of 22.45% according to the firm. These modules have been certified as per UL & IEC Standards and are already available for the US and European markets.

TOPCon is a state-of-the-art Solar Module Production Technology in which a thin tunneling oxide layer is applied on an N-Type Silicon Substrate, followed by a layer of highly doped Poly Silicon and Passivated Contacts. The tunnel oxide layer allows charge carriers to pass while minimizing recombination losses. The passivated contacts reduce surface recombination.

In N-type Cells, the base silicon layer is doped with Phosphorous instead of Boron like in P-type Cells. As a result of this, free electrons are generated, which increases the efficiency of the cells, and hence the resulting modules.

Because of this difference, Gautam Solar claims that  N-type TOPCon Solar Modules offer 5% more power every year compared to P-type Solar Modules, on account of the increased cell efficiency.

Gautam Solar’s N-type TOPCon Solar Modules also have lower degradation rates of 1 per cent in first year and 0.4 per cent in subsequent years unlike 2 per cent in first year and 0.55 per cent in subsequent years for P-type Modules. This increases the longevity of the solar modules. It degrades only to 87.4% of its initial rated power at the end of 30 years compared to P-type modules which degrade to 84.8% in their 25 years lifecycle.

All of this means that Gautam Solar can make a credible claim that its N-type modules also provide BOS Cost Savings of 3.26 per cent and LCOE reduction of 1.56 per cent.

Based on M10 Cells and composed of 144 half-cut cells produced using Non-Destructive Cutting Process for better low-light performance and negligible chances of micro-cracks. In addition, they feature multi-busbar design with round ribbon connectors for lower electrical losses and better utilization of light. The modules will be available in both Monofacial and Bifacial variants, with the latter providing an additional 10-30% power from the rear side, depending on the installation conditions.

“Our endeavor has always been to leverage technological innovations to come up with products that will holistically transform the solar energy landscape. As one of the few Indian Companies to have secured patents and IPs for our work in the Solar Industry, the focus on latest technology has been the cornerstone of Gautam Solar’s product offerings and our N-type TOPCon Solar Modules are the latest addition to that list.” noted Gautam Mohanka, CEO of Gautam Solar.

Gautam Solar added A+ grade production line, with N-type TOPCon machines from a leading equipment supplier, becoming only the second company in India to do so, at its state-of-the-art factory in Haridwar.

For Gautam Solar, the launch of TOPCon modules is a major achievement, signaling its rapid transition to a major player in India’s solar sector, with an existing capacity of 2 GW and further expansion planned to double it by 2024.  TOPCon has been widely seen as the next dominant technology in modules, even as improvements in HJT and scale manufacturing have seen more manufacturers emerge for that too.