Longi to work with cell producer Aiko Solar on CCz crystal pulling

Corporate buildings of Longi and Aiko Solar
Longi and Aiko Solar want to cooparate at the development of high-efficiency wafers from CCz ingots – Image: Longi/Aiko Solar

In contrast to its skeptical statements on the continuous Czochralski (CCz) process in the recent past, leading monocrystalline solar wafer manufacturer Longi Green Energy Technology has signed a cooperation agreement with Chinese cell producer Aiko Solar on developing high-efficiency monocrystalline wafers from ingots grown with the CCz process.

In an announcement released on its Chinese website on August 3, the company said: “At present, Longi has officially completed the research and development of CCz high-efficiency monocrystalline products and has mass production capabilities.” The existing production equipment could be upgraded based on the CCz process, Longi added.

Back in May, Longi’s president Li Zhenguo still expressed skepticism about the CCz process. The advantage of more even distribution of electric resistance that CCz ingots show would only have a limited effect on the performance of solar cells in existing manufacturing lines, Li argued.

Aiko has a production capacity of 5 GW for monocrystalline bifacial PERC cells.

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