Back contact on the rise: insights from Smart Energy Forum and Dr Radovan Kopecek, ISC Konstanz

The Smart Energy Forum in Prague has become one of Central Europe’s key events for photovoltaics, energy storage and clean-energy innovation. Since its inception in 2015, the conference has grown into a leading platform that brings together policymakers, manufacturers, developers and investors from across the region. Held at the PVA Expo Prague, the 2025 edition attracted more than 600 industry experts, more than one hundred exhibitors and 5000+ visitors, reflecting the rapid expansion of solar and battery projects in the Czech Republic and neighbouring markets. Topics ranged from advanced PV technologies and energy storage integration to quality standards, floating PV, agrivoltaics and evolving subsidy frameworks.

For LONGi, participation at this forum provided an opportunity to engage directly with partners, EPCs and technology leaders in the CEE region, and to connect the latest R&D developments with real-world project needs – in particular those involving back contact technology.

Bridging science and industry: the role of ISC Konstanz

Among the many expert contributions, the discussion with Dr Radovan Kopecek, Managing Director of Advanced Cell Concepts – ISC Konstanz, offered valuable insights into the evolution of solar-cell technology.
Founded in 2005, ISC Konstanz (International Solar Energy Research Center Konstanz e.V.) is a leading German research institute focusing on crystalline-silicon photovoltaic cells. The centre has been instrumental in transferring high-efficiency concepts from laboratory scale into industrial application. The institute has participated in numerous publicly funded projects, such as RALPH, a programme dedicated to developing back contact architectures using alternative laser processes and advanced passivation methods.

Beyond its own research, ISC Konstanz contributes to European policy and manufacturing coordination through the European Solar Manufacturing Council (ESMC), of which Dr Kopecek is a board member.
LONGi interview with Dr Kopecek and why back contact matters
In our interview, Dr Kopecek outlined why he believes back contact (BC) technology will shape the next decade of PV development. “BC will be the future,” he said. “In a couple of years from now, BC technology will take over, similar to what happened with PERC and TOPCon.”

He explained that the advantages are both optical and electrical. By moving all contacts to the rear side, BC cells eliminate front-side metallisation and the associated shading losses, resulting in higher front-side efficiency. In addition, their reverse-current behaviour is superior, reducing the risk of hot-spot formation and performance degradation.
These attributes translate into measurable yield gains, particularly for diffuse-light conditions, making BC technology suitable not only for residential or commercial rooftops but increasingly for utility-scale applications. As Dr Kopecek noted, “Back contact is already penetrating the utility-scale market because of its higher front-side efficiency.”

Watch his full video comment here:

Turning point in 2027–2028 expected

According to Dr Kopecek’s analysis, the global market is now approaching an inflection point similar to the PERC and TOPCon transitions. He anticipates that 2027–2028 will mark the beginning of BC’s widespread commercial dominance.
His forecast aligns with ISC Konstanz’s internal roadmap, which positions BC / IBC architectures as the final evolution of single-junction crystalline-silicon cells. From an industrial perspective, Kopecek expects global BC manufacturing capacity to reach approximately 1 TW by 2030, supported by maturing production equipment and the expiration of key patents around 2028, which could lower entry barriers and costs.

The broader significance of back contact technologies

Back contact designs promise several system-level advantages:
• Higher energy yield per square metre, due to improved optical capture.
• Reduced balance-of-system (BOS) costs, because of higher power density and potential module downsizing.
• Enhanced reliability through better current distribution and thermal behaviour.
• Improved aesthetics, an important factor for rooftop markets.

As these advantages become quantifiable, BC modules are expected to gain rapid acceptance in utility and C&I projects, where efficiency and lifetime yield drive investment decisions.

Implications for industry and investors

For manufacturers, the transition from PERC to TOPCon and now to BC represents a structural change in how silicon cells are designed and optimised. For developers and investors, the narrative from research institutions such as ISC Konstanz is clear: back-contact architectures will define the efficiency ceiling of crystalline-silicon PV for the foreseeable future.
Companies that anticipate this shift will be better positioned to capture value through early adoption, supply-chain alignment and technology partnerships.

The exchange with Dr Kopecek at the Smart Energy Forum underscored the importance of linking scientific insight with industrial implementation. His perspective, grounded in decades of cell-technology research, resonates strongly with the broader innovation path of the solar industry.

As LONGi continues to advance its high-efficiency module portfolio and deepen collaboration with leading research partners, the conversation around back contact technology will remain central to defining the next generation of solar solutions.