Premier Energies Limited, a vertically integrated photovoltaic manufacturer headquartered in Hyderabad, unveiled India’s first zero-busbar (0BB) TOPCon solar cells at the International Solar Exhibition in Gandhinagar, setting a new benchmark for local photovoltaic cell technology. Unlike traditional 10BB or 16BB structures, this new cell completely breaks away from conventional design logic, replacing thick silver busbars with a high-density matrix of ultra-fine silver wires for current collection, representing a fundamental redesign rather than a simple technological upgrade.
In the words of Sudhir Reddy, Chief Strategy Officer at Premier Energies, zero-busbar technology is not an incremental improvement but a complete reconstruction of photovoltaic cell engineering design. His company also made it clear that the core advantage of this new product lies in its ability to reduce silver paste consumption while simultaneously improving cell conversion efficiency and durability. This not only optimizes the economics of photovoltaic manufacturing but also enhances sustainability, thereby consolidating the company’s leading position in next-generation photovoltaic technology and contributing to the establishment of an efficient photovoltaic manufacturing ecosystem in India.
For domestic Indian photovoltaic manufacturers, the reduction in silver paste consumption is particularly significant—India currently imposes a 9% VAT on imported Chinese silver paste, which directly drives up silver prices and creates considerable cost pressure for local enterprises. This 0BB TOPCon cell precisely addresses this pain point. Additionally, it offers superior mechanical flexibility, reducing stress during cell interconnection and providing stronger resistance to hidden cracks, ensuring long-term stable performance even under India’s harsh climatic conditions. Chandra Mauli Kumar, Production Director at Premier Energies, added that the mass production of 0BB technology demands extremely high manufacturing precision and process innovation. Leveraging its integrated manufacturing capabilities, the company has successfully achieved enhanced crack resistance and lower interconnection stress, while ensuring stable product performance under extreme temperatures—factors that make the practical implementation of this new cell even more significant.
