Heterojunction PV modules with low silver content tested in world’s sunniest region

<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Chilean company Atamostec is testing low-silver heterojunction solar modules under real desert conditions at the Atacama Desert Solar Platform (PSDA) in partnership with France’s CEA-Ines. The ALPACA project has so far achieved up to 70% silver substitution with copper.</span></p><p><strong>From <a href="https://www.pv-magazine-latam.com/2026/05/14/un-proyecto-tecnologico-chileno-frances-quiere-reemplazar-en-los-paneles-solares-la-plata-por-cobre/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">pv magazine Latam</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="https://www.pv-magazine.com/2020/04/24/bifacial-panel-made-in-chile/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Atamostec</a>, a private-public initiative supported by Chile’s government-run Production Development Corp, has begun testing heterojunction (HJT) solar modules produced with low silver content in the Atacama Desert, in Chile's Antofagasta region.</p>
<p>The performance of the panels is being assessed at the Atacama Desert Solar Platform (PSDA) in partnership with the <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.pv-magazine.com/2017/09/28/cea-and-edf-introduce-new-lightweight-pv-module-at-eu-pvsec/__;!!OjemSMKBgg!2jUZZscXZR_bomWegZe8h-yOKr7Qe332jN3pQX5DJi4BXJt_P0hDzbCojS4fzFJRuA$" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">National Solar Energy Institute (Ines)</a> under the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA). The facility enables assessment of performance, efficiency, and durability in a real-world environment ahead of potential commercial scaling.</p>
<p>The ALPACA research project focuses evaluates different levels of silver-to-copper substitution in HJT modules. According to Atamostec, testing has achieved replacement rates of around 40%, and in some cases up to 70%, which the company says exceed international benchmarks reported to date under real operating conditions.</p>
<p>“The ALPACA project represents a concrete step toward a new generation of more efficient and sustainable photovoltaic technologies. By replacing silver with copper &#8211; a material abundant in Chile &#8211; we reduce costs and dependence on critical materials, while strengthening the country’s capacity to lead technological development with global impact,” said Felipe Valencia Arroyave, technology manager at Atamostec.</p>
<p>“Validating these advances under real-world conditions, such as those in the Atacama Desert, is key to accelerating their adoption in the industry,” Valencia added.</p>
<p>Atamostec and Ines, along with industrial partners such as ICS Konstanz, France's <a href="https://www.pv-magazine.com/2019/12/12/engie-secures-solar-ppa-in-france-shuts-1-gw-of-coal-in-latin-america/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Engie</a>, Chile's <a href="https://www.pv-magazine.com/2018/03/27/colbun-acquires-first-solars-150-mw-solar-project-in-northern-chile/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Colbun</a> and Spain's<a href="https://www.pv-magazine.com/2018/04/30/meyer-burger-outsources-swct-production-to-mondragon/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Mondragon Assembly</a>, are also testing bifacial modules at the PSDA in the Atacama Desert, which is the world's region with the highest solar radiation levels.</p>
<p>CEA-Ines is currently developing the HJT technology in partnership with PV manufacturer <a href="https://www.pv-magazine.com/2026/03/04/cea-ines-3sun-build-heterojunction-solar-modules-based-on-uv-downshifting/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">3Sun</a>, which is a unit of Italian energy company Enel. The two companies have also jointly developed <a href="https://www.pv-magazine.com/2022/10/06/enel-green-power-ines-develop-dc-dc-mppt-converter-for-solar-panels/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">DC/DC maximum power point trackers (MPPT)</a>. They are also working on high-efficiency bifacial PV panels.</p>
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