Increasing specific power and the emergence of new markets for crystalline silicon photovoltaics

Photovoltaic manufacturers now offer modules tailored for residential, commercial, and utility-scale applications, each with distinct design considerations related to power and weight. The average power-to-weight ratio—known as specific power—has improved significantly over the past two decades, with modern crystalline silicon modules delivering up to 2.7 times the specific power of earlier designs. However, the trend toward larger, heavier modules has introduced challenges in handling, transport, and reliability. This work provides a data-driven analysis of specific power trends in crystalline silicon modules over the past two decades, based on scientific literature and module datasheets. We quantify the influence of emerging cell technologies on module design and performance and provide a component-level breakdown of module weight. Recent advances in high-efficiency, lightweight crystalline silicon modules present new opportunities in specialized markets. Addressing the reliability challenges of large and lightweight modules is critical to enabling the next era of crystalline silicon photovoltaics.