Leveraging the advantages of true vertical integration, several companies showcased their complete product portfolios, from polysilicon to PV modules, during SNEC 2025. Among them, GCL, a well-known vertically integrated group, presented its full value chain at its booth, featuring products spanning the upstream to downstream. These included low-carbon FBR polysilicon, upgraded TOPCon and back-contact (BC) modules, as well as a silicon-perovskite tandem PV module. Additionally, GCL has recently expanded into horizontal integration by venturing into energy storage systems (ESS) and hybrid inverters, which were also promoted during the event.  

To explore this wide range of products at a single booth, Shravan Chunduri, Head of Technology at TaiyangNews, approached Vitor Rodrigues, Technical Director, EU & LATAM at GCL SI, a subsidiary of GCL Group. 

Low-Carbon Polysilicon 

Rodrigues started with the company’s granular polysilicon produced using an advanced fluidized bed reactor (FBR) technology, a less carbon-intensive alternative to the conventional Siemens process. This technology has up to 74% less carbon emission compared to the batch-based Siemens process. The FBR process features more continuous production steps and operates at a nominal temperature of around 700°C, significantly lower than the 1,100°C required by its counterpart.  

Modules 

Based on the low-carbon FBR granular polysilicon, the company promoted its upgraded TOPCon 2.0 and back-contact (BC) modules during the show.  

TOPCon Module 

The NT12R/66GDF series module consists of 132 pieces of upgraded TOPCon 2.0 G12R size half-cut cells and boasts a power output of up to 660 W, making it suitable for utility-scale installations. According to the product datasheet, this double-glass module has a maximum rated efficiency of 24.06%. Importantly, its bifaciality can reach up to 90%. Sized at 2,382 × 1,134 × 30 mm and laminated with 2 mm-thick front and rear glass, it weighs 32.6 kg. 

To enhance the module’s durability and reliability, the company adopted non-destructive half-cell cutting technology, which minimizes the risk of microcracks caused by defects during the cell-cutting process. Enduring extreme environmental occurrences, such as heavy snowfall or high wind flow, this module is certified for a maximum snow and wind load of 5,400 Pa and 2,400 Pa, respectively. Additionally, its IEC certifications for sand blowing, salt mist, and ammonia tests attest the module’s long-term performance in desert, coastal regions, and animal feedstock sites, respectively.  

BC Module 

The showcased GPC 2.0 series NR12R/66GDF module, with a nameplate wattage of 760 W, has yet to enter mass production.  

However, the mass-produced GPC 2.0 series model, for which TaiyangNews received a technical datasheet, featuring 132 pieces of G12R size BC half-cut cells, can deliver up to 660 W of power and 24.43% efficiency. Combined in a 2,382 × 1,134 × 30 mm size and laminated with 2 mm-thick front and rear glass, it weighs 33.5 kg. Due to the front-side gridless design of BC cells, this product exhibits an aesthetically pleasing appearance. It also delivers higher efficiency and wattage per unit area compared to its TOPCon counterpart, according to the datasheet.  On the other hand, the module’s lower bifaciality, up to 75%, compared to 90% for its TOPCon counterpart, can be attributed to the inherent limitation of the BC cell structure, which involves rear-side soldering of both the positive and negative electrodes. Instead of the ‘Z’ shaped cell-to-cell ribbon welding, this module’s rear side soldering process enhances the product’s resilience against potential microcrack generation.

Warranties 

The above-mentioned modules are offered with a linear power attenuation warranty of up to 30 years. The BC module features an annual degradation rate of -0.35%, while the TOPCon module has a slightly higher rate of -0.40%, representing a 0.05% difference in yearly performance loss. Additionally, the BC module includes a 15-year product warranty, whereas its TOPCon counterpart offers a slightly shorter duration of 12 years.  

Perovskite Showcase 

In addition to the mainstream Si wafer-based PV modules, Rodrigues highlighted the company’s innovation in module-level Si-Perovskite tandem-based PV modules. This tandem module features front-side perovskite-on-glass integrated on top of a BC module. It can be availed in 2 different sizes: 2,400 × 1,150 mm and 2,000 × 1,000 mm. The smaller variant boasts a maximum rated efficiency of 26.36%, while the larger one can deliver up to 29.51%, reaching towards the 30% benchmark. According to Rodrigues, the company has received IEC certification for this tandem module. 

Energy Storage Solution (ESS) 

Alongside being a major supplier of FBR polysilicon raw material, the company is also focused on supplying Lithium Iron Phosphate, a key raw material for batteries. 

Regarding the displayed ESS models, Rodrigues showcased one of the latest models without specifying its name. However, referring to a recent press release, it can be concluded that the showcased model was the containerized G-POWER Max series 6.25 MWh ESS solution, targeting utility applications. GCL also displayed its latest G-Power Core 261 series C&I energy storage cabinet at the event.