SOLYCO presents TECC-Connect, the first PV connection technology without silver, lead and bismuth

New connection technology is revolutionizing the industrial production of solar modules.

Decarbonizing our energy supply requires a massive expansion of renewable energies—especially photovoltaics, which is already one of the cheapest forms of electricity generation. However, the industrial ramp-up of the PV industry is encountering a key problem: Current solar modules are based on critical raw materials such as silver, lead, and bismuth—materials that are expensive, toxic, or difficult to scale up.

The Berlin-based solar company SOLYCO has developed a solution for this: With TECC-Connect®, SOLYCO is presenting a connection technology at Intersolar 2025 in Munich for the first time that does not require any silver, lead or bismuth – and is cost-effective and future-proof.

“Through TECC we achieve material independence from silver and enable full RoHS compliance,” says Dr. Lars Podlowski, Managing Director and CTO of SOLYCO.

TECC stands for “Thermoplastic and Electrically Conductive Coating” – a process patented by SOLYCO in the EU, the USA and China, in which special plastic coatings are used instead of soldered connections.

This innovation not only replaces environmentally harmful materials but also enables lower process temperatures. TECC-Connect is ideal for particularly high-efficiency cell generations such as heterojunction and perovskite tandem solar cells.

TECC: A milestone for scaling the PV industry

By choosing the right material, the disadvantage of the sensitive TOPCon cells can be more than compensated for, even with glass foils. The front side of TOPCon cells is susceptible to corrosion, making it particularly important to select the optimal embedding material.

• Silver-free PV modules: Reduction of material costs by up to 10%

• Lead and bismuth-free: Fully RoHS compliant, no more exemptions necessary

• Industrially tested: Passed all common quality and durability tests

• Market launch: The first industrially manufactured TECC Connect modules will be presented at Intersolar 2025.

SOLYCO is currently working with several industrial partners to scale up industrial mass production. Larger quantities of the TECC Connect modules are expected to be available on the market starting in 2026.

About SOLYCO

SOLYCO has tested materials and material combinations and offers TOPCon glass-foil modules that have outstanding properties in every respect.

More information about TECC: https://www.tecc.solar/

SOLYCO website: https://www.solyco.com/