Photovoltaic cells and modules experienced considerable reductions in manufacturing costs coupled with technological improvements, bringing PV to low levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) in 2018 and in a lot of countries the cheapest source of energy. This is highlighted by several PV power plant power purchase agreements below 5 $cts/kWh, and by records below 2 $cts/kWh, placing PV as ultra-competitive compared to other energy sources. Since few years, the silicon PV community is further witnessing a strong dynamism in the improvement of conversion efficiency with potential for further lowering LCOE. The PERC concept has taking over in mass manufacturing from the standard Al-BSF cell.  The introduction of new materials, processes and concepts, is triggering the introduction of advanced technologies in production. In that context, high efficiency n-type silicon technologies are developing with impressive dynamics! At R&D level, ultra-high efficiency was achieved by Kaneka, Japan, using back-contacted silicon heterojunction, with up to 26.7 % and 24.37 % demonstrated at cell and module levels respectively. Continuous progress is being made with HJT, n-PERT and IBC technologies, driving towards an increasing mass production of highly efficient n-type devices, as highlighted by the introduction of 2 GW n-PERT production capacity by Jolywood in 2017, and in collaboration with imec 21.9% (front side efficiency) bifacial n-PERT cells are reported.

In such exciting context, we are happy to welcome you at the next n-PV workshop to discover what is next to come in 2019! Exceptionally, this year we invite you to start already on Tuesday afternoon with a visit of our new labs in EnergyVille (Please check this option on your registration form). On Tuesday evening we invite you to the conference dinner in a medieval environment. The Wednesday is traditionally coupled to SiliconPV for in-depth presentations of latest developments in n-type technologies at R&D level. The Thursday will be dedicated to n-PV industry, providing the platform to highlight and discover industrial progress in n-type technologies, from wafer to cell and module technologies, and to discuss and debate the development and market roadmaps for n-PV technologies.

The n-PV workshop is a unique occasion to update yourself on n-type Silicon PV technologies and industrial developments, and to discuss it with scientists and industrials from all over the world in a great atmosphere!

I am looking forward to welcome you in Leuven, Belgium, enjoying 2019 n-PV workshop!

On behalf of the organizing committee

Joachim John