In October, TIME magazine officially announced the 2025 "Best Inventions of the Year" list, featuring Huabao New Energy's self-developed global first XBC crystalline silicon multi-curved photovoltaic tile — Aesthetic Curved Photovoltaic Tile. This product achieved a remarkable breakthrough in building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), deeply merging green energy with architectural aesthetics, making it one of the significant innovations in the sustainable field. Notably, this is the second time a product from Huabao New Energy has been recognized on this list, following the inclusion of the Jackery Solar-Powered Mars Rover 5000 in 2023, showcasing Huabao's exceptional innovative capabilities in the green energy sector to the world.
As a prestigious selection that has led global innovation trends for over 20 years, the TIME magazine's annual best invention list is known for its stringent standards. The selection team evaluates global candidates through multiple rounds based on technical breakthroughs, actual performance, industry-leading value, and adaptability to social visions. Past inventions that have made the list include the COVID-19 vaccine, Apple’s M1 chip, and the Framework Laptop, each profoundly impacting or even altering our lives and industries. The selection of the Aesthetic Curved Photovoltaic Tile signifies that its technical pathway and product concept have gained mainstream global authority recognition, marking it as the annual representative breakthrough in the BIPV field.
As the global energy transition accelerates, green buildings have become an industry consensus. Photovoltaic technology, as a core choice for building energy upgrades, has long struggled with the dual contradictions of “function versus aesthetics” and “efficiency versus compatibility.” In practical applications, traditional flat photovoltaic panels often require secondary construction that can damage the original building structure and may lead to clashes with building styles, especially in areas rich in historical architecture, creating conflicts between preservation and energy transformation. Many industry pain points have left the integration of photovoltaics and buildings stagnant at the level of "functional addition," making it difficult to achieve true harmonious coexistence.
Said Sun Zhongwei, chairman and general manager of Huabao New Energy, “The pursuit of beauty is humanity's eternal and fundamental requirement. Installing solar panels on traditional roofs feels like an ‘industrial patch’ that undermines people's rights and desires for beautiful homes. Jackery aims to overcome the technical limitations of the solar energy sector to create an unprecedented innovative and aesthetically pleasing reliable photovoltaic building product.” To address this core contradiction that has long constrained industry development, Huabao New Energy has introduced the Aesthetic Curved Photovoltaic Tile as an innovative solution. Its design inspiration is derived from traditional Chinese roof tiles, skillfully combining the essence of aesthetics in curved and straight designs.
Through its curved design, this photovoltaic tile not only incorporates Eastern aesthetic elements but also adapts to various roof forms, achieving harmony between photovoltaics and architecture in the realm of “integration.” This resolves the long-standing conflict between residential photovoltaics and architectural aesthetics. Sun Zhongwei stated, “Jackery has broken through the encapsulation technology limits of crystalline silicon solar cells to achieve the world's first curved encapsulation and mass production, bringing widely applicable and scalable crystalline silicon solar technology into the three-dimensional era. This great invention marks a new epoch for photovoltaic building integration solutions.”
Beyond just a transformative appearance, Huabao's curved photovoltaic tiles have also made significant strides in performance, embodying a balance of internal and external excellence. With a battery conversion efficiency of approximately 25%, it ranks among the top levels in the residential photovoltaic category, achieving efficient energy conversion in a compact size. In terms of durability, it utilizes 4mm ultra-white tempered glass and aluminum components, capable of resisting strong hail impacts, TAS100 grade rainproof standards, and enduring extreme temperature variations from -40°C to 85°C. Safety features include low working temperature and shadow occlusion protection designs to ensure efficient operation in complex environments.
As of now, Huabao New Energy has filed over 140 patents for the Aesthetic Curved Photovoltaic Tile, receiving comprehensive international certifications such as UL7103 (the world's first certification for curved photovoltaic tiles), TÜV Rheinland, and CQC across China, the United States, and Europe, securing entry "passports" to mainstream global markets. Additionally, the product's innovative design has been recognized in the global industrial design sector, having won several prestigious awards, including the German iF Design Award, Red Dot Award, and Japan's G-Mark Award (Good Design Award), and more recently the American IDEA Design Award in September, achieving remarkable milestones in the industry.
As a rising representative of Chinese design in the energy construction materials sector, the product breaks previous stereotypes that Chinese products awarded in international design often focused on "cost-effectiveness." With all-dimensional innovation, it has entered the ranks of global design benchmarks, standing alongside classic products from brands like Apple and Tesla. From technological breakthroughs to industry leadership, Huabao New Energy’s innovation has consistently anchored on the founding principle of “energy for good.” The selection of the Aesthetic Curved Photovoltaic Tile for TIME’s list is not just a victory for one product but embodies the green development path of “balancing technology, humanity, and nature for win-win solutions”—when photovoltaics and architecture coexist, a sustainable future becomes a warmer expression.
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