This paper describes how the efficiency and throughput of industrial screen-printed multi-Si solar cells can be increased far beyond the state-of-the-art production cells. Implementation of novel processes of isotropic texturing, shallow emitter or single diffusion selective emitter, combined with screen-printed metallization fired through a PECVD SiNx ARC layer, have been described. Novel dedicated fabrication equipment for emitter diffusion and a PECVD SiNx deposition system are developed and implemented thereby removing the processing bottlenecks linked to the diffusion and bulk passivation processes. Several types of back-contacted solar cells with improved visual appeal required for building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) application have been developed. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.