---
title: "AE Solar vs KB Solar - Brand Comparison | ComparePV"
description: "Compare AE Solar vs KB Solar solar panels: full portfolio, efficiency, cell technology breakdown, warranty terms and company background."
source: "https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-kb-solar"
---

# AE Solar vs KB Solar

AE Solar has the broader catalog (646 vs 5 models). AE Solar leads on peak efficiency at 24.43%. KB Solar leans bifacial (100% of lineup).


## The two companies


| Attribute | AE Solar | KB Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Country | Germany |  |
| Headquarters | Gersthofen |  |
| Founded | 2003 |  |
| Employees | 501-1000 |  |
| Annual capacity | 2+ GW/year |  |
| Tier 1 | yes | no |
| Listed |  |  |
| Website | [https://ae-solar.com](https://ae-solar.com) |  |

AE Solar is a German Tier 1 manufacturer of high-efficiency photovoltaic (PV) modules. The company specializes in producing durable and innovative solar panels with German engineering standards, offering solutions for residential, commercial, and utility-scale applications. AE Solar operates in over 100 countries and...


## Catalog & Power


| Measure | AE Solar | KB Solar | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Panel Models | 646 | 5 | +641 |
| Max Power | 730 W | 385 W | +345 W |
| Avg Power | 489 W | 375 W | +114 W |


## Efficiency


| Measure | AE Solar | KB Solar | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Max Efficiency | 24.43% | 20.90% | +3.53 pp |
| Avg Efficiency | 21.11% | 20.38% | +0.73 pp |


## Reliability & Warranty


| Measure | AE Solar | KB Solar | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Avg Temp Coefficient | -0.312%/°C | -0.330%/°C | +0.018 |
| Bifacial Share | 405 (63%) | 5 (100%) | +37 pp |
| Avg Warranty | 29.7 yrs | 30.0 yrs | +0.3 yr |


## Efficiency distribution

AE Solar skews to higher efficiency: 9% of lineup is 23%+


| Efficiency band | AE Solar | KB Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<20% | 74 (11.5%) | 0 |
| 20-21% | 171 (26.5%) | 5 (100.0%) |
| 21-22% | 142 (22.0%) | 0 |
| 22-23% | 199 (30.8%) | 0 |
| 23%+ | 60 (9.3%) | 0 |


## Power distribution

AE Solar offers more 600W+ panels (13% of lineup)


| Power band | AE Solar | KB Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<400W | 78 (12.1%) | 5 (100.0%) |
| 400-499W | 329 (50.9%) | 0 |
| 500-599W | 154 (23.8%) | 0 |
| 600-699W | 55 (8.5%) | 0 |
| 700W+ | 30 (4.6%) | 0 |


## Cell technology

Dominant cell tech: **TOPCon** (54%)

Dominant cell tech: **PERC** (100%)


| Technology | AE Solar | KB Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TOPCon | 349 (54.0%) | 0 |
| PERC | 245 (37.9%) | 5 (100.0%) |
| Back Contact | 21 (3.3%) | 0 |
| N-type | 17 (2.6%) | 0 |
| BIPV | 9 (1.4%) | 0 |
| HJT | 5 (0.8%) | 0 |


## Top panels, AE Solar


| # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [CME-132BDS-730](https://comparepv.com/panel/ae-solar-cme-132bds-730) | 730 | 23.5 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 2 | [CME-132BDS-730W](https://comparepv.com/panel/ae-solar-cme-132bds-730w) | 730 | 23.5 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 3 | [CME-132BDS-725](https://comparepv.com/panel/ae-solar-cme-132bds-725) | 725 | 23.4 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 4 | [CME-132-725W](https://comparepv.com/panel/ae-solar-cme-132-725w) | 725 | 23.4 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 5 | [CME-132BDS-725W](https://comparepv.com/panel/ae-solar-cme-132bds-725w) | 725 | 23.4 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 6 | [AE CME-132 720](https://comparepv.com/panel/ae-solar-ae-cme-132-720) | 720 | 23.2 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 7 | [CME-132BDS-720](https://comparepv.com/panel/ae-solar-cme-132bds-720) | 720 | 23.2 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 8 | [AE CME-132-720](https://comparepv.com/panel/ae-solar-ae-cme-132-720-1) | 720 | 23.2 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 9 | [CME-132-720W](https://comparepv.com/panel/ae-solar-cme-132-720w) | 720 | 23.2 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 10 | [CME-132BDS-720W](https://comparepv.com/panel/ae-solar-cme-132bds-720w) | 720 | 23.2 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |


## Top panels, KB Solar


| # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [KBS-385](https://comparepv.com/panel/kb-solar-kbs-385) | 385 | 20.9 | -0.330 | Monocrystalline |
| 2 | [KBS-380](https://comparepv.com/panel/kb-solar-kbs-380) | 380 | 20.6 | -0.330 | Monocrystalline |
| 3 | [KBS-375](https://comparepv.com/panel/kb-solar-kbs-375) | 375 | 20.3 | -0.330 | Monocrystalline |
| 4 | [KBS-370](https://comparepv.com/panel/kb-solar-kbs-370) | 370 | 20.1 | -0.330 | Monocrystalline |
| 5 | [KBS-365](https://comparepv.com/panel/kb-solar-kbs-365) | 365 | 20.0 | -0.330 | Monocrystalline |


## Summary

AE Solar is a German-headquartered manufacturer founded in 2003 in Königsbrunn, Bavaria, by brothers Alexander, Victor, and Waldemar Maier. The company operates production facilities in China, Georgia, and Turkey, with combined annual output exceeding 2 GW. AE Solar has appeared on the BloombergNEF Tier 1 PV Module Manufacturer list sixteen consecutive times as of Q1 2025, and BloombergNEF designated it Europe's sole Tier 1 module maker with high bankability in 2024. KB Solar is a substantially smaller operation headquartered in Spartanburg, South Carolina, functioning primarily as a local panel manufacturer, wholesale distributor, and installation contractor for the US domestic market. It holds no BloombergNEF Tier 1 status, and its production scale is a fraction of AE Solar's. On institutional footprint and bankability, AE Solar leads by a wide margin.

AE Solar's product portfolio spans TOPCon modules - branded under the Meteor series and covering a power range from 415 W to 725 W - as well as HJT panels with low temperature coefficients suited to high-heat climates. This breadth makes the brand a practical choice for residential rooftop projects, commercial and industrial (C&I) rooftops, and utility-scale ground-mount arrays alike. KB Solar's catalog centers on 375 W and 450 W panels marketed primarily for residential, agricultural, and small commercial installations in the southeastern United States. Independent sources do not confirm which cell technology KB Solar uses, limiting meaningful technical comparison.

For international buyers, project developers, or procurement teams requiring bankable, financeable modules with a demonstrated global track record, AE Solar is the clear default choice. KB Solar is better understood as a regional US installer-manufacturer hybrid rather than a globally competitive panel brand. The two companies occupy such different market tiers and geographies that direct comparison is of limited practical value for most buyers outside the Carolinas.

Written by claude-sonnet from the figures above.


## Other comparisons

- [AE Solar vs A.B. Energy](https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-a-b-energy)
- [AEET vs KB Solar](https://comparepv.com/aeet-vs-kb-solar)
- [AE Solar vs AIKO](https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-aiko)
- [AKCOME vs KB Solar](https://comparepv.com/akcome-vs-kb-solar)
- [AE Solar vs ARTsolar](https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-artsolar)
- [ASM vs KB Solar](https://comparepv.com/asm-vs-kb-solar)


---

Source: https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-kb-solar

Not in this file, on the page: the distributions above drawn as charts.