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

# AE Solar vs LinkSol

AE Solar has the broader catalog (646 vs 26 models). AE Solar leads on peak efficiency at 24.43%. AE Solar leans bifacial (63% of lineup).


## The two companies


| Attribute | AE Solar | LinkSol |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Country | Germany | China |
| Headquarters | Gersthofen | Shanghai |
| Founded | 2003 |  |
| Employees | 501-1000 | 500 |
| Annual capacity | 2+ GW/year |  |
| Tier 1 | yes |  |
| Listed |  |  |
| Website | [https://ae-solar.com](https://ae-solar.com) | [https://www.linksolne.com](https://www.linksolne.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...

Shanghai LinkSol New Energy Co., Ltd. manufactures and supplies solar cells, PV ribbons, and off-grid solar modules. The company endeavors to supply high-efficiency solar cells, including Topcon, HJT, BC, and P-type mono series. LinkSol continuously strives to produce cost-effective, green power solutions, empowering...


## Catalog & Power


| Measure | AE Solar | LinkSol | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Panel Models | 646 | 26 | +620 |
| Max Power | 730 W | 340 W | +390 W |
| Avg Power | 489 W | 211 W | +278 W |


## Efficiency


| Measure | AE Solar | LinkSol | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Max Efficiency | 24.43% | 18.80% | +5.63 pp |
| Avg Efficiency | 21.11% | 16.50% | +4.61 pp |


## Reliability & Warranty


| Measure | AE Solar | LinkSol | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Avg Temp Coefficient | -0.312%/°C | - |  |
| Bifacial Share | 405 (63%) | 0 (0%) | +63 pp |
| Avg Warranty | 29.7 yrs | - |  |


## Efficiency distribution

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


| Efficiency band | AE Solar | LinkSol |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<20% | 74 (11.5%) | 26 (100.0%) |
| 20-21% | 171 (26.5%) | 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 | LinkSol |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<400W | 78 (12.1%) | 26 (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%)


| Technology | AE Solar | LinkSol |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TOPCon | 349 (54.0%) | 0 |
| PERC | 245 (37.9%) | 0 |
| Back Contact | 21 (3.3%) | 0 |
| N-type | 17 (2.6%) | 0 |
| BIPV | 9 (1.4%) | 0 |
| HJT | 5 (0.8%) | 0 |
| Unknown | 0 | 26 (100.0%) |


## 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, LinkSol


| # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [LKS-6M-340](https://comparepv.com/panel/linksol-lks-6m-340) | 340 | 17.6 | - | Monocrystalline |
| 2 | [LKS-6M-335](https://comparepv.com/panel/linksol-lks-6m-335) | 335 | 17.3 | - | Monocrystalline |
| 3 | [LKS-6M-330](https://comparepv.com/panel/linksol-lks-6m-330) | 330 | 17.1 | - | Monocrystalline |
| 4 | [LKS-6M-325](https://comparepv.com/panel/linksol-lks-6m-325) | 325 | 16.8 | - | Monocrystalline |
| 5 | [LKS-6M-320](https://comparepv.com/panel/linksol-lks-6m-320) | 320 | 16.5 | - | Monocrystalline |
| 6 | [LKS-6M-315](https://comparepv.com/panel/linksol-lks-6m-315) | 315 | 16.3 | - | Monocrystalline |
| 7 | [LKS-6M-310](https://comparepv.com/panel/linksol-lks-6m-310) | 310 | 16.0 | - | Monocrystalline |
| 8 | [LKS-5M-245](https://comparepv.com/panel/linksol-lks-5m-245) | 245 | 18.8 | - | Monocrystalline |
| 9 | [LKS-5M-240](https://comparepv.com/panel/linksol-lks-5m-240) | 240 | 18.4 | - | Monocrystalline |
| 10 | [LKS-5M-230](https://comparepv.com/panel/linksol-lks-5m-230) | 230 | 17.6 | - | Monocrystalline |


## Summary

AE Solar (formally AE Alternative Energy GmbH) was founded in 2003 by Alexander Maier and his siblings and is headquartered in Gersthofen, Bavaria, Germany. The company operates manufacturing facilities in China, Georgia, and Turkey - where a new 750 MW factory was inaugurated in January 2025 - giving it a combined annual production capacity of approximately 2.5 GW according to company sources. AE Solar has maintained a BloombergNEF Tier 1 PV Module Manufacturer status for at least 16 consecutive quarters as of Q1 2025 and was singled out by Bloomberg NEF in 2024 as the sole European PV module manufacturer with high bankability. It also holds a Kiwa PVEL Top Performer Award for 2025. Shanghai Linksol New Energy Co., Ltd. (LinkSol) is a Chinese company based in Shanghai that operates as a smaller, more specialized supplier. Available sources describe it primarily as a manufacturer of solar cells across multiple technologies - including TOPCon, HJT, IBC, and P-type mono - as well as PV ribbons, solar glass, and off-grid solar modules. LinkSol does not appear on BloombergNEF Tier 1 lists, and its public institutional profile is limited. On the dimension of bankability and verified market standing, AE Solar has a considerably stronger footprint.

AE Solar's product portfolio centers on two main families: the Aurora series based on P-type PERC technology, suited to residential rooftop installations, and the Meteor series in N-type TOPCon, which spans from standard residential modules to high-power formats targeting utility-scale ground-mount and commercial C&I projects. The Meteor series received a five-star rating in a PV Magazine performance test. AE Solar operates across 100-plus markets, with a strong emphasis on European buyers. LinkSol's product range, as documented by ENF Solar and its own website, focuses on cell supply and module components alongside smaller off-grid modules - a profile that suggests the company primarily serves module assemblers and niche off-grid integrators rather than mainstream residential or commercial installers.

For international buyers evaluating the two brands as alternatives for residential or commercial solar procurement, they are not straightforwardly interchangeable. AE Solar is a documented, bankable manufacturer with verified Tier 1 status, a broad European distribution network, and full-scale modules from residential to utility power classes. LinkSol, as currently documented, occupies a different market segment - cell and component supply plus off-grid modules - and lacks the public certifications and scale that project financiers typically require. Buyers seeking a bankable module brand for financed or grid-connected projects should lean toward AE Solar; LinkSol may be relevant for off-grid applications or as a cell component supplier, but a direct head-to-head comparison for standard installations is not well-supported by available evidence.

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 LinkSol](https://comparepv.com/aeet-vs-linksol)
- [AE Solar vs AIKO](https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-aiko)
- [AKCOME vs LinkSol](https://comparepv.com/akcome-vs-linksol)
- [AE Solar vs ARTsolar](https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-artsolar)
- [ASM vs LinkSol](https://comparepv.com/asm-vs-linksol)


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

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