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

# AE Solar vs Rarlon PV Tech

AE Solar has the broader catalog (646 vs 52 models). AE Solar leads on peak efficiency at 24.43%. AE Solar leans bifacial (63% of lineup).


## The two companies


| Attribute | AE Solar | Rarlon PV Tech |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Country | Germany | China |
| Headquarters | Gersthofen | Ningbo |
| Founded | 2003 |  |
| Employees | 501-1000 |  |
| Annual capacity | 2+ GW/year |  |
| Tier 1 | yes |  |
| Listed |  |  |
| Website | [https://ae-solar.com](https://ae-solar.com) | [http://www.rarlonsolar.com](http://www.rarlonsolar.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...

Rarlon PV Tech, also known as Rarlon Solar, has specialized in the solar field for over 10 years. They are a professional manufacturer and supplier of green energy products, engaging in the production and installation of solar panels, solar systems, and solar projects. Their products are exported to various countries...


## Catalog & Power


| Measure | AE Solar | Rarlon PV Tech | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Panel Models | 646 | 52 | +594 |
| Max Power | 730 W | 550 W | +180 W |
| Avg Power | 489 W | 351 W | +138 W |


## Efficiency


| Measure | AE Solar | Rarlon PV Tech | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Max Efficiency | 24.43% | 21.50% | +2.93 pp |
| Avg Efficiency | 21.11% | 18.33% | +2.78 pp |


## Reliability & Warranty


| Measure | AE Solar | Rarlon PV Tech | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Avg Temp Coefficient | -0.312%/°C | -0.439%/°C | +0.127 |
| Bifacial Share | 405 (63%) | 0 (0%) | +63 pp |
| Avg Warranty | 29.7 yrs | 25.0 yrs | +4.7 yr |


## Efficiency distribution

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


| Efficiency band | AE Solar | Rarlon PV Tech |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<20% | 74 (11.5%) | 40 (76.9%) |
| 20-21% | 171 (26.5%) | 9 (17.3%) |
| 21-22% | 142 (22.0%) | 3 (5.8%) |
| 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 | Rarlon PV Tech |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<400W | 78 (12.1%) | 42 (80.8%) |
| 400-499W | 329 (50.9%) | 5 (9.6%) |
| 500-599W | 154 (23.8%) | 5 (9.6%) |
| 600-699W | 55 (8.5%) | 0 |
| 700W+ | 30 (4.6%) | 0 |


## Cell technology

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

Dominant cell tech: **PERC** (77%)


| Technology | AE Solar | Rarlon PV Tech |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TOPCon | 349 (54.0%) | 0 |
| PERC | 245 (37.9%) | 40 (76.9%) |
| Back Contact | 21 (3.3%) | 0 |
| N-type | 17 (2.6%) | 0 |
| BIPV | 9 (1.4%) | 0 |
| HJT | 5 (0.8%) | 0 |
| Unknown | 0 | 12 (23.1%) |


## 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, Rarlon PV Tech


| # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [RL550HM](https://comparepv.com/panel/rarlon-pv-tech-rl550hm) | 550 | 21.5 | -0.470 | Monocrystalline |
| 2 | [RL545HM](https://comparepv.com/panel/rarlon-pv-tech-rl545hm) | 545 | 21.3 | -0.470 | Monocrystalline |
| 3 | [RL540HM](https://comparepv.com/panel/rarlon-pv-tech-rl540hm) | 540 | 21.1 | -0.470 | Monocrystalline |
| 4 | [RL535HM](https://comparepv.com/panel/rarlon-pv-tech-rl535hm) | 535 | 20.9 | -0.470 | Monocrystalline |
| 5 | [RL530HM](https://comparepv.com/panel/rarlon-pv-tech-rl530hm) | 530 | 20.7 | -0.470 | Monocrystalline |
| 6 | [RL420HM-144](https://comparepv.com/panel/rarlon-pv-tech-rl420hm-144) | 420 | 20.9 | -0.390 | Monocrystalline |
| 7 | [RL415HM-144](https://comparepv.com/panel/rarlon-pv-tech-rl415hm-144) | 415 | 20.6 | -0.390 | Monocrystalline |
| 8 | [RL410HM-144](https://comparepv.com/panel/rarlon-pv-tech-rl410hm-144) | 410 | 20.4 | -0.390 | Monocrystalline |
| 9 | [RL405HM-144](https://comparepv.com/panel/rarlon-pv-tech-rl405hm-144) | 405 | 20.2 | -0.390 | Monocrystalline |
| 10 | [RL400HM-144](https://comparepv.com/panel/rarlon-pv-tech-rl400hm-144) | 400 | 20.0 | -0.390 | Monocrystalline |


## Summary

AE Solar is a German manufacturer founded in 2003 in Königsbrunn, with production facilities in China, Georgia, and Turkey and an annual output exceeding 2 GW. The company holds Bloomberg Tier 1 status and distributes its modules to more than 95 countries worldwide, making it one of the more internationally established mid-tier European brands. Rarlon PV Tech, headquartered in Ningbo, China, is a considerably smaller manufacturer with no publicly confirmed Tier 1 bankability rating and a product catalog of just 52 panel models, primarily targeting export markets in Europe, South America, the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

In terms of technology, AE Solar leads across every key metric. Its portfolio peaks at 730 Wp and reaches a maximum efficiency of 24.43%, with an average efficiency of 21.34% driven largely by its growing TOPCon lineup, which accounts for nearly 50% of the catalog. The average temperature coefficient of -0.313%/°C is notably better than Rarlon's -0.439%/°C, meaning AE Solar panels sustain output better under heat stress. Additionally, 63.8% of AE Solar's portfolio is bifacial, opening the product range to utility-scale ground-mount and commercial C&I installations where rear-side gain adds meaningful yield. The average warranty stands at nearly 30 years. Rarlon PV Tech, by contrast, relies predominantly on PERC technology (76.9% of its catalog), has a maximum power output of 550 Wp, average efficiency of 18.33%, and offers no bifacial options whatsoever, limiting its suitability primarily to budget-constrained residential rooftop projects.

For international buyers choosing between the two, AE Solar is the stronger candidate in virtually every scenario - residential rooftop installs, commercial C&I projects, and utility-scale ground-mount alike - backed by Tier 1 bankability, a high-efficiency TOPCon and bifacial portfolio, superior temperature performance, and robust warranty terms. Rarlon PV Tech may serve as a low-cost fallback for price-sensitive applications in markets where bankability and long-term performance guarantees are secondary concerns, but it cannot compete with AE Solar on technology, scale, or market credibility.

Written by claude-sonnet from the figures above.


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- [AE Solar vs A.B. Energy](https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-a-b-energy)
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- [AKCOME vs Rarlon PV Tech](https://comparepv.com/akcome-vs-rarlon-pv-tech)
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- [ASM vs Rarlon PV Tech](https://comparepv.com/asm-vs-rarlon-pv-tech)


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Source: https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-rarlon-pv-tech

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