--- title: "AE Solar vs REC - Brand Comparison | ComparePV" description: "Compare AE Solar vs REC solar panels: full portfolio, efficiency, cell technology breakdown, warranty terms and company background." source: "https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-rec" --- # AE Solar vs REC AE Solar has the broader catalog (646 vs 58 models). AE Solar leads on peak efficiency at 24.43%. ## The two companies | Attribute | AE Solar | REC | | --- | --- | --- | | Country | Germany | Norway | | Headquarters | Gersthofen | Sandvika | | Founded | 2003 | 1996 | | Employees | 501-1000 | | | Annual capacity | 2+ GW/year | | | Tier 1 | yes | yes | | Listed | | | | Website | [https://ae-solar.com](https://ae-solar.com) | [https://www.recgroup.com](https://www.recgroup.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 | REC | Margin | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Panel Models | 646 | 58 | +588 | | Max Power | 730 W | 640 W | +90 W | | Avg Power | 489 W | 385 W | +103 W | ## Efficiency | Measure | AE Solar | REC | Margin | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Max Efficiency | 24.43% | 22.80% | +1.63 pp | | Avg Efficiency | 21.11% | 18.92% | +2.19 pp | ## Reliability & Warranty | Measure | AE Solar | REC | Margin | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Avg Temp Coefficient | -0.312%/°C | -0.300%/°C | +0.012 | | Bifacial Share | 405 (63%) | 34 (59%) | +4 pp | | Avg Warranty | 29.7 yrs | 25.5 yrs | +4.2 yr | ## Efficiency distribution AE Solar skews to higher efficiency: 9% of lineup is 23%+ | Efficiency band | AE Solar | REC | | --- | --- | --- | | \<20% | 74 (11.5%) | 20 (34.5%) | | 20-21% | 171 (26.5%) | 8 (13.8%) | | 21-22% | 142 (22.0%) | 15 (25.9%) | | 22-23% | 199 (30.8%) | 15 (25.9%) | | 23%+ | 60 (9.3%) | 0 | ## Power distribution REC offers more 600W+ panels (17% of lineup) | Power band | AE Solar | REC | | --- | --- | --- | | \<400W | 78 (12.1%) | 21 (36.2%) | | 400-499W | 329 (50.9%) | 26 (44.8%) | | 500-599W | 154 (23.8%) | 1 (1.7%) | | 600-699W | 55 (8.5%) | 10 (17.2%) | | 700W+ | 30 (4.6%) | 0 | ## Cell technology Dominant cell tech: **TOPCon** (54%) Dominant cell tech: **HJT** (59%) | Technology | AE Solar | REC | | --- | --- | --- | | TOPCon | 349 (54.0%) | 0 | | PERC | 245 (37.9%) | 0 | | Back Contact | 21 (3.3%) | 0 | | N-type | 17 (2.6%) | 2 (3.4%) | | BIPV | 9 (1.4%) | 0 | | HJT | 5 (0.8%) | 34 (58.6%) | | Unknown | 0 | 22 (37.9%) | ## 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, REC | # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | [REC640AA PRO M](https://comparepv.com/panel/rec-rec640aa-pro-m) | 640 | 22.5 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline | | 2 | [REC640AA Pro MG](https://comparepv.com/panel/rec-rec640aa-pro-mg) | 640 | 22.5 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline | | 3 | [REC630AA PRO M](https://comparepv.com/panel/rec-rec630aa-pro-m) | 630 | 22.2 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline | | 4 | [REC630AA Pro MG](https://comparepv.com/panel/rec-rec630aa-pro-mg) | 630 | 22.2 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline | | 5 | [REC620AA PRO M](https://comparepv.com/panel/rec-rec620aa-pro-m) | 620 | 21.8 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline | | 6 | [REC620AA Pro MG](https://comparepv.com/panel/rec-rec620aa-pro-mg) | 620 | 21.8 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline | | 7 | [REC610AA PRO M](https://comparepv.com/panel/rec-rec610aa-pro-m) | 610 | 21.5 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline | | 8 | [REC610AA Pro MG](https://comparepv.com/panel/rec-rec610aa-pro-mg) | 610 | 21.5 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline | | 9 | [REC600AA PRO M](https://comparepv.com/panel/rec-rec600aa-pro-m) | 600 | 21.1 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline | | 10 | [REC600AA Pro MG](https://comparepv.com/panel/rec-rec600aa-pro-mg) | 600 | 21.1 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline | ## Summary AE Solar and REC are both Tier 1 bankable solar panel manufacturers with established reputations, but they differ substantially in scale, origin, and strategic positioning. AE Solar was founded in 2003 in Germany and has grown into a mid-to-large manufacturer with a production capacity exceeding 2 GW per year and a wide portfolio of 442 panel models. The company has earned recognition including the Kiwa PVEL Top Performer Award 2025 and holds the distinction of being the first DIBt-certified Tier 1 PV module manufacturer. REC was founded earlier, in 1996 in Norway, and has produced over 40 million panels across its history, establishing itself as a premium European brand with manufacturing operations based in Singapore. REC was acquired by Reliance New Energy Solar in 2021, which has bolstered its supply chain, though it maintains a narrower current portfolio of 55 panel models. On the technology front, AE Solar leads with a maximum module efficiency of 24.43% and an average of 21.34%, supported primarily by N-type TOPCon cells making up nearly 50% of its lineup. Its average module power of 497 Wp and a high bifacial share of 63.8% make it well suited to utility-scale ground-mount projects, large commercial and industrial (C&I) rooftops, and agrivoltaic or vertical bifacial installations. The average product warranty stands at approximately 29.7 years. REC differentiates itself through its HJT heterojunction technology, which accounts for 56.4% of its portfolio and drives its flagship Alpha Pure series to a maximum efficiency of 22.6%. REC's slightly better average temperature coefficient of -0.306%/°C compared to -0.313%/°C for AE Solar gives it an edge in high-temperature operating environments, making it attractive for premium residential rooftop installs and smaller C&I projects where brand reputation and heat performance carry extra weight. For international buyers choosing between the two, AE Solar offers a compelling combination of broad product range, high wattage options, longer average warranty, and strong third-party test performance - making it the more versatile choice for volume-driven projects across residential, commercial, and utility segments. REC suits buyers who prioritize a well-known European premium brand with proven HJT efficiency and a strong installer community, particularly for high-end residential installations where the narrower product range is less of a constraint. 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 REC](https://comparepv.com/aeet-vs-rec) - [AE Solar vs AIKO](https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-aiko) - [AKCOME vs REC](https://comparepv.com/akcome-vs-rec) - [AE Solar vs ARTsolar](https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-artsolar) - [ASM vs REC](https://comparepv.com/asm-vs-rec) --- Source: https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-rec Not in this file, on the page: the distributions above drawn as charts.