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

# AE Solar vs Solar N Plus

AE Solar has the broader catalog (646 vs 149 models). AE Solar leads on peak efficiency at 24.43%. Solar N Plus leans bifacial (74% of lineup).


## The two companies


| Attribute | AE Solar | Solar N Plus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 | Solar N Plus | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Panel Models | 646 | 149 | +497 |
| Max Power | 730 W | 720 W | +10 W |
| Avg Power | 489 W | 506 W | +17 W |


## Efficiency


| Measure | AE Solar | Solar N Plus | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Max Efficiency | 24.43% | 23.30% | +1.13 pp |
| Avg Efficiency | 21.11% | 21.96% | +0.85 pp |


## Reliability & Warranty


| Measure | AE Solar | Solar N Plus | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Avg Temp Coefficient | -0.312%/°C | -0.316%/°C | +0.004 |
| Bifacial Share | 405 (63%) | 111 (74%) | +12 pp |
| Avg Warranty | 29.7 yrs | 29.7 yrs | +0.0 yr |


## Efficiency distribution

Solar N Plus skews to higher efficiency: 11% of lineup is 23%+


| Efficiency band | AE Solar | Solar N Plus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<20% | 74 (11.5%) | 0 |
| 20-21% | 171 (26.5%) | 21 (14.1%) |
| 21-22% | 142 (22.0%) | 42 (28.2%) |
| 22-23% | 199 (30.8%) | 70 (47.0%) |
| 23%+ | 60 (9.3%) | 16 (10.7%) |


## Power distribution

Solar N Plus offers more 600W+ panels (19% of lineup)


| Power band | AE Solar | Solar N Plus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<400W | 78 (12.1%) | 7 (4.7%) |
| 400-499W | 329 (50.9%) | 77 (51.7%) |
| 500-599W | 154 (23.8%) | 36 (24.2%) |
| 600-699W | 55 (8.5%) | 19 (12.8%) |
| 700W+ | 30 (4.6%) | 10 (6.7%) |


## Cell technology

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

Dominant cell tech: **TOPCon** (56%)


| Technology | AE Solar | Solar N Plus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TOPCon | 349 (54.0%) | 83 (55.7%) |
| PERC | 245 (37.9%) | 35 (23.5%) |
| Back Contact | 21 (3.3%) | 0 |
| N-type | 17 (2.6%) | 26 (17.4%) |
| BIPV | 9 (1.4%) | 0 |
| HJT | 5 (0.8%) | 0 |
| Unknown | 0 | 5 (3.4%) |


## 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, Solar N Plus


| # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [SP-N18/132HG-720W](https://comparepv.com/panel/solar-n-plus-sp-n18-132hg-720w) | 720 | 23.2 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |
| 2 | [SP-N18/132HG 720](https://comparepv.com/panel/solar-n-plus-sp-n18-132hg-720) | 720 | 23.2 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |
| 3 | [SP-N18/132HG-715W](https://comparepv.com/panel/solar-n-plus-sp-n18-132hg-715w) | 715 | 23.0 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |
| 4 | [SP-N18/132HG 715](https://comparepv.com/panel/solar-n-plus-sp-n18-132hg-715) | 715 | 23.0 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |
| 5 | [SP-N18/132HG-710W](https://comparepv.com/panel/solar-n-plus-sp-n18-132hg-710w) | 710 | 22.9 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |
| 6 | [SP-N18/132HG 710](https://comparepv.com/panel/solar-n-plus-sp-n18-132hg-710) | 710 | 22.9 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |
| 7 | [SP-N18/132HG-705W](https://comparepv.com/panel/solar-n-plus-sp-n18-132hg-705w) | 705 | 22.7 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |
| 8 | [SP-N18/132HG 705](https://comparepv.com/panel/solar-n-plus-sp-n18-132hg-705) | 705 | 22.7 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |
| 9 | [SP-N18/132HG-700W](https://comparepv.com/panel/solar-n-plus-sp-n18-132hg-700w) | 700 | 22.5 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |
| 10 | [SP-N18/132HG 700](https://comparepv.com/panel/solar-n-plus-sp-n18-132hg-700) | 700 | 22.5 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |


## Summary

AE Solar is a German manufacturer founded in 2003 and headquartered in Germany, recognized by Bloomberg NEF as Europe's sole Tier 1 PV module maker with high bankability as of 2024. The company employs between 501 and 1,000 staff and operates a production capacity of over 2 GW across manufacturing facilities in China, Georgia, and Turkey. Its two-decade track record, European engineering standards, and bankable status position it firmly in the premium segment of the global module market. Solar N Plus is a China-based manufacturer without Tier 1 bankability, though it operates at a considerably larger reported scale - a declared 20 GW of combined cell and module capacity across plants in multiple Chinese provinces as well as Laos and Indonesia. The company holds a Dun & Bradstreet 5AA1 credit rating and obtained SGS certification for its 182 TOPCon cell in 2023, signaling growing quality assurance efforts, but has not yet achieved BloombergNEF Tier 1 classification.

AE Solar's portfolio of 442 panel models reaches up to 730 Wp with a peak efficiency of 24.43% - the highest of the two manufacturers - and earned the Kiwa PVEL Top Performer Award in 2025 alongside strong results in independent thermal cycling and mechanical stress testing. TOPCon accounts for approximately 49.8% of its lineup, with bifacial modules at 63.8% of the range. This combination of certified performance and bankability makes AE Solar well suited for residential rooftop installs, commercial C&I projects, and utility-scale ground-mount developments where lender requirements and long-term durability are non-negotiable. Solar N Plus offers 144 models with a slightly higher average efficiency of 21.98% and a larger bifacial share of 73.6%, with TOPCon representing 57.6% of its portfolio and maximum output reaching 720 Wp. These specifications make Solar N Plus a technically capable option for space-constrained rooftop installations or bifacial ground-mount arrays where procurement cost is the primary driver.

For international buyers prioritizing financing flexibility, independently verified quality, and long-term supplier stability - particularly for utility-scale or C&I projects - AE Solar's Tier 1 status, European heritage, and third-party performance recognition give it a clear edge. Solar N Plus presents a competitive technical profile and may appeal to buyers in price-sensitive markets or projects where Tier 1 bankability is not a formal requirement, though thorough due diligence on after-sales support and supply chain resilience is advisable before committing at scale.

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


---

Source: https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-solar-n-plus

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