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

# AE Solar vs Topsky Energy

AE Solar has the broader catalog (646 vs 0 models). AE Solar leans bifacial (63% of lineup).


## The two companies


| Attribute | AE Solar | Topsky Energy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Country | Germany | China |
| Headquarters | Gersthofen | Shenzhen |
| Founded | 2003 | 1998 |
| Employees | 501-1000 |  |
| Annual capacity | 2+ GW/year | \<1 GW/year |
| Tier 1 | yes | no |
| Listed |  |  |
| Website | [https://ae-solar.com](https://ae-solar.com) | [https://www.topskyenergy.com](https://www.topskyenergy.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...

Shenzhen Topsky Energy Co., Ltd. is a Chinese manufacturer of solar cells and photovoltaic modules, including lightweight and customized panels. The company operates production facilities in Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces, with sales and marketing based in Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Its products are distributed to over...


## Catalog & Power


| Measure | AE Solar | Topsky Energy | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Panel Models | 646 | 0 | +646 |
| Max Power | 730 W | 0 W | +730 W |
| Avg Power | 489 W | 0 W | +489 W |


## Efficiency


| Measure | AE Solar | Topsky Energy | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Max Efficiency | 24.43% | - |  |
| Avg Efficiency | 21.11% | - |  |


## Reliability & Warranty


| Measure | AE Solar | Topsky Energy | 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 | Topsky Energy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<20% | 74 (11.5%) | 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 | Topsky Energy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<400W | 78 (12.1%) | 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 | Topsky Energy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 |


## 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 |


## Summary

AE Solar is a German-headquartered manufacturer - legally registered in Augsburg, Germany - that produces panels across facilities in China, Georgia, and Turkey, with a combined annual capacity of approximately 2.5 GW. The company has achieved consecutive BloombergNEF Tier 1 status for over a decade, reaching its 16th inclusion in Q1 2025, and was singled out by a BNEF survey as Europe's sole Tier 1 PV manufacturer with high bankability in 2024. Topsky Energy, operating as Shenzhen Topsky Energy Co., Ltd., is a Chinese manufacturer headquartered in Shenzhen and active in the photovoltaic industry for roughly two decades under its parent entity Topsky Electronics Technology. Unlike AE Solar, Topsky does not appear on publicly referenced BloombergNEF Tier 1 lists, and its production scale is not confirmed by independent industry sources. On institutional footprint, AE Solar holds a clear advantage, particularly for project finance and European deployments.

AE Solar's main commercial product is the Meteor series, an N-type TOPCon bifacial double-glass module that earned a five-star "Very Good" rating in PV Magazine's 2025 module test and a Kiwa PVEL Top Performer Award the same year. It is positioned across residential rooftop, commercial, and utility-scale segments. Topsky Energy's catalog spans monocrystalline modules from approximately 300 Wp to 670 Wp, reportedly covering PERC, TOPCon, and N-type variants, with TUV Rhineland and CE certifications confirmed. Topsky appears to target value-oriented commercial and export markets rather than premium residential or bankable utility projects.

For a typical buyer in 2025 - whether a residential installer wanting long-term warranty security or a developer requiring bankable equipment - AE Solar is the stronger default choice, backed by verified third-party test performance and a consistent Tier 1 track record. Topsky Energy may suit buyers with tighter budgets or specific export-market requirements, but the absence of independent reviews and Tier 1 recognition warrants additional due diligence before committing to larger volumes.

\---LINKS---

\- https://www.pvtime.org/bnef-survey-reveals-aesolar-as-europes-sole-tier-1-pv-manufacturer-with-high-bankability-in-2024/ \| BNEF Survey - AESOLAR Europe's Sole Tier 1 PV Manufacturer with High Bankability 2024 \| article

\- https://8msolar.com/ae-solar-panels-review/ \| AE Solar Panels Expert Review 2026 - 8MSolar \| review

\- https://www.solarquotes.com.au/panels/ae-solar-review.html \| AE Solar Solar Panels Review - SolarQuotes \| review

\- https://www.energysage.com/supplier/24781/ae-solar-energy/ \| AE Solar Energy Profile and Reviews 2025 - EnergySage \| review

\- https://www.enfsolar.com/topsky-energy \| Topsky Energy Co., Ltd - Solar Panels - ENF Solar Directory \| article

Sources:

\- \[BNEF Survey - AESOLAR as Europe's Sole Tier 1 PV Manufacturer 2024\](https://www.pvtime.org/bnef-survey-reveals-aesolar-as-europes-sole-tier-1-pv-manufacturer-with-high-bankability-in-2024/)

\- \[AE Solar Panels Expert Review 2026 - 8MSolar\](https://8msolar.com/ae-solar-panels-review/)

\- \[AE Solar Review - SolarQuotes\](https://www.solarquotes.com.au/panels/ae-solar-review.html)

\- \[AE Solar Energy Profile and Reviews 2025 - EnergySage\](https://www.energysage.com/supplier/24781/ae-solar-energy/)

\- \[Topsky Energy Co., Ltd - ENF Solar\](https://www.enfsolar.com/topsky-energy)

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)
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- [AKCOME vs Topsky Energy](https://comparepv.com/akcome-vs-topsky-energy)
- [AE Solar vs ARTsolar](https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-artsolar)
- [ASM vs Topsky Energy](https://comparepv.com/asm-vs-topsky-energy)


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Source: https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-topsky-energy

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