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

# AE Solar vs Trina Solar

AE Solar has the broader catalog (646 vs 340 models). Trina Solar leads on peak efficiency at 24.80%. AE Solar leans bifacial (63% of lineup).


## The two companies


| Attribute | AE Solar | Trina Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Country | Germany | China |
| Headquarters | Gersthofen | Changzhou |
| Founded | 2003 | 1997 |
| Employees | 501-1000 |  |
| Annual capacity | 2+ GW/year |  |
| Tier 1 | yes | yes |
| Listed |  |  |
| Website | [https://ae-solar.com](https://ae-solar.com) | [https://www.trinasolar.com](https://www.trinasolar.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 | Trina Solar | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Panel Models | 646 | 340 | +306 |
| Max Power | 730 W | 760 W | +30 W |
| Avg Power | 489 W | 520 W | +31 W |


## Efficiency


| Measure | AE Solar | Trina Solar | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Max Efficiency | 24.43% | 24.80% | +0.37 pp |
| Avg Efficiency | 21.11% | 21.71% | +0.61 pp |


## Reliability & Warranty


| Measure | AE Solar | Trina Solar | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Avg Temp Coefficient | -0.312%/°C | -0.302%/°C | +0.010 |
| Bifacial Share | 405 (63%) | 145 (43%) | +20 pp |
| Avg Warranty | 29.7 yrs | 28.2 yrs | +1.5 yr |


## Efficiency distribution

Trina Solar skews to higher efficiency: 22% of lineup is 23%+


| Efficiency band | AE Solar | Trina Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<20% | 74 (11.5%) | 22 (6.5%) |
| 20-21% | 171 (26.5%) | 57 (16.8%) |
| 21-22% | 142 (22.0%) | 83 (24.4%) |
| 22-23% | 199 (30.8%) | 102 (30.0%) |
| 23%+ | 60 (9.3%) | 76 (22.4%) |


## Power distribution

Trina Solar offers more 600W+ panels (34% of lineup)


| Power band | AE Solar | Trina Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<400W | 78 (12.1%) | 28 (8.2%) |
| 400-499W | 329 (50.9%) | 142 (41.8%) |
| 500-599W | 154 (23.8%) | 54 (15.9%) |
| 600-699W | 55 (8.5%) | 72 (21.2%) |
| 700W+ | 30 (4.6%) | 44 (12.9%) |


## Cell technology

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

Dominant cell tech: **TOPCon** (73%)


| Technology | AE Solar | Trina Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TOPCon | 349 (54.0%) | 248 (72.9%) |
| PERC | 245 (37.9%) | 75 (22.1%) |
| Back Contact | 21 (3.3%) | 0 |
| N-type | 17 (2.6%) | 6 (1.8%) |
| BIPV | 9 (1.4%) | 0 |
| HJT | 5 (0.8%) | 0 |
| Unknown | 0 | 11 (3.2%) |


## 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, Trina Solar


| # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [TSM-NEG21C.20Q-760](https://comparepv.com/panel/trina-solar-tsm-neg21c-20q-760) | 760 | 24.5 | -0.260 | Monocrystalline |
| 2 | [TSM-NEG21C.20Q-755](https://comparepv.com/panel/trina-solar-tsm-neg21c-20q-755) | 755 | 24.3 | -0.260 | Monocrystalline |
| 3 | [TSM-NEG21C.20Q-750](https://comparepv.com/panel/trina-solar-tsm-neg21c-20q-750) | 750 | 24.1 | -0.260 | Monocrystalline |
| 4 | [TSM-NEG21C.20Q-745](https://comparepv.com/panel/trina-solar-tsm-neg21c-20q-745) | 745 | 24.0 | -0.260 | Monocrystalline |
| 5 | [TSM-NEG21C.20-740](https://comparepv.com/panel/trina-solar-co-ltd-tsm-neg21c-20-740) | 740 | 23.8 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 6 | [TSM-NEG21C.20 740](https://comparepv.com/panel/trina-solar-tsm-neg21c-20-740) | 740 | 23.8 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 7 | [TSM-NEG21C.20Q-740](https://comparepv.com/panel/trina-solar-tsm-neg21c-20q-740) | 740 | 23.8 | -0.260 | Monocrystalline |
| 8 | [TSM-NEG21C.20-735](https://comparepv.com/panel/trina-solar-co-ltd-tsm-neg21c-20-735) | 735 | 23.7 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 9 | [TSM-NEG21C.20 735](https://comparepv.com/panel/trina-solar-tsm-neg21c-20-735) | 735 | 23.7 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 10 | [TSM-NEG21C.20Q-735](https://comparepv.com/panel/trina-solar-tsm-neg21c-20q-735) | 735 | 23.7 | -0.260 | Monocrystalline |


## Summary

AE Solar was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Germany, positioning itself as a European Tier 1 solar panel manufacturer with a production capacity exceeding 2 GW and a workforce of 501 to 1,000 employees. The company's European roots give it a distinct advantage in markets where regional sourcing, reduced carbon footprint, and compliance with EU regulatory frameworks - such as the Net Zero Industry Act's non-price criteria - are priorities for project developers and procurers. Trina Solar, founded in 1997 in China, operates at a fundamentally different scale: the company ranks third globally by cumulative shipments, with total deliveries reported at approximately 77 GW, and became the most popular solar brand in Europe in early 2026. Both manufacturers hold Tier 1 bankable status, providing financiers and asset owners with confidence in warranty backstop and long-term corporate viability.

AE Solar's portfolio covers 442 panel models ranging up to 730 Wp, with a peak module efficiency of 24.43% and an average of 21.34%. A defining characteristic of AE Solar's lineup is its high proportion of bifacial modules - approximately 63.8% of the catalog - making the brand particularly well-suited for ground-mount installations, agrivoltaic projects, and flat commercial rooftops where rear-side albedo gains matter. An average product warranty of approximately 29.7 years further supports long-horizon investment cases in commercial and industrial (C&I) and utility-scale projects. Trina Solar's 305-model catalog reaches 740 Wp at the top end, with a slightly higher average module efficiency of 21.51% and a deeper TOPCon penetration of nearly 69.8% of the portfolio versus AE Solar's 50.5%. Trina's Vertex S+ TOPCon series has earned recognition for strong low-light performance and competitive pricing, and the company's marginally better average temperature coefficient of -0.3038%/°C compared to AE Solar's -0.3130%/°C offers a small advantage in hot-climate residential and utility deployments.

For buyers prioritizing supply chain depth, global distribution reach, and cost competitiveness - especially in utility-scale ground-mount or large C&I projects - Trina Solar is a compelling choice backed by proven worldwide logistics and an extensive TOPCon portfolio. AE Solar is the stronger pick when European origin is a contractual or strategic requirement, when bifacial-heavy project designs are central, or when ESG-aligned procurement frameworks favor EU-manufactured modules. Both deliver comparable efficiency and Tier 1 reliability, so the decision between them typically comes down to sourcing priorities and project type rather than raw performance differentiation.

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


---

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

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