AIKO vs GL Solar - solar panel manufacturer comparison
AIKO has the broader catalog (144 vs 13 models). AIKO leads on peak efficiency at 25.20%. GL Solar leans bifacial (100% of lineup).
Both catalogues are read from the manufacturers' own datasheets. A brand is not scored against the market here, only against the other brand on this page.
The two companies
- Founded
- 2009
- Headquarters
- Shanghai, China
- Listed
- SZSE: 600732
- Tier 1 bankable
- Yes
GL Solar Energy s.r.l. is a small Italian company based in Marcianise (Caserta) specializing in the design, production, and installation of photovoltaic systems for residential and industrial applications. The company also distributes solar panels and related equipment, working with major international brands such as...
- Founded
- 2000
- Headquarters
- Marcianise, Italy
- Employees
- 1-10
Catalogue against catalogue
An average over a catalogue describes the range a manufacturer publishes, not the module you would buy. A brand with two flagship panels and eighty older ones averages worse than one that has retired its back catalogue.
What each of them builds
AIKO skews to higher efficiency: 85% of lineup is 23%+
GL Solar offers more 600W+ panels (77% of lineup)
Dominant cell tech: <strong>Back Contact</strong> (83%)
Dominant cell tech: <strong>HJT</strong> (54%)
The flagships
Written summary
GL Solar, operating formally as GL Solar Energy S.R.L., is a small photovoltaic module manufacturer founded around 2000 and based in Marcianise, in the Campania region of southern Italy. The company employs a modest technical and production team and is focused on modules for off-grid and stand-alone applications rather than mainstream grid-tied markets. No BloombergNEF Tier 1 designation for GL Solar has been identified through publicly available sources, and it does not appear on major bankability or module supplier lists. AIKO Energy, by contrast, is a Chinese manufacturer founded in 2009 and headquartered in Yiwu, Zhejiang Province. AIKO achieved BloombergNEF Tier 1 status in Q3 2024 - a ranking attained by roughly 2% of solar companies worldwide - and has confirmed production facilities across Zhuhai, Yiwu, and a new large-scale Jinan site designed for multi-GW output. AIKO holds a substantially larger institutional footprint and global commercial presence than GL Solar.
AIKO has built its identity around all-back-contact (ABC) cell technology, which it is widely credited with bringing to mass production scale ahead of the broader industry. Its Neostar and Comet series target premium residential rooftops and high-efficiency commercial installations, with module efficiencies confirmed at around 25% and mass-produced cell efficiencies reported to have exceeded 27.3% - figures that have ranked at or near the top of Taiyangnews global efficiency tables since 2023. GL Solar's available product range appears oriented toward lower-wattage, off-grid, and standalone configurations, serving a regional southern European market rather than utility or grid-tied residential customers globally.
For most buyers in 2025, AIKO is the stronger default choice. It carries third-party bankability recognition, PVEL Top Performer status, and won the 2025 SolarQuotes Installers' Choice Award, signaling broad installer confidence. GL Solar may be a reasonable consideration for niche off-grid or small stand-alone projects in southern Europe, but it is not a comparable option for grid-tied or institutionally financed installations.
Generated by Claude Sonnet · 2026-06-11
Other brand comparisons
Shop prices: See 174 AIKO offers · See 2 GL Solar offers
Comparisons are computed from manufacturer datasheets held in the ComparePV database and may not reflect a brand's complete current lineup. Nothing on this page is paid placement.