AIKO vs Heliene - solar panel manufacturer comparison
AIKO has the broader catalog (144 vs 91 models). AIKO leads on peak efficiency at 25.20%. Heliene leans bifacial (65% 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
Heliene is a North American headquartered manufacturer of high-quality, competitively priced solar photovoltaic modules. They have manufacturing operations in the US and Canada, and a global supply chain capability. Heliene is committed to providing reliable and high-performing solar solutions for utility-scale...
- Founded
- 2010
- Headquarters
- Sault Ste. Marie, Canada
- Annual capacity
- 1.3 GW/year
- Employees
- 200-600
- Tier 1 bankable
- Yes
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%+
AIKO offers more 600W+ panels (60% of lineup)
Dominant cell tech: <strong>Back Contact</strong> (83%)
Dominant cell tech: <strong>PERC</strong> (43%)
The flagships
Written summary
Heliene is a Canadian solar module manufacturer, founded in 2009 and headquartered in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, with additional manufacturing plants in Minnesota and Florida. It is broadly recognized as a Tier 1 bankable manufacturer and has been rapidly expanding US-based capacity, reaching roughly 1.3 GW domestically after opening a new 500 MW line in Rogers, Minnesota in 2025. AIKO, by contrast, is a Chinese manufacturer that earned Bloomberg Tier 1 status in 2024 and operates at a far larger industrial scale, with reported annual capacity around 35 GW for TOPCon cells and ambitions toward 100 GW for its proprietary ABC cell line, including a 30 GW Jinan plant ramping through 2025. On sheer manufacturing scale and global market presence, AIKO has the stronger institutional footprint, while Heliene's advantage lies in its North American manufacturing base and domestic-content positioning.
Heliene's product range spans compact panels around 380 W for cabins and off-grid use up to high-power 700 W-plus modules, covering residential, commercial and utility-scale ground-mount projects, with both monofacial and bifacial options built mainly on conventional PERC/TOPCon-style cell platforms. AIKO's lineup centers on its distinctive ABC (All Back Contact) cell technology, a rear-contact design that has pushed mass-production efficiencies to around 24.6 percent, making its panels a common choice for premium residential rooftops and high-density commercial installations where aesthetics and per-panel wattage matter, alongside a parallel TOPCon product line for more mainstream volume segments.
For a typical 2025 buyer, the choice often comes down to priorities rather than one brand being objectively superior. Buyers who value North American manufacturing, domestic content requirements, or shorter supply chains for US utility and commercial projects will likely favor Heliene, while those prioritizing peak efficiency, sleek all-black aesthetics, and cutting-edge cell technology for premium rooftops may lean toward AIKO. Both carry credible Tier 1 bankability, so the decision is largely about project context rather than one brand being categorically better.
Generated by Claude Sonnet 5 · 2026-09-03
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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.