--- title: "AIKO vs REC - Brand Comparison | ComparePV" description: "Compare AIKO vs REC solar panels: full portfolio, efficiency, cell technology breakdown, warranty terms and company background." source: "https://comparepv.com/aiko-vs-rec" --- # AIKO vs REC AIKO has the broader catalog (144 vs 58 models). AIKO leads on peak efficiency at 25.20%. REC leans bifacial (59% of lineup). ## The two companies | Attribute | AIKO | REC | | --- | --- | --- | | Country | China | Norway | | Headquarters | Shanghai | Sandvika | | Founded | 2009 | 1996 | | Employees | | | | Annual capacity | | | | Tier 1 | yes | yes | | Listed | SZSE: 600732 | | | Website | [https://www.aikosolar.com](https://www.aikosolar.com) | [https://www.recgroup.com](https://www.recgroup.com) | ## Catalog & Power | Measure | AIKO | REC | Margin | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Panel Models | 144 | 58 | +86 | | Max Power | 805 W | 640 W | +165 W | | Avg Power | 581 W | 385 W | +196 W | ## Efficiency | Measure | AIKO | REC | Margin | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Max Efficiency | 25.20% | 22.80% | +2.40 pp | | Avg Efficiency | 23.65% | 18.92% | +4.73 pp | ## Reliability & Warranty | Measure | AIKO | REC | Margin | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Avg Temp Coefficient | -0.271%/°C | -0.300%/°C | +0.029 | | Bifacial Share | 35 (24%) | 34 (59%) | +34 pp | | Avg Warranty | 29.5 yrs | 25.5 yrs | +4.0 yr | ## Efficiency distribution AIKO skews to higher efficiency: 85% of lineup is 23%+ | Efficiency band | AIKO | REC | | --- | --- | --- | | \<20% | 3 (2.1%) | 20 (34.5%) | | 20-21% | 3 (2.1%) | 8 (13.8%) | | 21-22% | 3 (2.1%) | 15 (25.9%) | | 22-23% | 12 (8.3%) | 15 (25.9%) | | 23%+ | 123 (85.4%) | 0 | ## Power distribution AIKO offers more 600W+ panels (60% of lineup) | Power band | AIKO | REC | | --- | --- | --- | | \<400W | 2 (1.4%) | 21 (36.2%) | | 400-499W | 50 (34.7%) | 26 (44.8%) | | 500-599W | 5 (3.5%) | 1 (1.7%) | | 600-699W | 78 (54.2%) | 10 (17.2%) | | 700W+ | 9 (6.2%) | 0 | ## Cell technology Dominant cell tech: **Back Contact** (83%) Dominant cell tech: **HJT** (59%) | Technology | AIKO | REC | | --- | --- | --- | | Back Contact | 119 (82.6%) | 0 | | N-type | 17 (11.8%) | 2 (3.4%) | | PERC | 7 (4.9%) | 0 | | Flexible | 1 (0.7%) | 0 | | HJT | 0 | 34 (58.6%) | | Unknown | 0 | 22 (37.9%) | ## Top panels, AIKO | # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | [AIKO-A805-GRH78Dw](https://comparepv.com/panel/aiko-aiko-a805-grh78dw) | 805 | 25.1 | -0.260 | Monocrystalline | | 2 | [AIKO-A800-GRH78Dw](https://comparepv.com/panel/aiko-aiko-a800-grh78dw) | 800 | 24.9 | -0.260 | Monocrystalline | | 3 | [AIKO-A795-GRH78Dw](https://comparepv.com/panel/aiko-aiko-a795-grh78dw) | 795 | 24.8 | -0.260 | Monocrystalline | | 4 | [AIKO-A790-GRH78Dw](https://comparepv.com/panel/aiko-aiko-a790-grh78dw) | 790 | 24.6 | -0.260 | Monocrystalline | | 5 | [AIKO-A785-GRH78Dw](https://comparepv.com/panel/aiko-aiko-a785-grh78dw) | 785 | 24.4 | -0.260 | Monocrystalline | | 6 | [AIKO-A780-GRH78Dw](https://comparepv.com/panel/aiko-aiko-a780-grh78dw) | 780 | 24.3 | -0.260 | Monocrystalline | | 7 | [AIKO-A775-GRH78Dw](https://comparepv.com/panel/aiko-aiko-a775-grh78dw) | 775 | 24.1 | -0.260 | Monocrystalline | | 8 | [AIKO-A770-GRH78Dw](https://comparepv.com/panel/aiko-aiko-a770-grh78dw) | 770 | 24.0 | -0.260 | Monocrystalline | | 9 | [AIKO-A700-MAE78Dw](https://comparepv.com/panel/aiko-aiko-a700-mae78dw) | 700 | 25.0 | -0.260 | Monocrystalline | | 10 | [AIKO-A695-MAE78Dw](https://comparepv.com/panel/aiko-aiko-a695-mae78dw) | 695 | 24.9 | -0.260 | Monocrystalline | ## Top panels, REC | # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | [REC640AA PRO M](https://comparepv.com/panel/rec-rec640aa-pro-m) | 640 | 22.5 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline | | 2 | [REC640AA Pro MG](https://comparepv.com/panel/rec-rec640aa-pro-mg) | 640 | 22.5 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline | | 3 | [REC630AA PRO M](https://comparepv.com/panel/rec-rec630aa-pro-m) | 630 | 22.2 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline | | 4 | [REC630AA Pro MG](https://comparepv.com/panel/rec-rec630aa-pro-mg) | 630 | 22.2 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline | | 5 | [REC620AA PRO M](https://comparepv.com/panel/rec-rec620aa-pro-m) | 620 | 21.8 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline | | 6 | [REC620AA Pro MG](https://comparepv.com/panel/rec-rec620aa-pro-mg) | 620 | 21.8 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline | | 7 | [REC610AA PRO M](https://comparepv.com/panel/rec-rec610aa-pro-m) | 610 | 21.5 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline | | 8 | [REC610AA Pro MG](https://comparepv.com/panel/rec-rec610aa-pro-mg) | 610 | 21.5 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline | | 9 | [REC600AA PRO M](https://comparepv.com/panel/rec-rec600aa-pro-m) | 600 | 21.1 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline | | 10 | [REC600AA Pro MG](https://comparepv.com/panel/rec-rec600aa-pro-mg) | 600 | 21.1 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline | ## Summary AIKO is a Chinese solar manufacturer that has risen rapidly to global prominence on the strength of its All Back Contact (ABC) cell technology. Headquartered in China, it is a comparatively young entrant that has nonetheless achieved BloombergNEF Tier 1 bankability status and, as of 2025, reports an annual production capacity of around 20 GW, with ongoing investment to expand its dedicated ABC cell lines. REC Group traces its origins to Norway, where it was founded in 1996, and today manufactures primarily at its integrated complex in Singapore, with a reported annual module capacity of approximately 1.8 GW; it too carries BloombergNEF Tier 1 status. The scale gap is considerable - AIKO's manufacturing footprint is roughly an order of magnitude larger, giving it the stronger supply-chain position for high-volume procurement. AIKO's product range is built around the Neostar ABC series, which targets premium residential and commercial rooftops where maximizing power density on constrained roof space is the priority. Its ABC architecture relocates all electrical contacts to the rear of the cell, enabling mass-produced module efficiencies that have surpassed 24% - the highest reported for commercially available panels as of mid-2025. The panels also carry a 30-year performance warranty with an unusually low annual degradation allowance. REC's flagship line is the Alpha Pure series, based on heterojunction (HJT) technology and reaching efficiencies of up to 22.6%; the company also offers the TwinPeak range for buyers seeking a slightly lower price point. REC's HJT cells carry an industry-leading temperature coefficient and a 92% power output guarantee at year 25 when installed by a certified partner, making them well suited to residential rooftops where long-term yield reliability is prioritized over peak watt output. For a typical residential or light-commercial buyer in 2025, AIKO holds a meaningful edge in headline efficiency and generally comes in at a slightly lower price than REC Alpha despite comparable or superior performance figures, making it the stronger value proposition where rooftop yield matters most. REC's advantage lies in its near-three-decade track record, which carries weight with project finance lenders and risk-averse buyers, and in a marginally better temperature coefficient. The two brands are close enough in real-world performance that installer availability, local after-sales support, and project-specific pricing will often be the decisive factors. \---LINKS--- \- https://www.pv-tech.org/aiko-capacity-upgrades-abc-cell-technology/ \| AIKO steps up ABC transition with 11GW capacity upgrade - PV Tech \| article \- https://www.solarreviews.com/blog/rec-solar-panels-complete-review \| 2025 Expert Review of REC Solar Panels - SolarReviews \| review \- https://www.energysage.com/solar/best-solar-panels-complete-ranking/rec-solar-panels-complete-review/ \| REC Group solar panel review - EnergySage \| review \- https://www.solarquotes.com.au/panels/aiko-solar-review.html \| AIKO Solar panels review - SolarQuotes \| review \- https://www.raylyst.eu/en/what-distinguishes-aiko-abc-technology-from-perc-topcon-or-hjt-panels/ \| What makes AIKO ABC technology stand out from PERC, TOPCon or HJT - Raylyst \| article Sources: \- \[AIKO steps up ABC transition with 11GW capacity upgrade - PV Tech\](https://www.pv-tech.org/aiko-capacity-upgrades-abc-cell-technology/) \- \[2025 Expert Review of REC Solar Panels - SolarReviews\](https://www.solarreviews.com/blog/rec-solar-panels-complete-review) \- \[REC Group solar panel review - EnergySage\](https://www.energysage.com/solar/best-solar-panels-complete-ranking/rec-solar-panels-complete-review/) \- \[AIKO Solar panels review - SolarQuotes\](https://www.solarquotes.com.au/panels/aiko-solar-review.html) \- \[What makes AIKO ABC technology stand out from PERC, TOPCon or HJT - Raylyst\](https://www.raylyst.eu/en/what-distinguishes-aiko-abc-technology-from-perc-topcon-or-hjt-panels/) Written by claude-sonnet from the figures above. ## Other comparisons - [AIKO vs A.B. Energy](https://comparepv.com/aiko-vs-a-b-energy) - [AE Solar vs REC](https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-rec) - [AIKO vs AEET](https://comparepv.com/aiko-vs-aeet) - [AKCOME vs REC](https://comparepv.com/akcome-vs-rec) - [AIKO vs ARTsolar](https://comparepv.com/aiko-vs-artsolar) - [ASM vs REC](https://comparepv.com/asm-vs-rec) --- Source: https://comparepv.com/aiko-vs-rec Not in this file, on the page: the distributions above drawn as charts.