AIKO vs Runda Solar - solar panel manufacturer comparison
AIKO has the broader catalog (144 vs 6 models). AIKO leads on peak efficiency at 25.20%. Runda 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
Runda Solar (Jiangsu Runda PV Co., Ltd.) is a high-tech company dedicated to manufacturing world-class solar photovoltaic modules. The company's business covers the entire photovoltaic industry chain, including R&D, production, and sales of PV modules, as well as energy storage and smart grid solutions. Runda Solar...
- Founded
- 2009
- Headquarters
- Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, China
- Annual capacity
- 4GW (modules), 8GW (cells), 1GWh (energy storage) GW/year
- Employees
- 800+
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%+
Runda Solar offers more 600W+ panels (100% of lineup)
Dominant cell tech: <strong>Back Contact</strong> (83%)
Dominant cell tech: <strong>TOPCon</strong> (100%)
The flagships
Written summary
Runda Solar, operating as Jiangsu Runda PV Co., Ltd., is a Chinese manufacturer founded in 2009 and headquartered in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province. The company holds TÜV and UL certifications and, as of early 2025, passed European Fire Protection Class 1 certification for its N-type bifacial glass-glass series. However, no evidence in available sources places Runda on the BloombergNEF Tier 1 bankability list, and its precise annual production scale is not publicly reported. AIKO Solar - formally rooted in a company dating to the mid-2000s and operating under its current structure from a 2016 reorganization - is headquartered in the Guangdong/Shanghai region of China, reports approximately 20 GW of production capacity, and achieved BloombergNEF Tier 1 status by Q3 2024. AIKO has a decisively stronger institutional footprint, with six gigafactories across multiple Chinese provinces and a European R&D centre, Solarlab AIKO Europe, in Freiburg, Germany.
Runda's catalog spans PERC, TOPCon, and HJT cell technologies and is pitched at residential rooftops, commercial and industrial distributed systems, and utility-scale ground mounts - a broad, value-oriented positioning with limited consumer review coverage on major platforms. AIKO has built its identity almost entirely around its proprietary ABC (All Back Contact) N-type technology, which relocates electrical contacts to the rear of the cell to reduce shading losses and improve low-light performance. Its Neostar series is aimed squarely at premium residential and commercial rooftops where space efficiency and output per panel command a price premium. AIKO claimed a 2025 record of 24.4% module efficiency for mass-produced panels, and its 30-year performance warranty with a degradation rate of 0.35% per year from year two onward is notably more generous than most competitors.
For a typical buyer in 2025, AIKO is the stronger default choice where budget allows. Its Tier 1 status, verified efficiency records, strong installer feedback - including a first-place finish in the 2025 SolarQuotes Installers Choice Awards - and long warranty make it easier to finance and insure on larger projects. Runda is a reasonable consideration for cost-sensitive commercial or utility work where bankability requirements are less strict, but buyers should be aware of its lower visibility in independent reviews and the absence of confirmed Tier 1 standing.
Generated by Claude Sonnet · 2026-05-16
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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.