AIKO vs Runtech China - solar panel manufacturer comparison
AIKO has the broader catalog (144 vs 21 models). AIKO leads on peak efficiency at 25.20%. AIKO leans bifacial (24% 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
Runtech Energy, founded in 2008, is a leading independent solar production supplier and designer. They are a trader of solar modules and PV project developer, with over 500MW of premium quality modules deployed worldwide. Runtech is committed to providing high-quality solar products and system integration services.
- Founded
- 2008
- Headquarters
- Xi'an, China
- Employees
- 50+
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%)
The flagships
Written summary
Runtech China Co., Ltd. is a Chinese solar company founded in 2008 and based in Changzhou, Jiangsu province. Rather than acting as a vertically integrated module maker, it operates primarily as a trading and project-development business, reselling panels from established brands such as Trina, LONGi, and Canadian Solar alongside its own-label products. It does not appear on BloombergNEF Tier 1 lists as a manufacturer in its own right. AIKO Solar - formally Guangdong Aiko Solar Energy Technology Co., Ltd. - was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Guangdong province, with production bases also in Zhejiang and Shandong. AIKO achieved BloombergNEF Tier 1 status in 2024 and, by early 2025, reported nameplate capacity of approximately 20 GW per year across five facilities. AIKO carries the considerably stronger institutional footprint of the two.
AIKO's product line is built around its proprietary All Back Contact (ABC) cell technology, an N-type architecture that places all electrical contacts on the rear of the cell to maximize the light-absorbing front surface. The company has led Taiyangnews global module efficiency rankings since 2023 and announced a 24.4% efficiency record for mass-produced panels in 2025. Its residential and light-commercial modules target buyers prioritizing peak output per square metre, making them well suited to constrained rooftops. Runtech, by contrast, offers a broad range from small portable units to 600 W-plus panels in both rigid and flexible CIGS form factors, sourced from multiple upstream suppliers - a proposition that suits traders and mixed-brand project developers more than buyers seeking a single proprietary technology.
For most buyers in 2025, AIKO is the more verifiable choice: confirmed Tier 1 bankability, a differentiated ABC technology roadmap, a 30-year performance warranty, and a growing base of independent installer reviews. Runtech may suit developers who already work within its trading network and need procurement flexibility, but it cannot be evaluated as a conventional manufacturer on the same terms as AIKO.
Generated by Claude Sonnet · 2026-05-14
Other brand comparisons
Shop prices: See 175 AIKO 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.