--- title: "AIKO vs SolarWorld - Brand Comparison | ComparePV" description: "Compare AIKO vs SolarWorld solar panels: full portfolio, efficiency, cell technology breakdown, warranty terms and company background." source: "https://comparepv.com/aiko-vs-solarworld" --- # AIKO vs SolarWorld AIKO has the broader catalog (144 vs 0 models). AIKO leans bifacial (24% of lineup). ## The two companies | Attribute | AIKO | SolarWorld | | --- | --- | --- | | Country | China | Germany | | Headquarters | Shanghai | Bonn | | Founded | 2009 | 1998 | | Employees | | 3000-5000 | | Annual capacity | | 1-2 GW/year | | Tier 1 | yes | | | Listed | SZSE: 600732 | | | Website | [https://www.aikosolar.com](https://www.aikosolar.com) | | SolarWorld AG was a German photovoltaic manufacturer and one of the largest solar panel producers in the Western world, covering the full value chain from polysilicon feedstock to finished modules. The company operated major manufacturing plants in Freiberg, Germany and Hillsboro, Oregon, USA, and was once a leading... ## Catalog & Power | Measure | AIKO | SolarWorld | Margin | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Panel Models | 144 | 0 | +144 | | Max Power | 805 W | 0 W | +805 W | | Avg Power | 581 W | 0 W | +581 W | ## Efficiency | Measure | AIKO | SolarWorld | Margin | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Max Efficiency | 25.20% | - | | | Avg Efficiency | 23.65% | - | | ## Reliability & Warranty | Measure | AIKO | SolarWorld | Margin | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Avg Temp Coefficient | -0.271%/°C | - | | | Bifacial Share | 35 (24%) | 0 (0%) | +24 pp | | Avg Warranty | 29.5 yrs | - | | ## Efficiency distribution AIKO skews to higher efficiency: 85% of lineup is 23%+ | Efficiency band | AIKO | SolarWorld | | --- | --- | --- | | \<20% | 3 (2.1%) | 0 | | 20-21% | 3 (2.1%) | 0 | | 21-22% | 3 (2.1%) | 0 | | 22-23% | 12 (8.3%) | 0 | | 23%+ | 123 (85.4%) | 0 | ## Power distribution AIKO offers more 600W+ panels (60% of lineup) | Power band | AIKO | SolarWorld | | --- | --- | --- | | \<400W | 2 (1.4%) | 0 | | 400-499W | 50 (34.7%) | 0 | | 500-599W | 5 (3.5%) | 0 | | 600-699W | 78 (54.2%) | 0 | | 700W+ | 9 (6.2%) | 0 | ## Cell technology Dominant cell tech: **Back Contact** (83%) | Technology | AIKO | SolarWorld | | --- | --- | --- | | Back Contact | 119 (82.6%) | 0 | | N-type | 17 (11.8%) | 0 | | PERC | 7 (4.9%) | 0 | | Flexible | 1 (0.7%) | 0 | ## 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 | ## Summary AIKO is a Chinese solar manufacturer headquartered in Guangzhou, founded in 2009, that has grown into one of the industry's most technologically advanced producers. The company achieved BloombergNEF Tier 1 status and, as of early 2025, operates roughly 20 GW of annual production capacity. It has set successive world records for mass-produced module efficiency, most recently surpassing 24.4% for commercially available panels. SolarWorld was a German manufacturer founded in 1998 by Frank Asbeck and, at its peak, one of the most recognized European solar brands with operations in Bonn and Hillsboro, Oregon. However, SolarWorld AG filed for insolvency in 2017, and the reconstituted SolarWorld Industries GmbH collapsed again in 2018. Meyer Burger later acquired the Freiberg facility but ceased production there in early 2024, and Asbeck subsequently repurchased only the brand rights from Meyer Burger's insolvency in October 2025 - no active panel manufacturing under the SolarWorld name is confirmed as of mid-2026. In terms of institutional footprint and operational continuity, AIKO is the clear incumbent. AIKO's flagship products use its proprietary ABC (All Back Contact) cell architecture, which places all electrical contacts on the rear of the cell to maximize light-capturing surface area. This positions the panels squarely in the premium residential and commercial rooftop segment, where high efficiency per square meter justifies a price premium - around $3.75 per watt for top-tier models based on recent Australian market data. SolarWorld, when it was active, built its reputation on PERC-based monocrystalline Sunmodule panels backed by an industry-leading 25-year linear power output warranty and a 20-year product warranty. Those products served mainstream residential and light commercial applications and were widely regarded for reliability, but they have not been manufactured since the company's production shutdown. For any buyer evaluating panels in 2025 or 2026, AIKO is the practical choice by default. SolarWorld as a manufacturing entity is defunct, meaning warranty support, supply continuity, and bankability assurances that lenders and insurers require simply cannot be assumed. AIKO, by contrast, holds confirmed Tier 1 status, maintains active production at scale, and has earned strong independent reviews particularly in the Australian and European markets. The comparison is therefore less a matter of preference and more a matter of availability: one brand is building and shipping panels, and the other is not. \---LINKS--- \- https://aikosolar.com/en/aiko-achieves-prestigious-tier1-status/ \| AIKO achieves BloombergNEF Tier 1 status - official announcement \| article \- https://www.cleanenergyreviews.info/blog/most-efficient-solar-panels \| Most efficient solar panels 2025 - Clean Energy Reviews \| review \- https://www.solarquotes.com.au/panels/aiko-solar-review.html \| AIKO Solar panel review - SolarQuotes Australia \| review \- https://www.pv-tech.org/solarworlds-founder-asbeck-buys-back-german-manufacturing-and-rd-assets/ \| SolarWorld founder Asbeck buys back brand from Meyer Burger insolvency \| article \- https://www.energysage.com/solar-panels/solarworld/ \| SolarWorld solar panels overview - EnergySage \| review Sources: \- \[AIKO achieves BloombergNEF Tier 1 status\](https://aikosolar.com/en/aiko-achieves-prestigious-tier1-status/) \- \[Most efficient solar panels 2025 - Clean Energy Reviews\](https://www.cleanenergyreviews.info/blog/most-efficient-solar-panels) \- \[AIKO Solar panel review - SolarQuotes Australia\](https://www.solarquotes.com.au/panels/aiko-solar-review.html) \- \[SolarWorld founder Asbeck buys back brand from Meyer Burger insolvency - PV Tech\](https://www.pv-tech.org/solarworlds-founder-asbeck-buys-back-german-manufacturing-and-rd-assets/) \- \[SolarWorld solar panels overview - EnergySage\](https://www.energysage.com/solar-panels/solarworld/) 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 SolarWorld](https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-solarworld) - [AIKO vs AEET](https://comparepv.com/aiko-vs-aeet) - [AKCOME vs SolarWorld](https://comparepv.com/akcome-vs-solarworld) - [AIKO vs ARTsolar](https://comparepv.com/aiko-vs-artsolar) - [ASM vs SolarWorld](https://comparepv.com/asm-vs-solarworld) --- Source: https://comparepv.com/aiko-vs-solarworld Not in this file, on the page: the distributions above drawn as charts.