AIKO vs Sunman - solar panel manufacturer comparison
AIKO has the broader catalog (144 vs 6 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
Sunman Energy is a technology company pioneering ultra-light, glass-free crystalline silicon solar modules under its proprietary eArc technology — the world's first such product, weighing up to 70% less than conventional glass panels. Founded by Dr. Zhengrong Shi (the founder of Suntech), the company targets niche...
- Founded
- 2014
- Headquarters
- Shanghai, China
- Annual capacity
- 1-2 GW/year
- Employees
- 51-200
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> (100%)
The flagships
Written summary
AIKO is a Chinese solar manufacturer that has built a strong reputation around its proprietary ABC (All Back Contact) N-type cell technology, which places all electrical contacts on the rear of the cell to maximize the active light-absorbing surface. The company achieved BloombergNEF Tier 1 status in 2024 and by early 2026 had an annual production capacity reported at roughly 35 GW, placing it among the top-tier global module suppliers. Sunman, by contrast, was founded in 2014 in Shanghai by Dr. Zhengrong Shi - the entrepreneur who previously founded Suntech - and operates from headquarters in China with additional offices in Australia and Germany. Sunman does not appear on the BloombergNEF Tier 1 list, and its production scale is far smaller, though the company has secured government co-funding to build a 500 MW manufacturing plant in Australia's Hunter Valley. AIKO carries the significantly stronger institutional footprint of the two.
AIKO's product range targets buyers seeking the highest available module efficiency, with mass-produced commercial modules reaching a confirmed 24.8% efficiency in late 2025 - among the highest in the industry for commercially available panels. Its panels are suited to premium residential and commercial rooftops where output per square meter is the primary criterion. Sunman occupies a very different niche: its eArc panels are glass-free, polymer-composite modules that weigh roughly 70% less than a conventional framed panel and can flex to curved surfaces. This makes them well matched to weight-constrained roofs, curved building envelopes, marine applications, and BIPV integration - contexts where a standard rigid panel simply cannot be installed. Sunman's peak efficiency tops out around 19%, noticeably below AIKO.
For a typical buyer purchasing panels for a standard residential or commercial rooftop, AIKO is the stronger default choice, offering Tier 1 bankability, record-class efficiency, and broad installer support. Sunman is not a direct competitor in that segment - it is a specialist product for situations where weight or mounting flexibility is the deciding constraint, and it should be evaluated on those terms rather than as a like-for-like alternative.
Generated by Claude Sonnet · 2026-06-07
Other brand comparisons
Shop prices: See 179 AIKO offers · See 2 Sunman 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.