AIKO vs Tangra - solar panel manufacturer comparison
AIKO has the broader catalog (144 vs 0 models). 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
Tangra is the flagship solar module product line of Sunova Solar Technology Co., Ltd. (rebranded as Thornova Solar), a Chinese photovoltaic manufacturer founded in 2016 and headquartered in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province. The company specializes in high-efficiency N-type TOPCon bifacial modules under the Tangra series (S, M...
- Founded
- 2016
- Headquarters
- Wuxi, China
- Annual capacity
- 5-10 GW/year
- Employees
- 500-1000
- Tier 1 bankable
- Yes
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
Tangra is the module brand produced by Thornova Solar, a global PV manufacturer with production centers in North and Southeast Asia and commercial operations spanning North America, EMEA, and APAC. Thornova earned BloombergNEF Tier 1 status in August 2023 and maintains a B-rating in the PV Tech ModuleTech Bankability Report as of mid-2025. In 2025 the Thornova brand and its intellectual property were acquired by ICE EYE, adding a layer of corporate transition that prospective buyers should factor into long-term support expectations. AIKO Solar is a Chinese cell and module manufacturer that achieved BloombergNEF Tier 1 status in Q3 2024, reporting production capacity of roughly 20 GW per year in early 2025 and growing rapidly since then. AIKO's scale and shipment velocity - ABC module shipments reached an estimated 14.7 GW in 2025 - give it a considerably stronger institutional footprint and financial track record at this stage.
On the product side, Tangra modules are built on N-type TOPCon cell technology and span three size classes: the S-series for residential and small commercial rooftops, the M-series for C&I flat roofs, and the L-series (700-720 W, efficiency 22.4-23.2%) targeting utility-scale ground mounts. The Tangra M Pro earned Kiwa PVEL Top Performer recognition across multiple reliability categories in 2025. AIKO's lineup relies on its proprietary N-type ABC (All Back Contact) architecture and achieves module efficiencies up to 25%, among the highest commercially available. The Neostar series addresses residential installations, while the Comet and Nebula lines serve C&I and larger commercial projects. AIKO panels carry a 30-year performance warranty and took first place in the 2025 SolarQuotes Installers' Choice Awards.
For a typical buyer in 2025, AIKO is the easier default recommendation - its Tier 1 status is well-established, its ABC technology leads the market on efficiency per square metre, and installer familiarity is growing fast. Tangra remains a credible choice for C&I and utility developers who have already evaluated Thornova in their supply chain, but the recent brand acquisition warrants due diligence on post-sale support continuity before committing to a large project.
Generated by Claude Sonnet · 2026-06-11
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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.