ASM vs REC - solar panel manufacturer comparison
REC has the broader catalog (58 vs 1 models). REC leads on peak efficiency at 22.80%. REC leans bifacial (59% 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
Australian Solar Manufacturing (ASM) is a small Australian solar panel assembler that produces crystalline monocrystalline modules domestically using components sourced from Germany, Japan, the USA, and China. The company focuses on providing locally assembled PV modules tailored to Australian conditions, supporting...
- Founded
- 2009
- Headquarters
- Hallam, Victoria, Australia
- Employees
- 1-10
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
REC offers more 600W+ panels (17% of lineup)
Dominant cell tech: <strong>HJT</strong> (59%)
The flagships
Written summary
ASM (Australian Solar Manufacturing) is a small, Australian-owned assembler established around 2009 and headquartered in Hallam, Victoria. The company sources photovoltaic cells and components from international suppliers and assembles them domestically for the Australian market. It does not appear on BloombergNEF's Tier 1 bankability list and operates at a niche scale with no confirmed large-scale production capacity on record. REC Group, by contrast, was founded in 1996 in Norway and relocated manufacturing to Singapore, where it runs a highly automated production plant reportedly turning out around 26 million panels annually. REC carries confirmed Tier 1 BNEF status and since its acquisition by India's Reliance Industries in 2021 has broader institutional backing. On institutional footprint and global bankability, REC is substantially the stronger brand.
ASM's catalog consists of conventional monocrystalline modules aimed at budget-conscious Australian residential and small commercial rooftop buyers. Its older product lines were built around standard crystalline silicon at modest wattages, and no adoption of newer cell architectures such as TOPCon or HJT has been confirmed through available sources. REC's lineup centers on the Alpha Pure and Alpha Pro M series, which use heterojunction (HJT) technology to achieve verified efficiencies up to 22.6%, alongside the TwinPeak series for broader commercial and industrial rooftop applications. REC backs its panels with a 25-year combined product and performance warranty that guarantees at least 92% of rated output after 25 years - well above the industry norm.
For most buyers in 2025, REC is the default choice. It offers confirmed HJT technology, deep warranty coverage, Tier 1 bankability, and a global installer network, at a price premium that independent reviewers note is still meaningfully lower than comparable premium competitors. ASM may suit buyers with a firm preference for Australian-assembled products, but it cannot match REC on efficiency, market reach, or financial standing. These two brands are not interchangeable - they occupy different tiers of the market entirely.
Generated by Claude Sonnet · 2026-06-10
Other brand comparisons
Shop prices: See 7 REC 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.