Centro Energy vs AIKO - solar panel manufacturer comparison
AIKO has the broader catalog (144 vs 13 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
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>PERC</strong> (100%)
Dominant cell tech: <strong>Back Contact</strong> (83%)
The flagships
Written summary
Centro Energy is a smaller manufacturer with production facilities in China and Vietnam, operating a cell-to-module process built to IEC61215 and IEC61730 standards. Available sources do not confirm a BloombergNEF Tier 1 bankability listing for the brand, and its global presence appears limited compared to the first tier of Chinese suppliers. AIKO, founded in 2009 and headquartered in Yiwu, China, operates six major production bases and reported approximately 20 GW of annual manufacturing capacity as of early 2025. AIKO achieved BloombergNEF Tier 1 status in Q3 2024, satisfying the non-recourse project-finance requirement across multiple banks - a threshold Centro Energy has not publicly cleared. On institutional footprint and bankable scale, AIKO is demonstrably the larger and better-credentialed brand.
Centro Energy's catalog runs from roughly 100 W to 670 W and relies on PERC cell technology throughout. Average module efficiency sits around 20.8%, with top models approaching 21.6%, positioning the brand as a mid-range option for cost-sensitive residential or small commercial rooftops. Its performance warranty is reported at approximately 27 years. AIKO's lineup is built around its proprietary ABC (All Back Contact) architecture, which relocates all electrical contacts to the rear of the cell to maximize light absorption. That design has enabled AIKO to report mass-production module efficiency of 24.4% - a world record as of 2025 - and the company backs its panels with a 30-year performance warranty at a low annual degradation rate. AIKO is aimed squarely at the premium residential and high-density commercial rooftop segment.
For most buyers in 2025, AIKO is the stronger default where budget allows. Its Tier 1 bankability, ABC cell efficiency advantage, and longer warranty terms make it a more future-proof investment. Centro Energy can still suit cost-constrained projects or markets where AIKO's distribution is thin, but prospective buyers should independently verify local installer support and post-sale service availability before committing to a less widely recognized brand.
Generated by Claude Sonnet · 2026-05-14
Other brand comparisons
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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.