---
title: "First Solar vs AEET - Brand Comparison | ComparePV"
description: "Compare First Solar vs AEET solar panels: full portfolio, efficiency, cell technology breakdown, warranty terms and company background."
source: "https://comparepv.com/first-solar-vs-aeet"
---

# First Solar vs AEET

First Solar has the broader catalog (63 vs 5 models). First Solar leads on peak efficiency at 19.70%. First Solar leans bifacial (19% of lineup).


## The two companies


| Attribute | First Solar | AEET |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Country | USA |  |
| Headquarters | Tempe, AZ |  |
| Founded | 1999 |  |
| Employees | 5500-8100 |  |
| Annual capacity | 21+ GW/year |  |
| Tier 1 | yes | no |
| Listed | NASDAQ: FSLR |  |
| Website | [https://www.firstsolar.com](https://www.firstsolar.com) |  |

First Solar is a leading American solar technology company and global provider of responsibly produced eco-efficient solar modules, advancing the fight against climate change. The company manufactures thin-film photovoltaic (PV) modules using cadmium telluride (CdTe) semiconductor technology. First Solar is unique...


## Catalog & Power


| Measure | First Solar | AEET | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Panel Models | 63 | 5 | +58 |
| Max Power | 550 W | 200 W | +350 W |
| Avg Power | 481 W | 190 W | +291 W |


## Efficiency


| Measure | First Solar | AEET | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Max Efficiency | 19.70% | 15.70% | +4.00 pp |
| Avg Efficiency | 18.56% | 14.90% | +3.66 pp |


## Reliability & Warranty


| Measure | First Solar | AEET | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Avg Temp Coefficient | -0.320%/°C | - |  |
| Bifacial Share | 12 (19%) | 0 (0%) | +19 pp |
| Avg Warranty | 29.3 yrs | 25.0 yrs | +4.3 yr |


## Efficiency distribution


| Efficiency band | First Solar | AEET |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<20% | 63 (100.0%) | 5 (100.0%) |


## Power distribution


| Power band | First Solar | AEET |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 400-499W | 44 (69.8%) | 0 |
| 500-599W | 19 (30.2%) | 0 |
| \<400W | 0 | 5 (100.0%) |


## Cell technology

Dominant cell tech: **CdTe** (81%)

Dominant cell tech: **PERC** (100%)


| Technology | First Solar | AEET |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CdTe | 51 (81.0%) | 0 |
| Unknown | 12 (19.0%) | 0 |
| PERC | 0 | 5 (100.0%) |


## Top panels, First Solar


| # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [FS-7550A-TR1](https://comparepv.com/panel/first-solar-fs-7550a-tr1) | 550 | 19.7 | -0.320 | Thin film |
| 2 | [FS-7550A-FT1](https://comparepv.com/panel/first-solar-fs-7550a-ft1) | 550 | 19.7 | -0.320 | Thin film |
| 3 | [FS-7545A-TR1](https://comparepv.com/panel/first-solar-fs-7545a-tr1) | 545 | 19.5 | -0.320 | Thin film |
| 4 | [FS-7545A-FT1](https://comparepv.com/panel/first-solar-fs-7545a-ft1) | 545 | 19.5 | -0.320 | Thin film |
| 5 | [FS-7540A-TR1](https://comparepv.com/panel/first-solar-fs-7540a-tr1) | 540 | 19.3 | -0.320 | Thin film |
| 6 | [FS-7540A-FT1](https://comparepv.com/panel/first-solar-fs-7540a-ft1) | 540 | 19.3 | -0.320 | Thin film |
| 7 | [FS-7535A-TR1](https://comparepv.com/panel/first-solar-fs-7535a-tr1) | 535 | 19.1 | -0.320 | Thin film |
| 8 | [FS-7535A-FT1](https://comparepv.com/panel/first-solar-fs-7535a-ft1) | 535 | 19.1 | -0.320 | Thin film |
| 9 | [FS-7532A-FT1](https://comparepv.com/panel/first-solar-fs-7532a-ft1) | 532 | 19.0 | -0.320 | Thin film |
| 10 | [FS-7530A-TR1](https://comparepv.com/panel/first-solar-fs-7530a-tr1) | 530 | 19.0 | -0.320 | Thin film |


## Top panels, AEET


| # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [SE200M(24)F](https://comparepv.com/panel/aeet-se200m-24-f) | 200 | 15.7 | - | Monocrystalline |
| 2 | [SE195M(24)F](https://comparepv.com/panel/aeet-se195m-24-f) | 195 | 15.3 | - | Monocrystalline |
| 3 | [SE190M(24)F](https://comparepv.com/panel/aeet-se190m-24-f) | 190 | 14.9 | - | Monocrystalline |
| 4 | [SE185M(24)F](https://comparepv.com/panel/aeet-se185m-24-f) | 185 | 14.5 | - | Monocrystalline |
| 5 | [SE180M(24)F](https://comparepv.com/panel/aeet-se180m-24-f) | 180 | 14.1 | - | Monocrystalline |


## Summary

AEET Energy Group GmbH is a German photovoltaic wholesale partner and service company headquartered in Bad Gandersheim, Lower Saxony. Founded as a regional specialist in PV distribution and installation, it operates primarily as a reseller and systems integrator that sources modules from established manufacturers rather than producing its own panels. AEET does not appear on BloombergNEF's Tier 1 bankability list, which tracks module manufacturers with proven non-recourse financing track records, and no independent production capacity figure in GW is publicly attributable to the company. First Solar, by contrast, is a Tempe, Arizona-based manufacturer founded in 1999 and publicly traded on NASDAQ. It is a consistent BloombergNEF Tier 1 name and operates roughly 11 GW of annual nameplate capacity from US-based factories, with a fifth facility under development that is expected to push that figure to approximately 17 GW by 2027. By any institutional measure, First Solar carries the stronger global footprint by a wide margin.

Because AEET sources from third-party manufacturers, its product offering reflects whatever modules it procures at a given time - crystalline silicon panels suitable for residential and small commercial rooftop installations in the European market. First Solar's own manufacturing is concentrated entirely on cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film technology through its Series 6 and Series 7 module lines, which are engineered exclusively for utility-scale ground-mount projects. The Series 7 carries a warranted annual degradation rate of 0.3% and a temperature coefficient of approximately -0.28% per degree Celsius, both figures that compare favorably against mainstream crystalline silicon panels in high-temperature climates. First Solar does not serve residential rooftops at all.

For a buyer evaluating these two names directly, the comparison is largely categorical rather than competitive. AEET is a regional European distributor appropriate for installers seeking a full-service procurement and maintenance partner for small to mid-scale projects. First Solar is a large-scale module OEM relevant only to developers, utilities, and investors financing multi-megawatt generation assets. A residential homeowner or a small commercial buyer in Europe would interact with a company like AEET; a developer building a 200 MW solar farm in the US Southwest would source Series 7 modules directly from First Solar or through its project pipeline agreements.

\---LINKS---

\- https://www.enfsolar.com/aeet \| AEET Energy Group GmbH profile - ENF Solar directory \| article

\- https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2025/11/03/first-solar-to-open-its-fifth-u-s-factory-adding-3-7-gw-of-annual-production/ \| First Solar to open its fifth US factory adding 3.7 GW of annual production \| article

\- https://cleantechnica.com/2025/11/01/first-solar-expands-cdte-solar-cell-manufacturing-footprint-in-us/ \| First Solar expands its CdTe solar cell manufacturing footprint in the US \| article

\- https://www.pv-tech.org/first-solar-to-open-new-3-7gw-us-manufacturing-plant-in-2026/ \| First Solar to open new 3.7 GW US manufacturing plant in 2026 \| article

\- https://netzerocompare.com/products/first-solar-modules \| First Solar Series 6 and Series 7 - performance and efficiency overview \| review

Sources:

\- \[AEET Energy Group GmbH - ENF Solar\](https://www.enfsolar.com/aeet)

\- \[First Solar to open its fifth U.S. factory - PV Magazine USA\](https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2025/11/03/first-solar-to-open-its-fifth-u-s-factory-adding-3-7-gw-of-annual-production/)

\- \[First Solar expands CdTe manufacturing - CleanTechnica\](https://cleantechnica.com/2025/11/01/first-solar-expands-cdte-solar-cell-manufacturing-footprint-in-us/)

\- \[First Solar 3.7GW US plant - PV Tech\](https://www.pv-tech.org/first-solar-to-open-new-3-7gw-us-manufacturing-plant-in-2026/)

\- \[First Solar Series 6 & 7 review - Net Zero Compare\](https://netzerocompare.com/products/first-solar-modules)

Written by claude-sonnet from the figures above.


## Other comparisons

- [First Solar vs A.B. Energy](https://comparepv.com/first-solar-vs-a-b-energy)
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- [AKCOME vs AEET](https://comparepv.com/akcome-vs-aeet)
- [First Solar vs ARTsolar](https://comparepv.com/first-solar-vs-artsolar)
- [ASM vs AEET](https://comparepv.com/asm-vs-aeet)


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Source: https://comparepv.com/first-solar-vs-aeet

Not in this file, on the page: the distributions above drawn as charts.