MSolar vs AIKO - solar panel manufacturer comparison
AIKO has the broader catalog (144 vs 5 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>Back Contact</strong> (83%)
The flagships
Written summary
MSolar is a small American manufacturer headquartered in Woodbridge, Virginia, founded with an explicit mission to reshore solar production to U.S. soil. Its appeal rests heavily on regulatory positioning - FEOC compliance and eligibility for the IRA domestic-content adder - rather than on global scale. The company does not appear on BloombergNEF's Tier 1 solar module list, and independent reviewers have noted uncertainty about its current operational status. AIKO, by contrast, is Shanghai Aiko Solar Energy Co., Ltd., a Chinese manufacturer that reached BloombergNEF Tier 1 status in Q3 2024 and operates at roughly 20 GW of annual production capacity, supported by six factories, three R&D centers across China and Europe, and more than 15,000 employees. In terms of institutional footprint and bankability, AIKO is in a different league.
On the product side, MSolar's catalog centers on nine-busbar half-cell monocrystalline PERC modules aimed at residential and light commercial projects in North America, with the domestic-content credential being a meaningful differentiator for projects seeking the IRA adder. AIKO's signature offering is its proprietary ABC (All Back Contact) cell technology - a distinct architecture that places both electrical contacts on the rear of the cell, enabling module efficiencies that independent testers and PV Tech have recorded in the 24 percent range, among the highest commercially available. AIKO targets premium residential rooftops and increasingly utility-scale ground mounts, and its panels carry a 30-year performance warranty with a degradation floor of 88.85 percent of original rated capacity.
For most buyers in 2025, AIKO is the more straightforward recommendation: it is bankable, ships globally, and leads the market on cell efficiency. MSolar is a niche choice that makes sense primarily for U.S. projects where the IRA domestic-content adder materially changes project economics - provided the buyer can verify the company's current operational and warranty standing before committing.
Generated by Claude Sonnet · 2026-05-14
Other brand comparisons
Shop prices: See 174 AIKO 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.