Light for its output, no clear weak spot
The SME-80E ShadeStar series is AE Solar's answer to one of the most common rooftop installation problems - partial shading caused by chimneys, antennas, trees, or neighboring buildings. The panel relies on segmented cell technology built on n-Type TOPCon half-cut cells, so a single shadow doesn't shut down the entire production string, letting the module maintain high efficiency even under uneven illumination. A key element of the design is the smart bypass diode layout, arranged to minimize the risk of hot spots and protect the cells from degradation under demanding operating conditions. As a result, the SME-80E delivers higher energy output under partial shading conditions and a lower LCOE compared to conventional TOPCon butterfly or BC modules, as confirmed by independent Fraunhofer CSP testing. The sleek, uniformly black mono-facial design makes the panel well suited to residential rooftops, where both aesthetics and stable productivity matter. This is a solution aimed at investors and installers working on sites with complex shading patterns - places where standard modules lose a significant share of their energy potential. Robust construction and a long manufacturer warranty further underline the long-term reliability of this series.
Ranking
Signals from the data
Residential and shaded-installations.
Top 2% of the TOPCon 400-450 W segment, against a median of 51.5. Ranked 326th in the whole database.
The segmented n-Type TOPCon half-cell architecture combined with an intelligently placed bypass diode layout was co-developed with Fraunhofer CSP under the SegmentPV research project. Independent lab and field testing by Fraunhofer CSP showed the ShadeStar module delivers up to 70% higher energy output under partial-shading conditions compared to BC modules.
Efficiency of 21.04-22.04% along with the low LID degradation typical of n-Type cells results in higher annual energy yield compared to older PERC modules, even under standard (unshaded) irradiance conditions.
The bypass diode layout, developed jointly with Fraunhofer CSP based on novel thermal-cycling tests (alternating operating conditions), minimizes the risk of localized cell overheating, improving long-term reliability on roofs affected by chimneys, antennas, or shading from neighboring buildings.
AE Solar is a German, Tier-1 bankable manufacturer operating since 2003, which supports bank/insurer financeability of projects and long-term warranty backing stability.
The 30-year linear power warranty, with annual degradation no greater than 0.4% after the first year (first-year degradation ≤1%), guarantees at least ~87.4% of nominal power after 30 years - on par with leading offers in the premium TOPCon segment.
Maximum efficiency of 22.04% trails comparable TOPCon series from competitors such as Luxor Solar ECO LINE N-TYPE (22.86%), JA Solar JAM54D40 (22.5%), and Lina Energy LEPV 132 ULTRA PREMIUM (22.37%) - meaning less power per roof area on space-constrained installations.
The product warranty is limited to 15 years, shorter than the 25-year standard increasingly offered by Tier-1 TOPCon manufacturers since 2023-2024, which may matter when comparing total lifecycle service-risk cost across installations.
The SME-80E series is only offered as mono-facial, unlike some competing TOPCon series that offer a bifacial option - ruling out additional yield from reflected irradiance on installations with bright ground cover or ground-mount/carport applications.
- Efficiency of 21.8% matches the TOPCon 400-450W median
- Power density of 217.9 W/m² matches the TOPCon 400-450W median
- Temperature coefficient of -0.29%/°C matches the TOPCon 400-450W median
- Weight of 19.0 kg (3.0 kg below TOPCon 400-450W median of 22.0 kg) allows easier transport and roof mounting
- #7261 for efficiency, #2220 for temperature performance out of 14129 panels
Specifications
Datasheet charts
Measured curves published by AE Solar in this model's datasheet. A chart carrying a wattage was measured on that variant alone - only the ones that describe 435 Wp appear here. The rest cover the whole series.
Simulations
Degradation from this panel's own datasheet figures. No inverter, soiling or shading losses.
Found 1402 panels of the same or similar size to this one, within ±10 mm. See them here Found 1432 panels of the same or similar size to this one, within ±25 mm. See them here Found 3651 panels of the same or similar size to this one, within ±50 mm. See them here Found 3999 panels of the same or similar size to this one, within ±100 mm. See them here
About the SME-80E SHADESTAR series
These answers cover the whole series. Where a figure differs, the specification above is this module's own.