S-Energy vs AE Solar - solar panel manufacturer comparison
AE Solar has the broader catalog (646 vs 91 models). AE Solar leads on peak efficiency at 24.43%. S-Energy leans bifacial (77% 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
AE Solar is a German Tier 1 manufacturer of high-efficiency photovoltaic (PV) modules. The company specializes in producing durable and innovative solar panels with German engineering standards, offering solutions for residential, commercial, and utility-scale applications. AE Solar operates in over 100 countries and...
- Founded
- 2003
- Headquarters
- Gersthofen, Germany
- Annual capacity
- 2+ GW/year
- Employees
- 501-1000
- 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
AE Solar skews to higher efficiency: 9% of lineup is 23%+
AE Solar offers more 600W+ panels (13% of lineup)
Dominant cell tech: <strong>PERC</strong> (59%)
Dominant cell tech: <strong>TOPCon</strong> (54%)
The flagships
Written summary
AE Solar is a German manufacturer headquartered in Königsbrunn, founded in 2003 and operating for over two decades as a privately-owned business. The company holds confirmed Tier 1 bankable status according to BloombergNEF - recorded for the 16th time in Q1 2025 - and commands a production capacity exceeding 2 GW across manufacturing sites in China, Georgia, and Turkey, with a commercial presence in over 100 countries. S-Energy is a South Korean manufacturer founded in 2011 with an estimated production capacity of approximately 500 MW concentrated at its facility in Daejeon, South Korea. Unlike AE Solar, S-Energy does not currently hold Tier 1 bankable status, which represents a meaningful distinction for project finance and institutional procurement.
On the technology side, AE Solar leads with n-type TOPCon cells making up nearly 50% of its 442-panel portfolio, reaching a maximum module efficiency of 24.43%, an average efficiency of 21.34%, and an average temperature coefficient of -0.313%/°C. The Meteor series, which received the Kiwa PVEL Top Performer Award 2025 and a five-star rating from PV Magazine, supports modules up to 730 Wp with bifacial configurations suited to agrivoltaic and vertical-mount applications. AE Solar also became the first DIBt-certified Tier 1 manufacturer in the industry. S-Energy's portfolio of 91 panels is anchored by PERC technology (approximately 59% of the range), with a maximum efficiency of 22.38% and a less favorable temperature coefficient of -0.339%/°C. S-Energy does show a higher bifacial share at 76.9% and a slightly higher average panel power of 512 Wp, suggesting a narrower but high-output product focus. Warranties average around 27.75 years compared to AE Solar's approximately 29.7 years.
For international buyers choosing between the two, AE Solar is the stronger candidate for utility-scale ground-mount projects, commercial C&I installations, and any deployment requiring bank financing or institutional approval, given its Tier 1 status, larger R&D-backed portfolio, and superior efficiency figures. S-Energy may appeal in price-sensitive segments where bankability requirements are absent, but its smaller portfolio, shorter track record, and non-Tier-1 standing limit its competitiveness in larger or financed projects.
Generated by Claude Sonnet · 2026-05-13
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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.