The first solar modules were recently produced at Aiko’s new factory, which has a 1.5 kilometer long integrated cell and module production line.
The 10 GW Phase I project in Jinan, China, officially opened last week and manufactures N-Type All Back Contact (ABC) modules. Panels with ABC cells have no fine wires, called busbars and fingers, on the front of the cells, improving reliability and efficiency.
Aiko claims it “innovated the ABC cell” in 2021, but ABC technology (also known as Interdigitated Back Contact) has been around for a long time. While panels with ABC/IBC technology have previously been expensive, Aiko has made them affordable for price-conscious buyers. SQ’s solar panel comparison table states that 440W Aiko panels retail in Australia at around $130 (Neostar 1S) to $159 (Neostar 2S), including VAT. That’s only 30 to 36 cents per watt.
Aiko states that the module workshop in Jinan is operational and the cell aspect will be fully functional by the end of 2025. The entire 30 GW plant will be completed and dusted by 2029 if everything goes according to plan. The company says the factory is powered entirely by renewable electricity. In addition, 90% of the water is reused and over 30% of the waste heat is recovered.
“AIKO’s Jinan factory is redefining photovoltaic manufacturing by integrating carbon-free and intelligent properties into high-efficiency N-type ABC products,” the company explains. “It sets a benchmark for sustainable, energy-efficient production while positioning BC technology as the cornerstone of a CO2-free future.”
The Jinan plant joins six other Aiko manufacturing facilities located in Tianjing, Shandong, Chuzhou, Yiwu, Foshan and Zhuhai. The company claims to have shipped more than 140 GW of solar cells since its inception.
Aiko in Australia
If you’ve never heard of Aiko, you wouldn’t be alone. Although the company was founded as a solar cell manufacturer in 2009, the company only began producing modules in 2022 – and it was only last year that the modules became available in Australia.
Although Aiko is a newcomer to the Australian market (the company has an office in Melbourne), it is currently on our list of recommended solar panel brands based on feedback from installers that SolarQuotes trusts. And so far Australian customer reviews of Aiko solar panels have been encouraging; Average of 4.9 stars from 51 reviews.
Aiko’s connection to Australia goes beyond just supplying panels. Last October, the company announced a collaboration with the Australian Center for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP) to develop all-back-contact silicon solar cells with conversion efficiency greater than 30%.
ACAP is a research institution dedicated to the advancement of solar PV technologies and was founded in 2013 by solar pioneer Professor Martin Green. who, among other things, invented PERC technology in 1983. After all, PERC (Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell/Contact) technology was once used in more than 90 percent of the solar modules produced worldwide.
Aiko’s highest ABC module efficiency for mass-produced solar modules is currently 24.1% (Comet 2N 635W), and the highest cell efficiencies are over 26.5%. The 440W Neostar 2S panels mentioned above have a conversion efficiency of 22.1%, as does the same wattage in the 2S+. The 2S is a mono-glass module while the 2S+ is a double-glass module. Both come with a 25-year product warranty and a 30-year performance warranty, the latter allowing for ≤1% deterioration in the first year and ≤0.35%/year in years 2-30.
Comments are closed.