Aiko’s New Solar Panel Factory Kicks Off Production

The first solar modules were recently produced in Aiko’s new factory, which features a 1.5-kilometre-long integrated cell and module production line.

The 10GW Phase I project in Jinan, China was officially opened last week and is manufacturing N-Type All Back Contact (ABC) modules. Panels with ABC cells don’t have the fine wires called busbars and fingers on the front of the cells, improving reliability and efficiency.

Aiko claims it “innovatively invented ABC cell” in 2021, but ABC tech (also known as Interdigitated Back Contact) has been around for a long time. While panels featuring ABC/IBC tech have previously been expensive, Aiko has made them affordable for budget-conscious buyers. SQ’s solar panel comparison table indicates 440W Aiko panels costing around $130 (Neostar 1S) – $159 (Neostar 2S) retail in Australia, inclusive of GST. That’s just 30c – 36c a watt.

Aiko states the Jinan module workshop is operational and the cell aspect will be fully functional by late 2025, with the complete 30GW facility done and dusted by 2029 if all goes according to plan. The firm says the factory operates entirely on renewable electricity. It also reuses 90% of water, and recovers over 30% of waste heat.

“AIKO’s Jinan facility redefines photovoltaic manufacturing by integrating zero-carbon and intelligent attributes into high-efficiency N-Type ABC products,” states the firm. “It sets a benchmark for sustainable, energy-efficient production while positioning BC technology as the cornerstone of a zero-carbon future.”

The Jinan factory joins six other Aiko manufacturing plants, which are located in Tianjing, Shandong, Chuzhou, Yiwu, Foshan and Zhuhai. The company says it has shipped more than 140GW of solar cells since it was founded.

Aiko In Australia

If you haven’t heard of Aiko, you wouldn’t be alone. While the company was founded in 2009 as a solar cell manufacturer, it wasn’t until 2022 that the firm started producing panels – and only last year since their panels have been made available in Australia.

While a newcomer to the Australian market (it has an office in Melbourne), Aiko is currently on our chart of recommended solar panel brands based on feedback from installers SolarQuotes trusts. And to date, Aiko solar panel reviews from Australian customers have been encouraging; averaging 4.9 stars from 51 ratings.

Aiko’s connection to Australia goes beyond just supplying panels here. Last October, it announced a collaboration with the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP) to create All Back Contact silicon solar cells with more than 30% conversion efficiency.

ACAP is a research facility dedicated to advancing solar PV technologies that was founded in 2013 by solar pioneer Professor Martin Green; who among other things invented PERC technology way back in 1983. PERC (Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell/Contact) tech was eventually used in more than 90 per cent of solar panels produced globally at one point.

Aiko’s highest ABC module efficiency for mass produced solar panels is currently 24.1% (Comet 2N 635W), and highest cell efficiencies have exceeded 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, whereas the 2S+ is dual glass. Both have a 25-year product warranty and 30-year performance warranty, with the latter allowing ≤1% degradation in the first year, and ≤ 0.35%/year in years 2 – 30.

Original Source: https://www.solarquotes.com.au/blog/aiko-panels-jinan-mb3094/