In early March, Smart Energy 2024 was the place to be for solar technology advances and high-quality products. AIKO Solar are the new kids on the Aussie block and they brought with them a demonstration of the ABC (All Back Contact) technology like no other. On display was their extensive range of residential and commercial solar panels. From quality to aesthetics, AIKO has it all. Let’s take a look at what they have on offer for Australians.
Who is AIKO Solar?
They may be new to Australia but AIKO Solar have been operating since 2009. With 15,000 plus employees worldwide and 120 GW+ cumulative shipments of cells, they enter the Aussie market with a rucksack full of accomplishments and an eager eye on the future. AIKO Solar invest heavily in research and development, which has seen them with 1,061 patents and inventions, such as tubular PERC technology. They are the brain trust behind ABC technology and launched it worldwide in 2022. With residential and commercial solar panels, inverters, and batteries on their product list, there’s a solar solution available through AIKO.
All Back Contact (ABC) solar technology refers to a type of photovoltaic (PV) solar cell design where all of the electrical contacts of the solar cell are placed on the rear side (the side opposite to the sunlight direction) of the cell. This design eliminates shading on the front side of the cell, which can improve overall efficiency.
In traditional solar cell designs, metal contacts are placed on the front side of the cell, which can block some sunlight from reaching the semiconductor material, reducing the efficiency of the cell. By placing all contacts on the back side, ABC solar cells aim to maximise the amount of sunlight that can be absorbed and converted into electricity.
ABC solar cells often use advanced manufacturing techniques and materials to achieve high efficiency and reliability. While they can be more expensive to manufacture compared to conventional solar cells, the potential efficiency gains make them attractive for certain applications where space or efficiency is a critical factor, such as rooftop installations or space-constrained environments.
Overall, ABC solar technology represents an innovation in solar cell design aimed at improving efficiency and performance in photovoltaic systems.
NEOSTAR Series Solar Panels
For residential and small-scale commercial applications, AIKO Solar’s NEOSTAR Series offers incredible quality and value for money. The all-black panels not only look incredible but they provide exceptional efficiency and partial shade optimisation. Each of the panels in the series offers up to 23.1 – 23.6% efficiency, which is well above the industry average. Available in mono or duel-glass, each panel is also micro-crack resistant. The panels come with a 30 year performance warranty, and product warranties ranging from 15 to 25 years. With panels ranging from 440W to 470W, your home or business can install fewer panels with greater output.
Smart Energy attendees were given a visual demonstration of ABC technology with a side-by-side comparison of their panel vs their competition’s.
Illuminated by two large lamps, the panels were able to be partially shaded by boards. Attendees could cover part of either panel and see the effect on small fountains that were powered by the panels. When partially shaded, the competitor’s panel produced no electricity, thus resulting in the fountain stopping. AIKO’s ABC panel saw only a minimal loss of power when partially shaded.
This demonstration clearly shows that AIKO solar panels, utilising ABC technology, will perform well when partially shaded. With many homes experiencing shading from nearby trees and other structures at some point during daylight hours, AIKO panels offer a solution to maintain higher output levels when full sunlight is unavailable.
AIKO AIR Series – a lightweight and powerful solar solution
One panel we could not take our eyes off was the AIR Series N-type ABC solar panel. With a unique bubble-like plastic coating, the panel weighs in at just 8.8kg. With a whopping 430-450W of output power, this lightweight panel is a fantastic solution for roofs with a lower load-bearing capacity.
There’s no word on when the AIR series will be available in Australia. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to stay up to date with the latest news and product updates.
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