The Chinese manufacturer said its new back-contact module delivers up to 545W and more than 25% efficiency in a compact roof size for residential, C&I and off-grid applications.
Chinese PV manufacturer Aiko has launched its third-generation all-back-contact (ABC) 60-cell solar panel in Australia, targeting residential, commercial and industrial (C&I) and off-grid applications in a compact roof format.
According to one company, the new series delivers up to 545W and features module efficiency of more than 25% in a footprint of 1,954mm x 1,134mm x 30mm.
The company says the ABC design removes the front rails and combines a grid-free front surface with a zero-bap cell layout and invisible ribbon connection, allowing the module to produce up to 30W more per panel than comparable TOPCon products and achieve approximately 15% higher energy yield/m2 over its lifetime.
For the Australian market, Aiko is positioning the 60-cell format in response to the growth of rooftop solar, larger average household system sizes and increasing interest in coupling PV with batteries. The smaller footprint is intended to help customers maximize output on limited roof space, which is becoming increasingly important as homes add electric vehicles, heat pumps and other electrified loads.
The module has a temperature coefficient of -0.26%/C, compared to -0.29%/C for standard TOPCon, and long-term degradation is estimated at 1% in the first year and 0.35% per year thereafter, implying an efficiency maintenance of 90.6% after 30 years. During tests, the hotspot temperatures turned out to be more than 30% lower than comparable TOPCon modules, according to the manufacturer.
The launch also focuses on C&I and off-grid segments. On a typical 660 m² commercial roof with 196 modules, replacing 510 W TOPCon modules with the new 545 W modules would increase the system size from 100 kW to 107 kW without changing the footprint, the company said. For remote or forest fires, mono-glazed variants use 3.2mm front glass and are certified for 35mm hail to TÜV and PVEL standards, while double-glazed versions carry IEC Fire Class A certification.
Aiko said the 60-cell Gen 3 range has received Australian Clean Energy Council approval, allowing installations in the country. Models ranging from 535W to 540W are expected to be generally available from late April 2026, with 545W modules initially available in limited quantities, followed by additional double-glazed and all-black variants later this year.
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