AIKO Solar enters Albanian market, announces further regional expansion

Following a successful rollout around the European Union, AIKO Solar has entered the Albanian market, offering its technologically advanced, highly-efficient solar panels with an elegant pure-black front. With this move, the company continues to expand its footprint in Europe, specifically the Western Balkans.

Albania is the first market in the region of the Western Balkans that AIKO Solar has entered, but it plans to expand into other countries as well. The company’s brand and its innovative ABC (All Back Contact) solar module technology were recently presented at an evening gala in Tirana, organized by Solaron, the official Albanian distributor for AIKO Solar.

The event was held as part of the Energy, Construction & Green Economy 2023 trade fair, where AIKO Solar modules were displayed at Solaron’s booth. Participants included distributors, investors and other representatives of the photovoltaic industry.

Wojciech Kwaśniak, AIKO Solar’s Senior Business Developer for CEE & Balkans, talked about the AIKO Solar brand, and Joli Delimeta, founder & CEO of Solaron, explained the differences between ABC technology and traditional solar modules.

Łukasz Przygucki, Sales Director CEE, said that AIKO Solar is “in Europe for Europe” and that it also understands the unique needs and challenges of the Balkan market.

Przygucki: AIKO aspires to revolutionize solar in the Balkans

“With a strong focus on the Balkans market, AIKO Solar aspires to conquer and revolutionize this region, offering groundbreaking ABC Module technology with an exceptional 24.0%+ conversion efficiency. This innovation caters to residential and especially the C&I [commercial and industrial] sector, underlining AIKO Solar’s dedication to making solar energy accessible and efficient for all,” he said.

“AIKO Solar is dedicated not only to cutting-edge technology but also to Balkan implementation of the new technology, market education, providing comprehensive support for its clients,” Przygucki stressed, adding that the AIKO team’s top priority is to be available to customers both presales and aftersales.

Besides its home market and other Asian countries, the Chinese company is present around Europe – including Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Poland, and the UK. The network of branches and subsidiaries enables it to provide its customers with prompt technical support and services locally.

Research and development centers in China and Germany

In 2020 AIKO opened a research and development center in Germany, called SolarLab Aiko Europe. The center, located in Freiburg, supports AIKO’s ambition to constantly increase the efficiency of its solar panels and create industry-disruptive products and solutions. The company also has two research and development centers in China.

AIKO Solar factory in Zhuhai, China

Shanghai Aiko Solar Energy Co., Ltd. (AIKO), which is the company’s full name, was founded in 2009. A global leader in new energy technologies, it produces solar cells, solar modules, inverters, energy storage batteries, and roof-mounting systems for solar panels at manufacturing locations in China.

AIKO’s products are sold in South Korea, Japan, India, and around Europe. Currently, it has a production capacity of 42.5 GW and is poised to continue its global growth. Its logistics center in the Netherlands enables it to quickly deliver its products to customers in Europe.

The company is listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) and employs more than 17,000 people worldwide. Its cumulative shipments of solar cells have exceeded 110 GW, with sales revenue at USD 5 billion as of the end of 2022.

According to the United States National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), AIKO Solar ranked first in global PV cell deliveries in 2021, with over 31.2 GW shipped.

Leader in solar energy innovation

During its 14-year history, AIKO has pioneered many advanced technologies in the PV industry, introducing game-changing products in the market. In 2022, it became the first in the world to roll out All Back Contact (ABC) modules, setting a new efficiency record in the industry.

AIKO’s ultra-efficient ABC cells won the 2023 Red Dot Award in Germany, recognizing their functionality, durability, intuitiveness and ease of use, quality, and environmental benefits.

AIKO’s ABC modules have an efficiency rate of 24% and come with a pure-black front with no gridlines

ABC modules have the highest conversion efficiency rate on the market, of over 24%, putting them in the premium segment. They come with a pure-black front, with no gridlines that reduce the light absorption area, which increases efficiency but also provides an elegant, aesthetically pleasing appearance. Additionally, ABC cells are manufactured without the expensive silver, using copper instead.

AIKO Solar’s pure-black solar paneles

Reflecting its mission to promote technological innovation in the PV sector, AIKO has so far been granted over 1,000 patents in more 30 countries or regions around the world, including 188 invention patents.  Reflecting its commitment to sustainable business, the company has issued an ESG report for 2022.

Helping Austria achieve its 2030 clean electricity goal

In addition to the research centers in China and Germany, AIKO has been partnering with scientific institutes and research centers in several European countries, including Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre (IMEC) in Belgium, CSEM in Switzerland, TNO in The Netherlands, as well as Forschungszentrum Jülich, Institute for Photovoltaics (IPV), and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems in Germany, according to PV-magazine.

In April this year, AIKO signed a letter of intent with Austria-based Burgenland Energie to set up a joint innovation and a visitor center focusing on climate neutrality technology and solutions.

The cooperation with AIKO is expected to boost the deployment of solar in the eastern Austrian state of Burgenland and help it achieve its carbon neutrality goal by 2030. Austria’s climate ambitions include shifting to 100% clean electricity by 2030 and achieving climate neutrality by 2040.