Among all the next-generation solar PV technologies, high efficiency has become the hallmark for back contact (BC) technology. By placing all the contacts and junctions at the back of the cell and with no obstructions created by metal gridlines on the surface, the panel generates higher efficiency, leading to stable power output.
This architecture also lends it an aesthetic look, perfect for homeowners who like to blend aesthetics with utility, especially in Europe.
Leading BC technology company AIKO says it fits into both categories with its high-efficiency All Back Contact (ABC) products. Its sleek black look panels achieve both superior performance and an attractive design that blends well with European roofs – both for the residential and commercial and industrial (C&I) segments. According to AIKO, it has led the adoption of this technology in Germany, driving improvements in performance, production, and cost, and boosting its popularity in rooftop applications.
The company claims its ABC technology delivers 6% to 10% higher power output (up to 40% more) compared to competing technologies. AIKO has further refined the BC technology with its proprietary InvisiRibbon and ZeroGap technologies, which it says increase the effective production area by 1.8%. Partial shading optimization generates up to 30% more electricity than conventional modules, it adds.
These modules also meet aesthetic standards expected by European homeowners, while also offering better returns over TOPCon, says AIKO. It notes that its 490 W ABC black frame module, available in both mono-glass and glass-glass variants, can deliver 7.7% higher capacity and 11.7% greater returns per W in the same area versus a 455 W TOPCon module in a 30-year lifecycle.
For C&I applications, ABC modules can help significantly reduce annual electricity costs compared to traditional PV and conventional electricity systems, primarily due to higher efficiency leading to higher output from similarly sized panels.
To showcase its ABC modules for the European premium rooftop space, AIKO is collaborating with TaiyangNews for a physical Solar Workshop on Back Contact Technologie — Deep Dive für Solarinstallateure in Munich, Germany on November 13, 2025. AIKO plans to discuss its ABC technology and its prospects with solar installers and EPCs in the European rooftop segment.
At the workshop, AIKO will showcase its 490 W Neostar ABC modules, featuring up to 24.5% efficiency and an annual degradation of ≤0.35% from year 2 through their 30-year installation period, with a 1st year degradation of ≤1%. AIKO says these micro-crack-resistant modules come with a fire rating of IEC Class A, making them safe for rooftop installations.
These modules are already in commercial use, including the C&I segment at Morbio Inferiore in Switzerland, for example. This project, installed at the Serfontana Shopping Center using Neostar 2P 470 W modules, allows for 100% self-consumption with every kWh produced directly offsetting electricity purchases at €0.35/kWh. This, explains AIKO, results in an estimated €1,146,593 in lifetime clean energy value, an ROI of nearly 900%, and an IRR exceeding 47%.
In Ratingen, Germany, AIKO supplied its Neostar 1S modules for a residential rooftop solar project as the homeowner sought more solar self-consumption and a lower carbon footprint.
Workshop Registration
If you would like to attend the BC workshop for installers in Munich on Nov 13, register here. The workshop is an invitation-only event and will be conducted in German.
Currently, AIKO’s n-type Comet2U BC module with 660 W and 24.4 % efficiency leads the TOP SOLAR MODULES Listing of commercial modules with the highest efficiency. In fact, the manufacturer has cemented its position since March 2023 (see TOP SOLAR MODULES Listing – October 2025).
