Aiko Solar Panels UK 2026: 485W & 535W, £1,000 per kWp

Up to 24.3 per cent efficient485 W from 2.00 square metres, 535 W from 2.22.
30-year output warrantyAt least 88.85 per cent of rated power at year 30, on every Neostar 3 series.
No grid lines on the frontABC back-contact cells: every contact sits behind the cell, so the whole front collects light.
MCS certified to 2030Every Neostar 3 series at these wattages is on the MCS product directory.

Source: AIKO datasheets Neostar 3S+60 (AIKO-A-MCE60Db, 515-545 W), 3S60, 3P60 and 3P+60, revision 202608 V1.1, and AIKO warranty documents Residential Modules v1.8 and Distributed Common Modules, read 29 October 2026.

Your numbers, not a brochure’s

What would an Aiko array do for your bills?

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What do you spend on electricity? £150

A month, electricity only. Leave gas out of it. This is the one number everybody knows off the top of their head, so the rest is worked out from it.

Add storage?

Tap a package to add it to the array, tap it again to go back to panels only. Battery packages are installed prices; the panels are priced per kWp installed.

How many panels? 10 panels, 5.35 kWp

535W panels. Most semi-detached roofs take 10 to 16 on one pitch, but this panel is a large one, so the survey decides.

Is anyone usually home in the day?

Export rate

12p is the middle of the dated table on our tariff page and the honest default when we know nothing about you. The 20p rate is real but conditional, usually on taking both solar and a battery and being that supplier’s customer.

AIKO Neostar 3 535 W

Estimated benefit, year one

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— a month · — a day

Installed price

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Simple payback

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Generates a year

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Exported

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Your electricity use, worked back from that spend

Where the money comes from

Solar you use, Export income, Off-peak shifting,

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Three details. Your calculator settings travel with them, so your free 30-minute design call starts from your numbers.

The short answer

Are Aiko solar panels any good?

Yes, and they are at their best where roof space is the limit. At 24.3 per cent and 24.1 per cent module efficiency they get more power from each square metre than the 23.5 per cent LONGi panel in our standard package, from cells with no grid lines on the front.

The detail that matters more than the badge is the series. The same wattage comes as an all-black S panel with a 25 or 30-year product warranty, or a P panel with 15 years. Both carry the same 30-year output guarantee. Your quote names the exact code, and the tables below show what each one gets.

Where Aiko is not the obvious pick: a big, simple, unshaded roof where space is no constraint. There the efficiency lead matters less, both panels cost the same per kWp installed, and the choice comes down to the look and the product warranty on the series quoted, which your design call sets out side by side. Which? has lab-tested AIKO panels, including the 485 W Neostar 3P54; its scores sit behind a subscription.

The third-generation ABC INFINITE range behind Neostar 3, from AIKO Energy.

The two we fit

Aiko 485 W or 535 W: which suits your roof?

The two are almost equally efficient. The real difference is size: the 485 W is 192 mm shorter, so it fits more roofs; the 535 W puts more power in each panel, so a large roof needs fewer of them.

AIKO Neostar 3 485 W back-contact solar panel

Aiko 485 W: the compact one

1762 x 1134 x 30 mm, 24.3 per cent efficient, 108 cells. Suits smaller, split or busy roofs.

See the Aiko 485 W

Aiko 535 W: the bigger one

1954 x 1134 x 30 mm, 24.1 per cent efficient, 120 cells. Suits large, clear, simple roofs.

See the Aiko 535 W

Reading an Aiko model code

A quote might say 3S, 3S+, 3P or 3P+. The number is the generation (3 for Neostar 3), and the letters tell you the build and the warranty. Here is how to read one.

How to read an AIKO Neostar series name and model code
You see	It means
S (3S54, 3S60)	All black, single glass, longer product warranty (25 or 30 years)
S+ (3S+54, 3S+60)	All black, dual glass and bifacial, longer product warranty (25 or 30 years)
P (3P54, 3P60)	Black frame with a white backsheet, single glass, 15-year product warranty, extendable
P+ (3P+54, 3P+60)	Black frame, dual glass and bifacial, 15-year product warranty, extendable
54 or 60	The format: 54 is the 1762 mm panel (485 W), 60 the 1954 mm panel (535 W)
Mw, Mb, Dw, Db	The end of the code: M single glass, D dual glass; b all black, w a black frame with white showing behind the cells

The AIKO story

Where are Aiko panels made, and who is AIKO?

AIKO is a Chinese manufacturer, not a Japanese one, whatever the name suggests. Its panels are made in China and sold in the UK through AIKO Energy UK, based in Birmingham, and through its distributors.

AIKO says it has shipped more than 200 GW of cells and panels and employs over 10,000 people, with research centres in Freiburg in Germany as well as in China. Those are AIKO's own figures. What made its name is one idea taken further than most: putting every electrical contact on the back of the cell.

Companies House lists AIKO ENERGY UK CO., LTD under company number 14686935, incorporated 24 February 2023. Read from AIKO, the MCS directory and Companies House on 29 October 2026.

Inside AIKO's factory in Zhuhai, China, from AIKO Energy.

2009
AIKO starts in solar
AIKO dates its solar business to 2009. The group is listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (ticker 600732) and makes its cells and panels in China, at sites including Zhuhai, Yiwu and Foshan.
2023
Back contact wins an award, and AIKO comes to the UK
AIKO's ABC modules won an Intersolar AWARD in 2023. The same year it set up AIKO Energy UK in Birmingham and signed Segen as its UK distributor.
2024
A certified efficiency record
TÜV SÜD tested and certified an AIKO ABC module at 25.15 per cent efficiency, reported in February 2024.
2025
The third generation, Neostar 3
AIKO launched its third-generation ABC INFINITE range, which is where today's Neostar 3 485 W and 535 W panels come from.
2026
Named a top brand by UK installation firms
EUPD Research named AIKO a Top Brand PV 2026 for the United Kingdom, from its surveys of the firms that fit panels. AIKO also settled its patent dispute with Maxeon through a licence that covers the UK.

What back contact means on your roof

No grid lines on the front, so more of the panel catches light

On an ordinary panel, thin silver lines run across the front of every cell to carry the current away, and they shade a little of the cell. AIKO's ABC cell (All Back Contact) moves every contact to the back. The front is clear silicon, which is why the panel looks evenly black, and it helps the 485 W reach 24.3 per cent efficiency.

How the ABC cell works, from AIKO Energy.

Shade: AIKO's test, and an independent one

AIKO says a shaded ABC cell keeps passing current instead of dragging its whole section down. In a flash test AIKO cites, with one cell masked, its panel held about 95 per cent of its power under light cover and about 70 per cent under full cover, against about 90 and 40 per cent for the TOPCon panel beside it. That is AIKO's test. An independent side-by-side test by one Australian firm found almost no difference under moderate shade, and a net gain of under 1 per cent overall. The honest reading: a help with small, hard shadows such as a vent pipe, not a fix for a shaded roof.

AIKO's own partial-shading comparison, from AIKO Energy.

Hot spots and hot days

At Intersolar Europe in 2026 AIKO showed a TOPCon panel running over 150 °C at a shaded spot while its ABC panel stayed under 100 °C. Again, AIKO's demonstration. The datasheet figure that holds for every panel is the temperature coefficient: minus 0.26 per cent per C, so a hot roof costs a little less output.

AIKO's hot-spot comparison at Intersolar Europe 2026, from AIKO Energy.

Back contact solar panels, explained

What Aiko solar panels cost

Aiko panels are £1,000 per kWp installed, the same as our LONGi package, with the exact model code and its warranty on the written quote.

Installed prices for Aiko 485 W and 535 W systems by panel count, before any battery
Panels	Aiko 485 W	Aiko 535 W
8 panels	3.88 kWp, £3,880	4.28 kWp, £4,280
10 panels	4.85 kWp, £4,850	5.35 kWp, £5,350
12 panels	5.82 kWp, £5,820	6.42 kWp, £6,420

Installed, before any battery, subject to survey.

Per-panel prices you see online are trade prices for the bare module, before the inverter, the mounting, the scaffold, the electrical work and the MCS paperwork, so they say little about what a finished system costs. The figure to compare is the installed price per kWp, and the warranty behind it.

Add storage

The battery packages that pair with it

Warranty

Aiko warranty: 15, 25 or 30 years?

Thirty years on output for every series. The product warranty is the one that varies, and it varies by series, not by wattage.

01

Thirty years on output

Every Neostar 3 series carries the same 30-year performance warranty: at least 99 per cent of rated power in year one, then no more than 0.35 per cent a year, leaving 90.6 per cent at year 25 and 88.85 per cent at year 30. On a 485 W panel that is still about 431 W after three decades.

02

The product warranty is by series

The cover on the panel itself depends on the series, not the wattage: 15 years on the P series (AIKO can extend it to 20 or 25), 25 or 30 years on the S series. Your written quote names the exact model code, so you know which applies before anything is fitted.

03

What it does not cover

The output guarantee is for the front of the panel only. AIKO chooses whether to repair, replace or refund, and its terms leave removal and refitting costs with the owner. Claims go to AIKO or its authorised distributor in writing within 30 days of spotting a fault, with the panel serial numbers.

AIKO warranty documents: Distributed Common Modules, Residential Modules v1.8 and Full-black Gen-3 Infinite Modules v1.2, read 29 October 2026. The warrantor is Zhejiang AIKO Solar Technology Co., Ltd.

Product warranty by model code

Every AIKO 485 W model code, its series, build, weight, fire class and product warranty
Model code	Series	Build	Weight	Fire class	Product warranty
AIKO-A485-MCE54Mw	Neostar 3P54	Single glass, black frame, white backsheet	21.1 kg	Class C	15 years, extendable by AIKO to 20 or 25
AIKO-A485-MCE54Mb	Neostar 3S54	Single glass, all black	21.1 kg	Class C	30 years
AIKO-A485-MCE54Db	Neostar 3S+54	Dual glass, all black, bifacial	24.2 kg	Class A	30 years
AIKO-A485-MCE54Dw	Neostar 3P+54	Dual glass, black frame, bifacial	24.2 kg	Class A	15 years, extendable by AIKO to 20 or 25
AIKO-A485-GRH48Dw	Neostar 2P+48 (previous generation, 96 cells)	Dual glass, black frame, bifacial	24.1 kg	Class A	15 years, extendable by AIKO to 20 or 25

Every AIKO 535 W model code, its series, build, weight, fire class and product warranty
Model code	Series	Build	Weight	Fire class	Product warranty
AIKO-A535-MCE60Db	Neostar 3S+60	Dual glass, all black, bifacial	27.1 kg	Class A	25 years
AIKO-A535-MCE60Mb	Neostar 3S60	Single glass, all black	23.2 kg	Class C	25 years
AIKO-A535-MCE60Mw	Neostar 3P60	Single glass, black frame, white backsheet	23.2 kg	Class C	15 years, extendable by AIKO to 20 or 25
AIKO-A535-MCE60Dw	Neostar 3P+60	Dual glass, black frame, bifacial	27.1 kg	Class A	15 years, extendable by AIKO to 20 or 25

Are Aiko panels MCS certified?

Yes. Every Neostar 3 series at 485 W and 535 W is on the MCS product directory under certificate MR 50677721, issued by TÜV Rheinland to Zhejiang AIKO Solar Technology and valid from 16 May 2025 to 15 May 2030. We checked the directory on 29 October 2026.

That matters for your export payments. To be paid under the Smart Export Guarantee a supplier asks for an MCS installation certificate, and that certificate can only be issued for modules on the directory at the time of installation. Your certificate names the exact panels fitted. Our guide to the Smart Export Guarantee explains what to do with it.

Aiko or LONGi?

We fit both, at the same £1,000 per kWp installed. On the datasheets the Aiko panels lead on efficiency; the output guarantee and the heat loss are the same. The full comparison is in our guide, Aiko vs LONGi, and the LONGi page is here.

AIKO Neostar 3 485 W and 535 W against the LONGi Hi-MO X10 530 W, from the datasheets
	Aiko 485 W	Aiko 535 W	LONGi 530 W
Module efficiency	24.3 per cent	24.1 per cent	23.5 per cent
Size	1762 x 1134 x 30 mm	1954 x 1134 x 30 mm	1990 x 1134 x 30 mm
Cell	ABC back contact	ABC back contact	HPBC 2.0 back contact
Heat loss	minus 0.26 per cent per C	minus 0.26 per cent per C	minus 0.260 per cent per C
Output at year 30	At least 88.85 per cent	At least 88.85 per cent	At least 88.85 per cent
Product warranty	15 or 30 years by series	15 or 25 years by series	15 years signed, 25 on the UK datasheet
Price	£1,000 per kWp	£1,000 per kWp	£1,000 per kWp

Specification at a glance

The full datasheet tables, every code included, are on the 485 W and 535 W pages.

AIKO Neostar 3 485 W and 535 W, key figures
Rated power	485 W 535 W
Module efficiency	24.3 per cent at standard test conditions 24.1 per cent at standard test conditions
Dimensions	1762 x 1134 x 30 mm 1954 x 1134 x 30 mm
Weight	21.1 kg single glass, 24.2 kg dual glass 27.1 kg dual glass, 23.2 kg single glass
Cells	108, in a 54-cell format 120, in a 60-cell format
Temperature coefficient of Pmax	minus 0.26 per cent per C minus 0.26 per cent per C
Fire rating	IEC Class C single glass, Class A dual glass IEC Class A dual glass, Class C single glass
Output retained at year 30	At least 88.85 per cent At least 88.85 per cent

485 W first, 535 W second. Source: AIKO datasheets Neostar 3P54 (AIKO-A-MCE54Mw, 470-500 W), 3S54 (480-495 W) and 3S+54 (480-490 W), revision 202608 V1.1, and AIKO warranty documents Distributed Common Modules, Residential Modules v1.8 and Full-black Gen-3 Infinite Modules v1.2; AIKO datasheets Neostar 3S+60 (AIKO-A-MCE60Db, 515-545 W), 3S60, 3P60 and 3P+60, revision 202608 V1.1, and AIKO warranty documents Residential Modules v1.8 and Distributed Common Modules, read 29 October 2026.

Every installation is carried out by our teams, who hold:

Go deeper

Guides on this topic

Sourced, dated, and written to be read before anyone quotes you.

Aiko vs LONGi for a UK roof: Neostar 3 or Hi-MO X10?

Datasheet against datasheet, with a verdict by roof type and the warranty by series.

Read the guide →

Are solar panels worth it in 2026? Here is the actual maths

Roughly £1,000 per kWp installed, offsetting electricity at 26.32p a unit. The real arithmetic.

Read the guide →

Back contact solar panels, explained for a UK roof

What back contact changes on a roof, compared fairly with TOPCon, with the makers' own claims labelled.

Read the guide →

Best solar panels UK 2026: what the datasheets actually say

One pick per job, the specs behind each, and what moves payback more than the badge.

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DNO application timescales, network by network: from a G98 notification to a G99 approval

Fit and notify within 28 days, or wait ten working days to 45 for a yes. System size decides which.

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Do solar panels increase home value? What the actual data shows

The largest UK study found a 6.1% to 7.1% sale price premium. Here is the full picture.

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All guides →

FAQs

Aiko questions, answered

Are Aiko solar panels any good?

Yes. AIKO's Neostar 3 panels reach 24.3 per cent (485 W) and 24.1 per cent (535 W) module efficiency with ABC back-contact cells, and every series carries a 30-year performance warranty guaranteeing at least 88.85 per cent of rated output at year 30. They suit roofs where space is the limit. The product warranty differs by series, so check the model code on your quote.

Where are Aiko solar panels made, and are they Japanese or Chinese?

Chinese. AIKO is a Chinese manufacturer listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, and its panels are made in China, at Zhuhai, Yiwu and Foshan. The name is not Japanese in origin. In the UK it trades as AIKO Energy UK, based in Birmingham, and sells through distributors including Segen.

Is Aiko a Tier 1 solar panel brand?

AIKO states on its product pages that it is on BloombergNEF's Tier 1 list. That list is only available to BloombergNEF subscribers, so we treat it as AIKO's claim rather than something we have checked. Tier 1 measures a maker's bankability for large projects, not panel quality; the datasheet, the warranty and the MCS listing tell you more.

What is the warranty on Aiko solar panels: 15, 25 or 30 years?

All three, depending on the series. Every Neostar 3 panel has a 30-year performance warranty. The product warranty is 15 years on the P series (AIKO can extend it to 20 or 25), 25 years on the 535 W S series, and 30 years on the all-black 485 W S series. Your quote names the exact model code.

How much do Aiko solar panels cost in the UK?

Our Aiko installations are £1,000 per kWp installed, the same as our LONGi package: ten 485 W panels (4.85 kWp) are £4,850 and ten 535 W panels (5.35 kWp) are £5,350, before any battery. Online per-panel prices are trade prices for the bare module and leave out the inverter, mounting, scaffold, electrical work and MCS certification.

Are Aiko solar panels MCS certified?

Yes. Every Neostar 3 series at 485 W and 535 W is on the MCS product directory under certificate MR 50677721, issued by TÜV Rheinland and valid to 15 May 2030 (checked 29 October 2026). Your MCS installation certificate, which export tariffs ask for, names the exact panels fitted.

Do Aiko solar panels work in shade?

Better than a standard panel with small, hard shadows, according to AIKO's own tests: a shaded ABC cell keeps passing current rather than dragging its section down. An independent test found the gain small overall, under 1 per cent. Treat it as a help with a vent pipe or aerial shadow, not a fix for a roof in shade much of the day.

How do I check my Aiko panels are genuine?

Check that the model code on the label on the back of each panel matches your quote and your MCS installation certificate, and keep the serial numbers: AIKO asks for them on any warranty claim. You can check the MCS certificate itself online, and our guide on checking an MCS certificate shows how.

Aiko 485 W and 535 W solar panels, £1,000 per kWp installed.

Get my free quote

What would an Aiko array do for your bills?

Get this priced for your home

Are Aiko solar panels any good?

Aiko 485 W or 535 W: which suits your roof?

Aiko 485 W: the compact one

Aiko 535 W: the bigger one

Reading an Aiko model code

Where are Aiko panels made, and who is AIKO?

AIKO starts in solar

Back contact wins an award, and AIKO comes to the UK

A certified efficiency record

The third generation, Neostar 3

Named a top brand by UK installation firms

No grid lines on the front, so more of the panel catches light

Shade: AIKO's test, and an independent one

Hot spots and hot days

What Aiko solar panels cost

The battery packages that pair with it

Aiko warranty: 15, 25 or 30 years?

Thirty years on output

The product warranty is by series

What it does not cover

Product warranty by model code

Are Aiko panels MCS certified?

Aiko or LONGi?

Specification at a glance

Guides on this topic

Aiko vs LONGi for a UK roof: Neostar 3 or Hi-MO X10?

Are solar panels worth it in 2026? Here is the actual maths

Back contact solar panels, explained for a UK roof

Best solar panels UK 2026: what the datasheets actually say

DNO application timescales, network by network: from a G98 notification to a G99 approval

Do solar panels increase home value? What the actual data shows

Aiko questions, answered

Get my free quote