From daily news and career tips to monthly insights on AI, sustainability, Aerospace, and more—pick what matters and get it in your inbox.
Access expert insights, exclusive content, and a deeper dive into engineering and innovation.
Engineering-inspired textiles, mugs, hats, and thoughtful gifts
We connect top engineering talent with the world's most innovative companies.
We empower professionals with advanced engineering and tech education to grow careers.
We recognize outstanding achievements in engineering, innovation, and technology.
All Rights Reserved, IE Media, Inc.
Follow Us On
Access expert insights, exclusive content, and a deeper dive into engineering and innovation.
Engineering-inspired textiles, mugs, hats, and thoughtful gifts
We connect top engineering talent with the world's most innovative companies
We empower professionals with advanced engineering and tech education to grow careers.
We recognize outstanding achievements in engineering, innovation, and technology.
All Rights Reserved, IE Media, Inc.
With a mass-production efficiency exceeding 25% and an output of up to 545W, it is a high-performance answer to space crunch.
The world is currently busy electrifying almost everything. Household energy demand has surged, driven by the shift to electric cooking and the rise of long-range EVs.
But there is a physical problem: suburban roofs aren’t getting any larger.
AIKO Energy thinks it has the solution. Announced on March 11, the solar giant officially launched its third-generation ABC (All-Back Contact) 60-Cell Module in Australia. 
With a mass-production efficiency exceeding 25 percent and an output of up to 545W, it is a high-performance answer to space crunch.
This launch brings high-efficiency solar to Australia’s residential rooftops, commercial hubs, and remote off-grid locations.
“Australian installers are under real pressure right now: more competition, tighter margins, and customers who want more from their solar investment,” said Thomas Bywater, Head of Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia, AIKO Energy.
“AIKO’s Gen 3 ABC 60-Cell gives them one solution for every job on the list: homes, C&I, and off-grid. Same format, same install process, same warranty conversation. That simplicity is what lets a good installation business grow into a great one,” Bywater added.
As per the company, average new home systems reached 10.9kW in late 2025 in Australia. This scale was once defined by the commercial sector. Today, it’s simply the standard for any electrified home running a battery and a heat pump.
With rising demand, the roof size remains small. The new solar panel has been designed for exactly this constraint.
By removing all metal grid lines from the front of the panel — a design AIKO calls Infinite ABC technology — the module becomes a pure black sponge for sunlight. 
Every square millimeter works. Against comparable TOPCon panels, this tech delivers up to 30W more power per module. It turns a tight-fitting roof into a powerhouse. Also, it has a 15 percent higher lifetime energy yield per square meter. 
Australia’s climate is a solar panel’s worst enemy. Extreme heat usually kills efficiency. 
However, the Gen 3 ABC range features a temperature coefficient of −0.26%/°C. This means that when a Melbourne or Perth driveway is really hot, these panels keep their cool. The tech can run 30 percent lower in hot-spot temperatures than standard competitors.
Furthermore, these panels are built to last: after a small 1 percent dip in the first year, losing only 0.35 percent of their power annually. Hence, even after 30 years, the panels still perform at over 90 percent of their original capacity. 
To ensure the panels are “Aussified” for local conditions, AIKO has prioritized extreme durability. 
The range features 3.2mm front glass for superior hail protection, which is said to be 60 percent thicker than the industry average. It also has IEC Fire Class A certification for bushfire-prone areas. 
Among the other features, the panels also replace standard silver paste with copper interconnections. Plus, the modules feature stronger, crack-resistant joints that withstand high winds and intense mechanical stress.
Moreover, the tech is beneficial for commercial operators as well. On a typical 660m² factory roof, switching from standard TOPCon to AIKO Infinite can lift a system from 100kW to 107kW on the exact same footprint. 
For the installers, fewer panels mean fewer roof penetrations. It means fewer racks, faster jobs, and fewer heavy lifting sessions.
The range is already Clean Energy Council-approved and ready for the Australian sun. General supply for the 535–540W models will land in late April 2026, with the flagship 545W version arriving in limited quantities shortly after.
Mrigakshi is a science journalist who enjoys writing about space exploration, biology, and technological innovations. Her work has been featured in well-known publications including Nature India, Supercluster, The Weather Channel and Astronomy magazine. If you have pitches in mind, please do not hesitate to email her.
Exclusive content, expert insights and a deeper dive into engineering and tech. No ads, no limits.
Exclusive content, expert insights and a deeper dive into engineering and tech. No ads, no limits.
Premium
Follow

source