Never stop advancing: AIKO showcases its fourth generation of back-contact solar in Australia
November 2nd, 2026
Gen 4 panels with ABC 4.0 INFINITE Ultra cell technology lift power and efficiency across AIKO’s entire range, from home rooftops to solar farms, in the same panel sizes. It is the fourth generation in five years since AIKO took all-back-contact solar into mass production.
MELBOURNE, 2 November 2026 – Last week, AIKO showcased its Gen 4 solar panels at All-Energy Australia in Melbourne (28–29 October), giving Australian installers and industry a first look at the range ahead of its local release. Gen 4 received a strong reception from the Australian installers, distributors and customers who visited the AIKO stand. Built on ABC 4.0 INFINITE Ultra cell technology, the new range of all-back-contact (ABC) solar panels delivers up to 20 W more per panel, without making panels bigger or heavier.
For homes, Gen 4 brings 500 W performance to all-black panels in both dual-glass and mono-glass designs. For commercial and utility projects, the same performance upgrade extends across larger 60-, 66- and 72-cell formats.
Gen 4 reflects the growing maturity of back-contact technology. Over three generations, AIKO moved back contact from a premium niche into mainstream solar. With its fourth generation, the focus now shifts to maximising value for installers and customers on every roof.
What’s new in Gen 4
In the new ABC 4.0 INFINITE Ultra cell, six process upgrades lift average production cell efficiency from 27.2% to 27.4%. At the panel level, zero-gap cells, hidden rear connections (InvisiRibbon) and tighter string spacing cut non-generating area by about 20%, so 97% of the surface now produces power.
Every ABC INFINITE Ultra series format gains up to 20 W over the previous generation, at exactly the same size and weight. Against TOPCon panels of the same dimensions on the market today, that means up to 30 W more power per panel. In the 54-cell size used on most Australian homes, where AIKO released the world’s first 500 W, 25% efficient white-backsheet panel under 2 m² last year, Gen 4 pushes further to 510 W and 25.5% efficiency.
The INFINITE Ultra series also comes in a choice of larger formats to suit different projects. The 60-cell panel (1,954 × 1,134 mm) reaches 560 W, and the 72-cell panel (2,382 × 1,134 mm) reaches 700 W at 25.9% efficiency, the highest in the range.
Gen 4 also tackles back contact’s traditional weakness in rear-side generation, with the 66-cell bifacial panel now reaching up to 85% bifaciality and 670 W. This opens back contact to high-albedo sites, carports, ground-mounted systems and solar farms.
All-black 500 W: extreme power and aesthetics for Australia’s premium homes
For many owners of high-end homes, the look of solar has long been a reason to hold back. Visible gridlines, blue cell edges and uneven colour can clash with a carefully designed roof. And an all-black finish has historically come at the cost of performance, as older types of black panels typically run hotter and produce less power.
Gen 4 removes that trade-off, bringing 500 W and 25.0% efficiency to an all-black panel in the standard 1,762 × 1,134 mm size, with no visible gridlines and the same black colour between cells. Homeowners are no longer forced to choose between a premium look and premium performance, and they can choose between two designs.
Z Series is the premium choice, with a uniform pure-black finish front and back. Its sharp look is paired with a stronger frame, enhanced reliability and dual-glass construction, which together support a 40-year product and power warranty, matching the life of a new roof. Z Series is already open for orders in Europe and is expected to be available in Australia in 2027.
Neostar Champion, part of the Gen 4 Neostar range, delivers the same 500 W all-black performance in a mono-glass design, backed by a 30-year product and power warranty.
Designed with installers in mind
As the industry races toward higher wattage, a common shortcut has been to simply make panels bigger or thinner. It produces an eye-catching number on the datasheet, but the cost falls on installers: heavier lifts, awkward non-standard sizes, and roof layouts and racking that must be reworked.
AIKO chose a different approach. The INFINITE Ultra series gains power from better technology rather than a bigger frame. Each panel keeps the same size and weight as the matching previous-generation panel, and the 54-cell panels stay under 2 m² and 25 kg.
Installers also get more ways to mount Gen 4, where approved in the installation manual: short-side or long-side clamping, with or without rails, and short-side or long-side insertion. On the Z Series, an optimised structural design boosts the four-corner front-side mounting load from 1,600 Pa to 2,400 Pa. More watts per panel also means fewer panels, clamps and rails for the same system size, and AIKO’s local Australian team backs installers with training and technical support.
Installers, distributors and customers explore Gen 4 and the wider AIKO range on the stand.
Value beyond wattage
With AIKO, customers don’t have to trade one benefit for another. Alongside higher output, the INFINITE Ultra series strengthens fire safety, reliability and long-term energy performance, addressing the operating conditions and asset-life considerations that matter to installers, EPCs and system owners. Features vary by model.
- Fire safety. Anti-ignition features, active and passive fire protection and IEC Fire Class A, with hot-spot temperatures more than 35% lower than TOPCon under shading in TÜV Rheinland testing.
- Reliability. Copper interconnection resists micro-cracking, with zero cracks recorded in TÜV NORD’s 230 kg treading test, while improved insulation and moisture resistance protect the panel edges.
- Durability. Hail tested with 40 mm on specified mono-glass models.
- Long-term performance. Low degradation, cell-level partial-shading optimisation and a low temperature coefficient help protect output under challenging Australian conditions, from partial shade to summer heat, over the life of the system.
“Australian households have had AIKO back-contact panels on their roofs for several years, and Australian installers have helped prove the technology in some of the toughest conditions in the world,” said Alex Hang, Head of APAC, AIKO. “The INFINITE Ultra series gives them more power from every roof, more ways to mount it, and the confidence that comes from technology built to last for decades. We never stop advancing, and we want Australia to be among the first to benefit.”
What it means for Australian homes and businesses
Around 42% of Australian homes already have solar, and more than 500,000 home batteries have been installed under the Cheaper Home Batteries Program since July 2025. As households add batteries, EVs and heat pumps, the question is no longer whether to go solar, but how much a roof can deliver. With up to 30 W more per panel than TOPCon panels of the same size, Gen 4 lets homeowners fit around 6% more solar capacity on the same roof, for bigger savings, more solar to charge the battery and fewer grid purchases in the evening.
For businesses, the expansion of the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme to systems up to 1 MW opens commercial solar to many more sites. High-efficiency panels like AIKO’s ABC INFINITE Ultra series get more from every square metre of roof, unlocking higher system capacity and greater STC value. With multiple formats, including a high power-to-weight ratio for weight-constrained roofs, more businesses can find the right fit.
Becoming Australia’s favourite, one gigawatt at a time
In just under three years since bringing its ABC technology to Australia in February 2024, AIKO has become Australia’s favourite solar panel. It has been voted installers’ No. 1 choice for solar panels in the SolarQuotes Installers’ Choice Awards in both 2025 and 2026, and named a Top Brand PV 2026 for Australia by EUPD Research. Over that time, AIKO has delivered 1 GW of back-contact panels to Australia, powering households and businesses across the country.
With Gen 4, that momentum continues. During the Gen 4 showcase at All-Energy Australia, AIKO signed agreements for a further 1 GW with its local distribution partners, reflecting the demand already building for its next generation of back-contact solar.
AIKO and its Australian distribution partners sign agreements at All-Energy Australia 2026.
“We’re incredibly proud to have delivered our first gigawatt of ABC solar to Australian homes, and to have become the panel of choice for so many households in under three years,” said Thomas Bywater, Head of AIKO ANZ. “As Australia moves to unlock its ‘missing middle’ through the expanded rebate for systems up to 1 MW, AIKO is working closely with its distribution partners to bring high-efficiency solar solutions to commercial rooftops, helping Australian businesses access the full value of solar.”
Never stop advancing: delivering more value with every generation
Gen 4 reflects AIKO’s commitment to making high-performance back-contact solar accessible to every rooftop. Across its first three generations, AIKO focused on overcoming the technology and manufacturing barriers that had kept back contact in a premium niche. By making mass production commercially viable and bringing the technology to more accessible price points, it helped move back contact into the mainstream, helping more homes and businesses enjoy better performance and greater value from solar.
Gen 4 builds on that foundation by addressing a wider range of customer needs and project constraints. Its significance goes beyond a higher number on the datasheet: it brings together output, installation flexibility, reliability, safety and design, rather than asking customers to choose one or two strengths.
The ambition is not simply to make back contact more accessible, but to make it deliver more: greater productivity from every roof, stronger project economics and lasting value over the life of the asset.
More details on Gen 4 can be found at aikosolar.com/au/all-energy-australia-2026.