Aiko unveils back-contact solar module with ‘fully intelligent integration’

Aiko has introduced its latest solar module series, Navigator. Billed as an intelligent solar module, the company says Navigator resembles its existing N-type ABC module series but also features a “fully intelligent integration” that yields a 3% to 5% increase in annual output.

In a statement, Aiko said the launch marked “a significant step in integrating intelligence into high-performance PV modules”, helping asset owners to “unlock greater yields, lower operations and maintenance costs and maximize long-term value”.

The module’s junction box uses power-line communication (PLC) to transmit real-time data through existing DC cables, requiring no additional wiring. The data is transmitted to a central gateway and a cloud-based management platform, which allows operators to monitor each module. Aiko said this module-level data stream would allow for early detection of anomalies and AI-driven diagnostics, speeding up fault resolution.

Navigator has been designed to streamline maintenance at utility-scale plants. Aiko claims that a typical 10 MW site inspection could fall from around 30 working days to under one hour, a reduction of over 95% in effort. The company also said the module would recover up to 300,000 kWh per year in previously-invisible losses on a 10 MW array.

Navigator represents Aiko’s push to embed intelligence into high-efficiency PV modules. The company’s statement added that the built-in connectivity lays the foundation for future AI-driven diagnostics and autonomous maintenance, preparing solar farms for “the next stage of intelligence”.