With residential solar energy becoming more popular year by year, there are now many manufacturers that produce solar panels. With so many options to consider, many first-time Solar Panel shoppers get overwhelmed with the choices.
Many people gravitate to the big name brands like Samsung, LG, Sharp, or Panasonic, but are these brands better than the lesser-known Solar Panel brands? We will go over some of the most commonly searched brands and highlight some of their best solar panel models to help you decide.
1: Solar World
SolarWorld performs a lot more tests than the standards stipulated in international regulations. They must ensure that every component they use meets at least three times the IEC requirements.
Unlike most solar panels on the market these days, SolarWorld panels are designed to withstand heavy snow and ice accumulations. The performance of most solar panels exhibits a mere 2 percent measuring tolerance on average. SolarWorld is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of solar modules.
Sun modules from Solar World are tested for salt spray resistance in accordance with IEC 61701. A variety of other products are also available from the company, including textured glass and 3rd-party testing.
2: LG Solar
LG Solar (a division of LG Electronics) has designed and developed leading-edge solar panels for solar installers and homeowners for several years. In addition to their long-lasting power, remarkable efficiency, and remarkable reliability, these solar panels are designed to operate perfectly in residential, commercial, and utility applications.
Modules undergo a series of rigorous checks and processes, including a cell process, modules process, quality assurance system, and laboratory testing and analysis, before they are sent out to be distributed around the world.
Newer LG Solar panel models like the “LG NEON2 LG315N1C-G4” model feature LG’s new module, NeON 2, which adopts Cello technology. Cello technology replaces three busbars with 12 thin wires to enhance power output and reliability. NEON 2 is an example of LG’s efforts to go beyond efficiency to increase customer value.
The product offers enhanced warranties, durability, performance under real-world environments, and an aesthetic design suitable for roofs. In LG NeON 2, the rear of the cell will contribute to power generation, just like its front; the light beam that is reflected from the back of the module is reabsorbed, providing a great deal of power in addition to the front.
3: Yingli
Yingli Solar is one of the largest manufacturers of solar panels in the world. The Yingli company has shipped over 65 million solar panels to more than 90 countries, namely Germany, Spain, Italy, Greece, France, South Korea, China, Japan, Brazil, Australia, South Africa, Mexico, and the United States.
Yingli Green Energy is the largest solar module manufacturer in the world in terms of module production capacity. Its two primary solar module product lines are the monocrystalline PANDA Series and the multi-crystalline YGE Series. The company’s manufacturing facilities are located in Baoding, Haikou, Tianjin, and Hengshui.
Over 15 GW of Yingli solar modules are deployed worldwide. In 2012, Yingli reached a production capacity of 2,450 MW per year.
Because of the financial difficulties that the company is experiencing, the company is no longer being able to supply tier one panels. Although this is not a direct measure of panel quality, it does provide a good indication of the quality of the panels produced by a particular manufacturer.
There is a possibility that Yingli’s panels may once again gain tier one status in the future, as it is currently being restructured to put it on stronger financial footing.
4: Sharp Solar
The Sharp Solar Company developed its first solar cells in 1959. Among the first to realize the potential of solar energy, they have continued to create it with a variety of products over the years.
To assist the world in reducing its reliance on carbon, Sharp Solar is committed to providing reliable solar solutions. Sharp Solar manufactures polycrystalline and monocrystalline PV modules with a reputation for high quality and reliability.
The NUJC370 is a high-performance option for homeowners looking to get the best efficiency from their rooftop solar panels. Numerous changes have been made to the design to increase the power production capacity of the upgraded model. These changes result in a conversion efficiency of 20%.
This model features improved performance and is a hybrid system with two basic designs: a half-cell design that allows each half to work independently and a split panel design that offers more efficiency. Divvying up the panels improves efficiency by increasing power output and reducing losses from resistance and heat. Because the panels are divided into two halves and can function even if one half is shaded, the other half can still produce full power.
5: Panasonic
Over the past 40 years, Panasonic Eco Solutions has developed high-efficiency, high-quality panels that are among the best in the world. To date, over one billion solar cells have been manufactured by them.
Currently, the company manufactures and supplies some of the highest quality photovoltaic panels available on the market today. In 2013/2014, the HIT series attained 25.6% conversion efficiency at the R&D level, which is the world’s best cell conversion rate.
A recent announcement by Panasonic reassured its position as a premium solar module manufacturer with the launch of the new VBHN325SA17. Panasonic makes use of a strict materials selection process and uses qualified manufacturing processes to create its products.
An integrated factory is able to ensure comprehensive quality checks at every stage of production due to its vertically integrated nature. IEC certification has been obtained by JET for the modules that are a result of this process.
Panasonic’s line of photovoltaic modules HIT features a state-of-the-art heterojunction structure that combines monocrystalline and amorphous silicon layers together. In order to prevent carrier loss, very thin amorphous silicon layers are present on the substrate that help to prevent the recombination of electrons. The resulting efficiency ratings make HIT conversions among the highest available on the market today.
6: Canadian Solar
Among the top producers of solar panels globally, Canadian Solar has won two of the most prestigious awards in this area. Based in Canada, the company was founded in 2001 and has production centers in China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Brazil, Taiwan, and India.
With Canadian Solar, you can find solar panels designed for both residential and commercial applications and utility-scale applications, all of which have competitive prices and are reliable and of high quality.
There are a few models from Canadian Solar that are distinctly popular. These are the Ku and HiKu series of panels available in both polycrystalline and monocrystalline modes. In terms of power ratings, the Ku lines are available between 295W and 335W, and the HiKu range is between 325W and 375W.
With the benefits of cast mono-crystalline PERC half-cut cells with five busbars or multiple busbars (MBB), these high power ratings can be achieved with a maximum efficacy of 20.3%. This set of panels manufactured by HiDM uses mono PERC shingled cells in a vertical format, which offers several benefits, including improved shade tolerance, reduced risk of microcracks, and an efficiency increase of 20.5% compared with the conventional panels.
7: Sunpreme
In the past six years, Sunpreme has developed from a start-up company, rapidly transitioning into a global company in the growth phase. The Silicon Valley innovation culture has its heart in Sunnyvale, California, the center of the region’s innovative culture. Additionally, we have a state-of-the-art, fully operational integrated production line in Jiaxing, near Shanghai in China, with state-of-the-art technology.
8: MidNite Solar
MidNite Solar is a North American solar energy manufacturer that provides high-quality grid-connected and off-grid equipment that meets the most stringent quality and cost-effectiveness standards.
In addition to MPPT charge controllers, e-panels, combiners, battery enclosures, pre-wired solar systems, surge protection devices, and quality AC and DC disconnect boxes, the company provides a range of quality products for the solar industry. We offer the complete MidNite range of Surge Protection Devices (SPD) designed to protect your data and equipment from lightning strikes and power line surges.
9: SolarEdge
SolarEdge Technologies has been among the fastest-growing manufacturers of solar inverters worldwide with a steady growth rate. The company’s product line consists of string inverters, power optimizers, energy storage devices, and energy monitoring solutions.
These can be installed at residential, commercial, and even utility-scale locations. Their products address energy efficiency by tracking the “Maximum Power Point” at the module level (MPPT).
This method eliminates the need for string sizing and eliminates temperature variation in the system, as the inverter operates at its maximum efficiency due to fixed string voltages. SolarEdge is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of string solar inverters. Instead of following the conventional manufacturing processes for string solar, the company uses power optimizers to maximize each panel’s power generation based on the company’s experience.
In addition to SolarEdge’s excellent engineering capabilities, it is a leading inverter manufacturer due to its focus on innovation. The company offers an array of energy-conscious and extremely useful products you should consider.
10: Samsung Solar
Solar panels made by Samsung Solar are of high quality, making them an excellent choice for photovoltaic arrays. Over the next decade, the company plans to invest tens of billions of dollars in solar and wind power generation.
The company announced it would make significant investments in Ontario’s offshore wind and solar industries in a recent announcement. By entering the wind, solar, and smart grid market, Samsung hopes to compete with GE and Siemens, who already have huge presences in the wind, solar, and smart grid space. Several of Samsung’s manufacturing facilities are located within the Yongin-si Municipality in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.
As seen from the company’s website, it appears that the array consists of 188-250 Watt Solar Panels, mainly with an efficiency of 14-16%, which is not uncommon for other solar panels of this type. Although we expect that Samsung will be putting more effort to enter the solar panel industry, it seems that Samsung is not competing hard enough as of now.
11: Tesla Solar
Tesla is one of the nation’s largest solar installers, having installed more than 430,000 solar systems in the United States. With its extensive experience and its price match guarantee, Tesla can offer its customers the most competitive and competitive prices.
Aside from their quality products and service, they have a nationwide service and support network with installations handled by in-house crews and technical support from local distributors.
The hardware portion of buying solar from a traditional provider usually comprises only half of the total cost. The rest is attributed to the design, permitting process, and the installation itself. It is through streamlining the order process and reducing the time between the order and the installation process that Tesla can forgo some of these costs and offer the lowest price solar in the US as well as a price match guarantee.
With Tesla’s proprietary mounting system, solar panels can be attached to your roof very low, and the gaps between panels are kept to a minimum. Using all black panels, Tesla solar systems blend in with your roof and protect your panels from debris by using integrated side skirts that discreetly hide edges. Because the design and installation of Tesla solar systems is done in-house, it offers the most comprehensive warranty of any provider of solar power systems. Tesla provides some of the best warranty coverage in the market on the workmanship and performance of their solar panels.
Those of you who have other Tesla products will already be familiar with the Tesla App. The app lets you monitor your solar production, customize your Powerwall settings, as well as modify your vehicle charging preferences from your phone. Tesla energy products are designed to bring sustainable energy to your home and to provide you with a comfortable, sustainable lifestyle.
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