What solar panel brands I can trust?

In the tumultuous world of sifting through hundreds of brands and solar panel companies it can be very difficult knowing which brands are safe and trusted and which need to be avoided at all costs.

If you are currently getting quotes from solar panel installers you may have already been quoted four or five different brands. Each installer is likely also stating the brands they are recommending are the most reliable. They might even be advising you to steer clear of all the other recommendations! Very confusing.

The truth is that like many other industries (the auto industry for example) there are in fact hundreds of brands that offer quality products and valuable aftermarket service. To simplify the choices we thought you would find some value in knowing how Spinifex Energy chooses the solar panels we trust.

We have compressed the process of choice significantly and use only a small number of vetted solar panel brands. This reduces the minefield of choice that can sway making good decisions and ensures we have a professional knowledge and understanding of the equipment we choose and trust.

Firstly, below is a graphic on some of the brands we trust and recommend:

3 reasons we choose to trust a solar panel company:

COMPANY HISTORY:

A company history and trading experience speaks volumes about the equipment they produce. Some of the things we look for in a company history are:

1. Are they a publicly listed company?

2. If yes, how have their shares been trading?

3. How long has the company been in business?

4. What is their global reach? and

5. Do they have an Australian office (valuable for after market service and warranty claims)?

BANKABILITY (TIER 1):

There is much conjecture about using the Bloomberg Module Tiering system to define whether a panel is a quality product or not (Further Reading HERE). It does however strengthen the case for why Spinifex Energy will use certain brands over others. In short, whilst a Tier 1 module ranking does not necessarily reflect the quality of the product, it does account for the company’s bankability which we believe is an important factor to consider ALONGSIDE the module specific traits.

HERE is the latest list of 2019 Tier 1 solar panels.

CEC APPROVED LIST:

The third and final check we undertake to ensure our choice of equipment is sound relates to our own Australian front line of defense on poor products – the Clean Energy Council. For a company to be approved to actually sell their products in our country they need to be listed on the Clean Energy Council Approved PV Module list which can be found HERE. Whilst it may seem obvious that any modules being sold in our country need to have some sort of approval, there is a small minority of companies that have been caught installing unapproved panels.

NEXT STEPS

If you want to start saving on your electricity bills you can estimate what size system you may need HERE.

Or you can see what government incentives you might be entitled to HERE.