There are many brands of solar panels available, varying in size and energy output, which can be confusing to those who are new to the world of solar energy.
With the solar industry booming in the last few decades, we’re seeing more and more technological developments and improvements of solar panels. Panels wattages have increased from 250 watt to over 660 watt in the last few years.
This generally came with an increase in physical size, however, the most recent ranges have increased the wattage but reduced the physical size, meaning you get more generation from the same area.
Its easy to get caught up with what the best solar panel brands is, but the first thing to remember is that all the main solar panels manufacturers offer panels that are very reliable, high quality, highly efficient and with long warranties, we have installed and recommend the below brands.
- JA Solar.
- Longi
- Aiko
- DMEG
- Trina
Each of these panel manufacturers offer a range from 450 – 660 watt, some with additional performance and safety features and warranties up to 30 years.
As the title might suggest, Solar panel outputs have increased drastically over the last 10 years, Aiko have recently launched the Stella 1N+ which is available in up to 660 watt, a significant increase from the average 250-300 watt less than a decade ago.
Solar panel efficiency is the percentage of sunlight that a solar panel can convert into usable energy. Early solar panel were around 15 % efficient. Further technological advances and the development of bi-facial panel increased this to around 20-22 %, the latest Aiko Neostar Generation 3 solar panels are now reaching 24.5 % and the Longi Hi-MO ZX10 a staggering 24.8%
Hot spots on solar panels can lead to module failure, loss of power generation, and even cause fire in extreme cases.
Another huge development from manufacturer, Aiko, the Ultra-safe – Temperature Rise Suppression.
This function keeps the modules stable within a certain set temperature range, with temperature rises reduced by 31%, effectively reducing the risk of hot spots and lowering fire hazards .
Partial shading to a panel or even part of a panel, can reduce the generation by up to 80% Optimisers have been used to negate this and maintain the performance of the non shaded panels. Yet another ground breaker from Aiko, their Partial Shading Optimisation technology, these modules operate differently. Unlike traditional panels, these AIKO panels can bypass individual shaded solar cells without affecting the entire string, ensuring continuous energy production from the rest of the panel. Shading one cell results in only single digit percentage power loss, with the bypass diode activating only when four cells are shaded, thus maintaining higher overall efficiency.
As mentioned earlier, all leading manufacturers offer great solar panels, from our experience, research and speaking directly to the manufacturers, our top 5 panels are:-
Aiko – Neostar 3
Longi – Hi-Mo X
JA Solar
DMEGC
Jinko – Tiger Neo
Trina – Vertex
AIKO Solar is a leading global photovoltaic (PV) manufacturer, widely regarded as one of the most innovative players in the solar industry. Specializing in high‑efficiency solar cell and module technologies. The company is best known for pioneering, flagship N‑type ABC (All‑Back‑Contact) solar cell architecture, a design that removes front‑side busbars to maximize light absorption and improve both performance and aesthetics.
AIKO’s modules have earned major awards, including:
- 2023 Intersolar Innovation Award
- 2023 Red Dot Design Awards
These awards reflect the company’s emphasis on design, research, efficiency, and innovation
Founded in 2000, LONGi Green Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (LONGi) is committed to being the most valuable solar technology company in the world.
Under the mission of “To make the best of solar energy to build a green world” with a brand positioning of “The most trusted, reliable solar company that blazes the trail for green technology, “LONGi is developing solutions for large-scale power plants, for different industries and households with its innovation-focused development.
Eventually, we will also supply “Green Power + Green Hydrogen” solutions for global zero-carbon development.
Founded in 2005, JA Solar has quickly established itself as a leading global manufacturer within the industry. The PV solar systems have been sold in 135 countries and regions with over 33,000 clients worldwide.
In particular, JA solar panels have been favoured for use in commercial solar farms and ground-mounted power plants across the planet. Founded in China they now have 12 manufacturing bases and 20 branches worldwide. JA Solar is commonly considered one of the best solar panel brands for large-scale projects.
Founded in 1997, Trina Solar Co., Ltd is mainly engaged in PV products, PV systems and smart energy. PV products include R&D, production and sales of PV modules.
Globalization is regarded as Trina Solar’s main corporate strategy. In recent years, the Company has recruited international high-level management and R&D talents from more than sixty countries and regions. It has set up regional headquarters in Zurich, Fremont (USA Silicon Valley), Miami, Tokyo, Singapore, Dubai, offices or branches in Madrid, Mexico, Sydney, Rome, etc., as well as manufacturing bases in Thailand and Vietnam with operations in more than 160 countries and regions around the world, making them one of the largest solar panel manufacturers in the world.
By the first half of 2023, its cumulative shipment of solar modules had exceeded 150GW, which is close to the installed capacity of 6.5 Three Gorges Dam power stations and equivalent to planting 11 billion trees worldwide.
SolarEdge has a focus on solar inverters as smart energy managers. This means as well as converting DC to AC energy your inverter can choose when to use energy from the grid VS its own stored energy. Some models may also choose when to power certain smart devices in your home to save money by heating water when energy rates are low, for example.
SolarEdge is a global company with 16 offices worldwide. Their website allows you to download localized PDF datasheets listing the efficiency, noise level, and other important factors of their inverters.
Solis is an Australian-based company with more than twenty years of solar inverter technical development experience. They offer both single and three-phase solar inverters depending on your budget VS worries about voltage drop. They also offer energy storage inverters that have the benefit of a built-in battery.
Solis has a wide selection of solar inverters; differing in efficiency, functions, and noise generated. This enables you to balance your budget against what you need from your PV solar setup.
Sunsynk is based in Cheshire in the United Kingdom. Their solar inverters are available with an integrated app and customisable installation. This means you can choose which inverter setup to start with and upgrade as your needs change.
You can start with a grid-tied system consisting of solar panels and the inverter. You can also choose a hybrid system consisting of panels, the inverter, and a battery or go entirely off grid. You’re also able to install the inverter and battery with no solar panels to better regulate your energy use.
