Comparing Warranties of 20 leading Chinese Solar Panel Companies

Why is warranty gaining importance in the Solar Panel Industry

The rate at which solar panel companies are going bankrupt, warranty is becoming an essential element to consider before buying the solar panels. With prices of solar panels having fallen to as low as 55c-60c/watt, the only way solar panel producers can shine in the crowd is by giving additional quality and features, that can lure customers. Most of the solar panel manufacturers have increased their 5 year product warranty to 10 years in recent times with increasing competition.

Solar panels are a long-term investment and customers want to work with a bankable partners, hence warranty plays an important role in determining who will be the solar panel seller, from whom one can buy solar panels.

In these times of oversupply of solar panels when even the bigger producers are operating at razor thin margins, the companies who face survival questions need to be really cautious when drafting their warranty terms and conditions. So the customer needs to do his due diligence before buying solar panels from small solar panel companies, as they might not exist to serve the 25 year performance warranty on their solar panels.

Warranties of different Chinese Solar Panel Companies

i) Trina Solar (TSL)

Trina Solar panels come with a 10 years product warranty & 25 years linear power warranty.

ii) Renesola (SOL)

Renesola modules have a limited product warranty – 10 years repair, replacement or refund remedy and 25 years limited peak power warranty – limited remedy.

iii) Yingli Green Energy (YGE)

Yingli solar panels come with 10 years limited product warranty and limited power warranty of 10 years at 91.2% of minimal rated power output, 25 years at 80.7% of minimal rated power output.

iv) JA Solar (JASO)

JA Solar come with a 10-year quality guarantee and 10-25 years power output guarantee.

v) Canadian Solar (CSIQ) 

Canadian Solar Panels come with 10 years product warranty (materials and workmanship) and 25  years linear module power output warranty.

vi) ET Solar

ET Solar panels have a 25 years linear performance warranty and 10 years warranty on materials and workmanship.

vii) CEEG Solar

CEEG Solar panels have a 5 years materials and workmanship warranty and  25 years power output warranty.

viii) CNPV Solar

The company gives a 10 year workmanship warranty and a  25 year linear warranty. The warranty period with respect to power output continues for a total of 25 years from date of delivery, the first 12 years at 90% of the power output as specified  in CNPV´s product specification.

ix) BYD Solar

BYD solar panels have a  10 year product warranty and 25 year performance warranty.

x) Chint Astronergy

All Astronergy Products are subject to the following warranty terms:

Extended product warranty – 10 years

Output warranty of 90% performance Pmpp (STC) – 10 years

Output warranty of 80% performance Pmpp (STC) – 25 years

MunichRe Warranty – 25 years.

xi) China Sunenergy (CSUN)

CSUN modules come with a 10 year product warranty and 25 year power output guarantee.

xii) Tianwei Solar

Tianwei solar panels come with a warranty

Manufacturing: 10 years

Power Output:

• With in the first one year, the output power shall not degrade more than 3%
• With in the first two years, the output power shall not degrade more than 4%
• In the following 23 years, the average annual power degradation shall not exceed more than 0.6%

xiii) Chaori Solar

Chaori solar panels come with 5 years product warranty and 25 years (80%) power warranty.

xiv) NESL Solar

NESL solar panels come with 5 years limited warranty on material and workmanship; 12 years and 25 years limited warranty on minimum power output – less than 90% and 80% of the minimum peak power respectively.

xv) Sun Earth Solar

Sun Earth solar panels have a 5 year product warranty and and a  25 years performance warranty. Sun Earth Solar Power has like other solar panel producers now introduced a  new 10 Year Product Warranty.

xvi) Talesun Solar

All products come with a warranty of:

Product Quality Warranty: 10 years

Power warranty –

a) During the first year, Talesun guarantees the actual power output of the module will be no less than 97% of the labeled power output.
b) From year 2 to year 24, the actual annual power decline will be no more  than 0.7%; by the end of year 25, the  actual power output will be no less than 80% of the labeled power output.

25 year insurance-based guarantee to ensure our product and power output warranty (with non-cancel able term).

xvii) Phono Solar 

Phono Solar gives a  5-year product warranty and a 25-year performance guarantee (90% up to 10 years, 80% up to 25 years).

xviii) Sunlink Solar

Sunlink Solar provides 25-year output power warranty.

xix) LDK Solar (LDK)

LDK Solar provides one of the most comprehensive module warranties in the industry:

• 10 years for product defects in materials and workmanship
• First 12 years for 90% of warranted minimum power
• Remaining 25 years for 80% of warranted minimum power.

xx) Suntech (STP)

Suntech provides a material and workmanship warranty of 10 years and  a 25-year power output warranty.

The larger producers of solar panels from China are also selling solar panels at low prices. The advantage of buying from them is that there is more surety about their long term survival which is essential to meet the product warranty of the solar panels.