3 Tiers Regarding Solar Panel Features

In addition to price, when determining the best solar panel for your installation situation, it is essential to consider both how it is manufactured and what materials to use.

Tier One Solar

Tier one includes the top 2 percent of solar PV (photovoltaic) panel producers.  We consider Tier one manufacturers are those that are vertically combined. This means they control each stage of, the manufacturing method. These companies invest heavily in research and development, use superior robotic processes and have been manufacturing solar panels for more than five years.

Tier one producers use the purest/best grade of silicon to create solar cells. The higher the silicon grade, the longer the solar cell will last and the better it will perform in transforming the sun’s energy to electricity.

Tier one manufacturers create some of the best performing solar panels, and these can often be obtained at a very reasonable price.  Modules generated by Tier 1 producers include REC Solar, Flex, SunPower, and JA Solar.

However, “Tier 1” is a requirement that some manufacturers make that don’t fit our description, so it’s important to understand not all claiming to be Tier 1 are equal. Quality can vary significantly between Tier 1 manufacturers, so this should only be an aspect of due diligence when seeking for the best solar panels for your requirements.

Tier Two Solar

Tier two includes businesses who invest less in research and development, are reliant on both robotic and manual assembly on production lines and have often been in solar panel manufacturer for 2 – 5 years. Tier two manufacturers can produce right panels at reasonable prices, but it can be a hit and miss affair.

Tier Three Solar

Tier three incorporates 90% of new solar PV manufacturers. These companies construct panels only, they usually don’t manufacture their cells and don’t invest in research and development.

While often ready at a lower price, tier three manufacturers use human production lines for manual soldering of solar cells, which usually isn’t the best approach as quality can vary operator to operator and day to day. A Tier Three solar panel may, in the long run, fetched you much more regarding reliability and electricity output.

Curious about solar hard costs vs. soft costs near you, and how that might affect your own solar panel pricing? We here at HahaSmart you will have a look at what we can offer you on the cost of solar panels and cost of solar installations. We will strive to find you the best prices available. Follow the solar experts. Try our price checker tool. It tells you how much solar power you need and how much you can save on your energy bills each month. Please visit our solar blog to find out more about the benefits of going solar.