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Cheap Chinese panels vs expensive German ones

  • 29-11-2015 2:36pm
    #1
    murphaph
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,031 ✭✭✭✭


    Hi all,
    looking for honest opinions on the differences between the likes of Yingli/Trina and Solon or for that matter the expensive Korean ones like LG.

    I'm planning a 36 module installation on my 45°/SSW roof here in Germany and the price of the (suggested by dealer) LG Neon2 modules was like 50% more expensive than the Chinese panels (the branded ones like Yingli that is).

    For financial reasons here, it makes sense at present to more or less fill the (simple) roof with just under 10kWp of panels (going over sees the FIT drop off to a point where it's not really worth it).

    My preference is currently to use all the available roof space and buy lower power modules rather than "waste" roof space and buy higher power modules to make up the 10kWp. I will fit the modules myself as we'll have scaffolding up all around the roof anyway and the house builder says it's fine to schedule a week or so for that after the roofer is finished and we sign off on his work)

    Any thoughts?


Comments

  • #2
    quentingargan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,627 ✭✭✭quentingargan


    If you were investing in a solar park and borrowing dosh from the bank for it, they wouldn't ask where the panels are from, but whether or not they are on the "Tier 1" list. This is a list produced by Bloomberg which assesses solar PV manufacturers. All the brands you named are on the last version of the Tier 1 list that I saw, except for the German one. In order of volume manufactured, the Chinese panels occupy 7 of the top 10 manufacturers. I'm typing this on a Chinese laptop, connected to the internet via a Chinese router. I'm perfectly happy with the Chinese panels on my roof (which are none of the brands you mentioned).

    LG commands a premium because of higher energy density in their panels. You can also get panels with 300W packed into the same area for a similar premium, but I think all of the brands you are looking at are reputable and have valid EN61215 certs etc.


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