Understanding Solar Panel Warranties

Navigating Solar Panel Warranties

For individuals newly acquainted with solar energy, deciphering the complexities of solar panel warranties can prove challenging, primarily due to the existence of two distinct warranty facets: the product warranty and the performance warranty. What exactly is the difference between these?

Solar panels come with a manufacturer's product warranty that safeguards against potential failures arising from defective materials and failure of components.

As well as this, solar panels also feature a performance warranty, addressing the gradual decline in performance or degradation experienced over the panel's lifespan.

In this blog we’ll explain exactly what these are and we will touch on some products that we install mostly for our commercial and residential solar power systems here in Newcastle NSW.

We will state first and foremost however, you should ensure your receive a 25 year product warranty and a 30 year performance warranty with no more than 15% overall degredation!

Product Warranty

The product warranty, a safeguard provided by the manufacturer, shields consumers from defects stemming from manufacturing errors, quality discrepancies, or failures in components and materials. Within the product warranty period, manufacturers are obligated to either replace or refund solar panels experiencing failure. While a 10-year product warranty period is the industry norm, an increasing number of premium manufacturers now extend offerings to 15, 20, or even 25 years. Newy Solar Co exclusively offer panels that offer the 25 year product warranty, which means that in the span of 25 years if there are any faults detected in your solar panels, the manufacturer has a process where they will remediate you the costs for replacing the panel. It is important to pair the long warranty up with a reputable solar panel manufacturer such as Jinko, as this will ensure that the actual warranty will be honoured.

Performance Warranty

The performance warranty, also known as the power output warranty, guarantees that a solar panel maintains a minimal power output even after its expected 25-year lifespan. Exposed to sunlight, UV radiation, and varying temperatures, solar panels undergo a gradual reduction in power output known as Light Induced Degradation (LID). Typically, a 3% loss occurs in the first year, followed by an annual loss ranging from 0.3% to 0.7% over the subsequent 24 years.

Industry standards target 80-84% retained power output after 25 years. Notably, some manufacturers offer extended 30-year performance warranties, particularly for unique dual glass and bifacial solar modules. Below we see an example of the performance warranty by the Manufacturer Jinko for their Tiger Neo panel - one of the panels we use exclusively for our residential and commercial installations here in Newcastle. As you can see, after 30 years of performance they are rated to produce 87.4% of their original rated power. So, for a 440W panel after 30 years the panel is guaranteed to produce no less than 384W (87.4% of 440)

fr

Understanding Solar Panel Performance

While rooftop-mounted solar panels are generally reliable and low-maintenance, they inevitably experience minor degradation over time due to exposure to diverse environmental conditions. Solar panel degradation rates vary based on the cell-substrate type used—either P-type or N-type. N-type silicon substrates exhibit lower rates of degradation, losing only 0.5% per year, leading to nearly 90% retained power output after 25 years. In contrast, P-type cells, more commonly used due to lower production costs, experience a slightly higher degradation rate at approximately 0.8% per year.

Making a Warranty Claim

In the event of a potential issue, contacting the solar installer or retailer is the initial step for arranging an inspection or remote monitoring. If a fault is identified within the product warranty period, the installer manages the warranty claim. Documentation requirements include details about the issue, solar installation, installer information, and photos to ensure compliance with the manufacturer's specifications. Proper installation is crucial, as structural compromises due to mounting clamp misplacement or walking on solar panels during installation can lead to claim rejection.

Ensuring Solar Panel Performance

Short of obvious signs of failure, gauging solar panel functionality is challenging for untrained individuals. Real-world factors like temperature variations and sunlight fluctuations make accurate power output measurements difficult. Monitoring daily production levels through solar inverters with system monitoring capabilities provides a practical approach. External tools like WattWatchers online monitoring can offer additional analysis and alerts for performance issues.

Identifying Poor Solar Performance

Underperformance may result from various factors, including grid voltage issues causing solar inverter shutdowns. It is crucial to verify the solar inverter's fault status, check daily solar generation against expectations, and account for seasonal variations. External influences like shading, dirt, and leaves on panels should also be considered as simple dirt shading can contribute to large power drops. At Newy Solar Co we comprehensively monitor all of our products in our back to base platform that ensures all panels are working as they should. A solar maintenance plan will proactively identify any wrongdoings and help your system to perform at it’s best consistently for years to come.

If you would like further information on solar panel warranties, or you are interested in a solar quote from Newy Solar Co for a residential or a commercial solar power system in Newcastle, Maitland or the Hunter please get in touch with us here and we will be happy to help.