First there's Tier 1, now Tier 2 panels? What's next? Tier 4?
Thinking of making the switch to solar power? First off, great idea, because you’ll be shrinking your energy bills, reducing your carbon emissions, and be far less reliant on the grid for your electricity.
Choosing the right solar panels can be difficult though, especially when you’re bombarded with information on the different types of solar panels, and when solar companies start yelling about their ‘Tier 1’ solar panels.
You’re probably wondering what a Tier 1 solar panel even is, and yes, just to confirm, the existence of Tier 1 solar panels means there are also Tier 2 solar panels to consider.
Key Points:
Tier 1 solar panel companies typically make the most reliable solar panels.
You’ll pay more for solar panels from Tier 1 companies.
Tier 2 companies can still make good panels, it’s just not as much a guarantee as buying panels from Tier 1 companies.
Our pick for the best solar panel from a Tier 1 company is the brilliant Fusion 2 from REA.
You can start designing your solar system here with our free tool.
What Are Tier 1 Solar Panels?
The first thing you need to know about “Tier 1” solar panels is that the term “Tier 1” is used to describe the solar panel manufacturer — not the solar panels themselves. It was a term coined by BloombergNEF (New Energy Finance) to help buyers and investors better determine whether a solar panel brand was a good choice.
Although the term doesn’t refer to solar panels specifically, Tier 1 solar panel manufacturers do tend to make really good solar panels, so a Tier 1 ranking is still a great indicator that you’ll be getting a high-quality solar panel.
To earn a Tier 1 ranking as a solar panel manufacturer, a company needs to be seen as financially reliable by at least six major banks who want to invest in them.
For the banks, a solar panel company needs to be consistently making solar panels of a certain quality, honouring warranties, and commitments. It’s basically the banks saying “yeah we trust you, your solar panels, and the service you provide to customers — keep it up.”
What Are Tier 2 Solar Panels?
Tier 2 solar panels, as we explained above, refer to companies, not the panels themselves. So a Tier 2 solar panel company is a solar panel manufacturer that doesn’t meet the same criteria that a Tier 1 solar panel company does.
Being a Tier 2 solar panel manufacturer doesn’t mean its solar panels are always lower quality. It could be down to one of several things: the company hasn’t operated long enough, it hasn’t fully automated its solar panel production, or its customer reputation isn’t yet robust enough.
In fact, nearly 98% of all solar panel manufacturers are in the Tier 2 category!
The main issue with using a Tier 2 company is that unlike a Tier 1 company, you cannot guarantee quality.
Explore a Solar Case Study: Check out an insightful Q&A session featured in one of our detailed case studies on domestic solar panels. Hear directly from a Heatable customer in the UK and gain valuable perspectives on their experience here.
The image above shows a 23-panel solar installation, carried out by the MCS-certified solar team at Heatable, featuring the REA Fusion2 solar panels.
How Does a Solar Panel Company Qualify for Tier 1?
To qualify for a Tier 1 rating, a solar panel company must meet some or all of the following requirements:
Have at least five years manufacturing solar panels.
Be listed on the public stock exchange OR have strong accounting practices (basically a solar panel company needs to be financially sound).
Fully automated production lines (solar panels made by hand sounds whimsical, but you want absolute precision when it comes to solar technology).
Have a high level of vertical integration (this is a fancy way of saying a company manages many parts of its supply chain, so in this case, a company can get the materials for solar panels, make them, and supply them).
Top quality materials (Tier 1 companies don’t skimp on the materials used in solar panels, so you can guarantee they’ll be made to last).
Substantial investments in marketing and product development (if you’re gonna make great solar panels, you’re gonna want to sing about them and keep working to improve them).
An established reputation for customer support and product quality.
Just a few requirements to meet then… It's pretty clear that becoming a Tier 1 company isn’t a walk in the park, so you can rest easy if you buy your solar panels from one.
What Is a Tier 1 Solar Panel Warranty?
Tier 1 solar panel companies typically offer both a 12-year product guarantee, and a 25-year linear performance warranty.
The product guarantee is protection against your solar panels failing during the 12-year period, and the performance warranty guarantees that your panels’ expected power output won’t dip below a certain level.
Tier 1 Solar Panel Quality
Quality is the main benefit of choosing a Tier 1 manufacturer. You’ll know your solar panels are made from only the best materials and created on automated production lines with incredible precision.
Solar panels cost a fair bit of money, so you want to make sure you’re investing in a solar system that’ll withstand the elements and stand the test of time. Solar panels from Tier 1 companies all but guarantee this.
You’ll also have much more reliable degradation rates, which is a metric for the inevitable performance loss of solar panels over time. Panels from Tier 1 companies will have been rigorously tested under all sorts of conditions, so you can trust that when they say their panels will degrade at a certain rate, this’ll be true.
Solar panels from Tier 2 companies won’t undergo the same testing standards, so the degradation rate could vary wildly from what they say it’ll be.
A study done by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in the US found that panels from Tier 1 manufacturers degraded at a slower rate than panels from Tier 2 companies. After 25 years, panels from Tier 1 companies had degraded by an average of 6.96%, compared to 11.33% for panels from Tier 2 companies.
So it might be more expensive to buy solar panels from Tier 1 companies, but in the long run, you’ll potentially save more money on your energy bills and have a shorter break-even point.
You’ll also not need to replace solar panels from a Tier 1 company as quickly as you likely would with a Tier 2 company. If long-term sustainability is your goal, then panels that degrade at a slower rate (and therefore last longer) are your best option.
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Tier 1 Solar Panel Cost
Solar panels from Tier 1 companies typically cost 10–30% more than panels from Tier 2 brands, because buying from a trusted name comes at a premium.
It’s worth it though, as you wouldn’t want to cut costs on a solar panel system and find your panels generate less power, don’t last as long, and aren’t covered by a robust warranty.
Should I Choose Tier 1 or Tier 2?
At the end of the day, who you choose is up to you, but if you want our expert opinion, choosing a Tier 1 solar panel company is the right choice.
You’ll get all of the above benefits (high quality, top warranties, reliability) and a seal of approval from the research gurus over at BloombergNEF.
Additionally, you get the security that your warranty will be honoured if something does go wrong. A big part of being a Tier 1 company is convincing BloombergNEF that you’ll be around for the long haul, so customers know their warranties will be valid decades later.
When Is Choosing Tier 2 Solar Panels a Good Idea?
Where a Tier 2 company might be a good option is for budget-conscious setups, or setups where you don’t need a super high power output. Thin-film solar panels, for example, are commonly made by Tier 2 manufacturers and are perfect for flexible setups where you need panels to bend around a surface (such as on a caravan or a boat).
The Best Tier 1 Solar Panels
We’ve ranked the best solar panels from several Tier 1 manufacturers below:
REA Fusion 2 — Best Overall
Power output: 400-480 watts
Efficiency: 22-24%
Warranty period: 25 years
Performance warranty: 85% after 25 years
Heat resistance: 0.27% per °C
Cost per panel: £400 to £420
Weight: 22.8kg
Dimensions: 1722mm x 1134 x 30mm
Fusion 2 solar panels from Australian company Renewable Engineering Australia (REA) are our pick for the best overall solar panels from a Tier 1 manufacturer. They’re the only REA solar panels available in the UK, and you can get them exclusively through Heatable Solar.
Here’s why we picked REA Fusion 2 solar panels as our best overall:
Sleek aesthetics
Fusion 2 solar panels are made from high-efficiency N-type M10 Topcon solar cells and offer a seamless, sleek design that’ll look fantastic on your roof. Gone are the days of cheaper looking blue panels — stylish monocrystalline panels are here to stay.
Double-sided panels
Each Fusion 2 panel is double-sided, which gives your system even more power than single-sided panels. They’re double-glazed for maximum longevity too.
Efficiency
REA Fusion 2 panels are incredibly efficient and can comfortably reach 23.9%, beating most other panels on the market. There’s a reason Fusion 2 panels topped our list of the most efficient solar panels you can buy in the UK right now.
In-built Microinverters
Each Fusion 2 panel works together with its own Enphase microinverter that locally converts the DC power generated by the panel into AC power that can be used in your home immediately.
Longi Solar 525W MONO — Best Power Output
Power output: 525 watts
Efficiency: 22.1%
Warranty period: 12 years
Performance warranty: 84.8% after 25 years
Heat resistance: 0.29% per °C
Weight: 26kg
Dimensions: 2094 X 1134 X 35mm
Longi is another Tier 1 company currently making some pretty fantastic solar panels. Particularly good is its Solar 525W Mono, which has the best power output of any solar panels from a Tier 1 company we’ve reviewed here today.
It’s capable of a whopping 525 watts (w), which means you could achieve the average daily electricity consumption (8kWh) of a three-bedroom home in the UK with just four panels. This is assuming ideal sunshine conditions for four or more hours, but it’s still super impressive.
The 525W MONO doesn't quite meet the incredible efficiency of REA’s Fusion 2, but it’s pretty close and it’d still be a good solar panel to purchase.
A downside to the 525W MONO is that this is a chunky solar panel — each individual panel weighs 26kg (Fusion 2 is a little lighter at 22.8kg). Size wise they’re hefty too, and they’ll take up a good deal more roof space than Fusion 2 panels.
It’s okay if you have lots of room on your roof, but if space is at a premium, 525W MONO panels might not be for you.
SunPower Maxeon 3 — Best for Warranty
Power output: 370 watts
Efficiency: 22.4%
Warranty period: 40 years
Performance warranty: 88.2% after 40 years
Heat resistance: 0.29% per °C
Weight: 21.2kg
Dimensions: 1812 x 1046 x 40mm
Solar panels last a long time and that’s why most manufacturers are happy to give lengthy product and performance warranties. SunPower, a Tier 1 manufacturer with an excellent reputation for long-lasting solar panels, took the average 25-year warranty and said “make it 40 years.”
That’s how confident it is that its flagship Maxeon 3 solar panels will still be powering homes four decades later.
Maxeon 3s aren’t as powerful as Fusion 2 panels however, so even though they’re covered to last longer, they won’t be generating quite as much power. Neither are Maxeon 3 panels bifacial (double-sided), so they won’t function as well as Fusion 2 panels in lower-light conditions (which are fairly common in the UK!).
Next Steps For Your Solar Journey:
When planning to install solar panels for your home, there are several important factors to consider. Make sure to refer to the following guides to help you make informed decisions:
To dive deeper into these topics, head over to our advice section, check out our YouTube channel for informative videos, or read a customer case study to see how others have benefited from their solar installation.
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