What does TIER-1 mean and why is it so important
What is a Tier 1 solar panel?
It is quite evident that the term "TIER 1" is used loosely and frequently by many energy sales companies or manufacturers who use it to describe their PV panels as being of high quality. In reality they are not always correct in doing so.
The Tier 1 rating scale is orchestrated by Bloomberg New Energy Finance Corporation and is used to rank solar panel manufacturers in terms of banking capacity or financial stability.
It can be rightly assumed that a level 1 ranking has more to do with financial stability than with product quality ... and the answer is yes. Bloomberg defines a Tier 1 solar producer as "those who have supplied products to five different projects that have been financed without recourse by five different (non-development) banks over the past two years."
The list of Tier-1 photovoltaic modules is updated quarterly. Below is the most recent list of Tier-1 producers, relating to Q4 2020, with related production capacity.
NB: the following list is in order of production capacity, it does not represent a bankability or quality ranking.
LONGi 35,200
Jinko 27,500
Trina Solar 23,650
JA Solar 16,500
Canadian Solar 15,400
Risen 13,860
QCells 11,770
Suntech 11,000
GCL Systems 7,920
Talesun 7,700
First Solar 7,150
Eging 5,720
ZNShine 5,500
Seraphim 5,500
Haitai New Energy 5,500
Jolywood 3,300
Jinergy 2,970
Jenton 2,750
LG Electronics 2,640
VSUN Solar 2.310
Waaree 2,200
Phono Solar 2,200
Neo Solar 1,980
REC Group 1,980
Hengdian 1,760
ET Solar 1,760
HT-SAAE 1,650
Adani 1,650
Renesola 1,650
Vikram 1,320
Boviet 1,320
Ulica 1,100
Hansol 660
Leapton 660
Goldi Solar 550
S-Energy 583
Heliene 429
Shinsung 330
Sharp 231
Swelect 154
And the quality? As explained above, TIER 1 is not a quality ranking, but a list of manufacturers of photovoltaic panels considered bankable.
That said, a bank would not finance a large-scale project worth $ 200 million if the product used was in danger of failing in the short term, so, as a logical consequence, a Tier-1 photovoltaic panel is definitely a high quality panel. or should we say a photovoltaic panel designed to produce energy for the entire time of the expected life, which is about 25 years.
The other reason why a Tier 1 solar panel can be assumed to be a quality panel, is based on the criteria set by Bloomberg as only solar panel manufacturers who own their own manufacturing facility can be included for review.
If a solar company outsources the production of its panels, it will not be included in the tier 1 list. If a company has its own manufacturing facility, then you know there will be strict quality control guidelines in place which will ultimately translate into into a better and more reliable product!
Companies that have invested in their own production are also investing in the research and development of their products. Simply put, they want their solar module to be better than a competitor's. Having a competitive advantage (such as a higher efficiency panel) over similar manufacturers can lead to better sales.
It is important to note that only a very small percentage of the world's solar panel manufacturers reach Tier 1, so be very cautious if a solar sales representative claims their PV panel is a Tier-1 panel.
Or rely on Utopia.
