Seraphim Solar Review

If you’re considering the installation of solar panels for your home and are curious about the most recent products from various global companies, your installer might suggest Seraphim solar panels. While this brand may not be as well-known in the USA as it is in other countries, its solar panels offer great value and performance on par with more renowned brands.

Key Points

• Company Profile: Seraphim, established in 2011 in China, quickly gained recognition as a Tier 1 solar panel manufacturer. Known for passing the rigorous “Thresher Test,” the company produces monocrystalline and polycrystalline cells and modules with an annual capacity of 5.5 GW across its global facilities.

• USA Manufacturing Status: Seraphim currently has no active manufacturing plants in the USA. Previous plans for a facility in Mississippi faced legal and operational challenges. However, their global operations, especially in China, continue, and their panels are available in the U.S. market.

• Solar Panel Range: Seraphim’s lineup includes the S2, S3, S4, and S5 series, suitable for residential and commercial use. These panels feature advanced half-cut monocrystalline PERC cells, with the S2 series notable for up to 20.83% efficiency and the S5 series reaching up to 21.6% efficiency.

• Pricing and Warranty: Seraphim panels are competitively priced, with a standard 6 kW system costing $15,000 to $20,000 in the U.S. The brand offers global availability and robust warranties, including a 15-year product warranty and a 25-year power output warranty, ensuring durability and long-term performance.

About the Company

Seraphim, officially recognized as “Jiangsu Seraphim Solar System Co, Ltd,” is a relatively new player in the solar panel manufacturing industry, established in 2011 in Changzhou, China. The company operates on a vertically integrated model, producing not only the solar panels (modules) installed on rooftops but also the cells within these modules. Seraphim manufactures both monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar cells and modules in its global factories.

The company initially gained recognition for its solar panels passing the demanding “Thresher Test,” a stringent assessment of solar panel quality. This achievement underscored Seraphim’s ability to produce solar modules that adhere to the highest standards of durability and quality.

In 2015, Seraphim earned the distinction of being classified as a Tier 1 manufacturer by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). Today, the company has an impressive annual production capacity of 5.5 gigawatts, with facilities spanning two continents.

Manufacturing Locations of Seraphim

Seraphim operates with a global presence, having offices across six continents and module manufacturing facilities located in China, South Africa, and Vietnam. The company’s latest manufacturing site is in Vietnam, with a production capacity of 750 MW of solar panels annually. Combined, all Seraphim facilities have the capacity to produce 5.5 GW of solar panels each year.

USA Manufacturing Update for Seraphim

Regarding Seraphim’s manufacturing activities in the USA, there is no current Seraphim manufacturing plant in operation. Previously, in 2015, a Texas-based entity named “Seraphim Solar USA Manufacturing” claimed exclusive rights to manufacture, sell, and distribute Seraphim-branded products in the United States and announced plans to open a 300 MW facility in Mississippi. By late 2018, this facility had reached a production capacity of 160 MW per year and declared a temporary closure for expansion. However, it appears that production did not resume thereafter.

By the end of 2018, legal issues emerged. Seraphim Solar USA Manufacturing faced lawsuits alleging contract breaches due to unfulfilled product deliveries. In 2019, a Nevada-based company, Seraphim Solar Holdings (SSH), filed a lawsuit claiming it held the exclusive rights to the Seraphim name in the Americas.

This situation presents a complex and perhaps unresolved scenario. Meanwhile, the Chinese parent company, Seraphim, continues its operations smoothly in other parts of the world. Globally, Seraphim panels maintain their popularity, and U.S. solar installers continue to offer Seraphim panels manufactured in South Africa and other international locations. Let’s focus on discussing these aspects.

Seraphim’s Solar Panel Offerings

Seraphim currently presents four primary solar panel lines: the S2 series, tailored for residential solar installations, and the S3, S4 and S5 series, designed for larger commercial and industrial applications.

All current Seraphim modules incorporate high-efficiency half-cut monocrystalline PERC solar cells. Breaking down the technical terms, PERC stands for “Passivated Emitter and Rear Contact,” a technology enhancing the conversion efficiency of solar energy to electricity in a cell.

Instead of using traditional square cells, Seraphim opts to cut its cells in half. This approach minimizes the risk of cell overheating and boosts overall performance. Additionally, the panels are configured into top and bottom halves, allowing each section to maintain full power output even if one part is shaded.

Beyond standard models, Seraphim also provides bifacial versions of its S2, S3, S4, and S5 lines. These modules are designed for installation on raised racks, enabling them to capture energy reflected from the ground beneath. However, bifacial panels are generally not recommended for residential use. More information on these types of panels is available below.

S2 Series Overview

Launched in 2019, the S2 Series from Seraphim includes both bifacial and monofacial panels, notably featuring their ‘Blade’ panel design. This series utilizes 156 half-cut monocrystalline cell technology, a method now widely adopted in the solar panel industry to enhance power yield and shading resilience. The panels in the S2 Series offer a power range from 320Wp to 455Wp and boast efficiencies of up to 20.83%. This series represents a blend of modern technology and efficiency, catering to a variety of solar energy needs.

S3 Series Overview

The subsequent S3 Series from Seraphim includes both monofacial and bifacial panels, with models like the SRP-375-BMB-HV achieving efficiencies of up to 20.07%. This series incorporates a multi-busbar design and utilizes slightly larger 166 mm silicon wafers, enhancing the overall power output of the panels. Consequently, the S3 panels are larger in size, measuring 2094x1038x35mm, which is more substantial compared to the S2 series.

Additionally, the S3 series features dual glass panels, which are notable for their lower annual degradation rate of 0.45%. This aspect further enhances the long-term efficiency and durability of the S3 solar panels, making them a compelling choice for those seeking robust and high-performance solar solutions.

S4 Series Overview

Introduced in 2020, the Seraphim S4 solar panel series represents a significant advancement in solar technology, integrating large 182 mm silicon wafers with PERC, multi-busbar, half-cell technologies, and high-density encapsulation. This combination results in a maximum power output of 550Wp for the series, with some models like the SRP-555-BMA-HV reaching impressive efficiencies of over 21% (specifically 21.48%).

The larger size and increased number of solar cells in the S4 series make these panels particularly suitable for large-scale applications, such as ground-mounted solar projects and commercial rooftops.

Additionally, the S4 series offers versatility with bifacial and lightweight dual glass options, maintaining a similar power range. These features make the S4 series a good option for customers seeking high-efficiency, large-scale solar solutions.

S5 Series Overview

The S5 series from Seraphim represents a further enhancement in solar panel technology and efficiency. This series incorporates exceptionally large 210mm silicon wafers, combined with advanced features like PERC, multi-busbar cell technology, and high-density encapsulation. These innovations enable the S5 series to achieve a remarkable maximum efficiency of up to 21.6%.

Given their substantial size and high power output, panels in the S5 series are ideally suited for utility-scale solar farm projects. These panels are designed to meet the demands of large-scale energy production, making them a prime choice for expansive solar installations.

Seraphim Solar Panel Efficiency

In comparison with other brands, Seraphim stands out for its use of high-quality materials and adherence to industry-standard technologies and performance metrics. Its modules exhibit efficiencies ranging from 18.8% to 20.6%, generating between 315 and 450 watts of power under optimal sunlight conditions. This output varies based on the number of cells in each panel and the efficiency of each cell.

Regarding temperature resilience, Seraphim panels experience a 0.35% decrease in output for every degree Celsius rise above 25° C (77° F), aligning with industry norms.

Cost and Availability of Seraphim Solar Panels

Seraphim solar panels are competitively priced within the market. For a standard 6 kW solar system using Seraphim panels, the typical cost ranges from $15,000 to $20,000, reflecting the current nationwide pricing for solar panels. However, it’s crucial to remember that the final cost may vary depending on factors like system size, geographical location, and the complexity of the installation on your roof.

Regarding availability, Seraphim has sales offices on every continent except Africa and Antarctica. The brand has significant popularity in Southeast Asia, and Australian companies have been successfully selling Seraphim modules for several years with positive outcomes.

In the United States, Seraphim panels are less commonly found, but they are still used in several hundred solar installations annually. As Seraphim continues to establish its reliability and performance, it’s expected that more U.S. solar installers will begin to offer Seraphim panels as a valuable option for customers.

Warranty of Seraphim Solar Panels

Seraphim stands slightly ahead of industry standards with its solar panel warranties.

The warranty for the Series S2 panels from Seraphim assures that the materials and workmanship will remain faultless for 15 years. Additionally, the company guarantees that during the first year, the panels will operate at no less than 98% of their rated power. Over the following 24 years, the power production capacity is assured to diminish by no more than 0.55% annually, ensuring that by the end of the warranty period, the panels will still produce at least 84.8% of their original rated output.

This 15-year product warranty surpasses the usual 12-year warranty provided by most Tier 1 solar manufacturers. The 25-year power output warranty aligns with the broader industry standard. While it may not equal the warranties of top-tier solar panels from brands like Qcells and Maxeon, Seraphim’s pricing, which is more affordable than these high-end brands, makes it an attractive value proposition.

A point of consideration is Seraphim’s status as a privately-held company. This aspect makes it challenging to assess their financial stability and long-term viability, which is pertinent given the 25-year duration customers might rely on their products. The lack of public financial data could be a concern for some potential buyers considering the long-term commitment to Seraphim’s solar panels on their property.

Pros and Cons of Seraphim Solar Panels

Pros

• Bloomberg Tier 1 Rating: Seraphim is recognized as a Bloomberg Tier 1 solar panel manufacturer, indicating a high level of reliability and bankability.
• Top Performer in PV Evolution Labs: The company’s products have been acknowledged as top performers in PV Evolution Labs, showcasing their quality and performance.

Cons

• Limited Premium Options: Seraphim’s product range is predominantly focused on the mid-range, cost-effective mass market, lacking options in the premium segment.
• Comparatively Shorter Company History: Relative to other Chinese solar panel manufacturers, Seraphim has a shorter history, which might impact perceptions of experience and long-term reliability in the industry.

Seraphim Solar Panels: The Final Assessment

Seraphim solar panels are recognized for their high quality and are frequently available at competitive prices. They incorporate advanced technologies such as PERC and half-cut cells. When it comes to their 25-year performance warranty, Seraphim stands shoulder to shoulder with other Tier 1 solar panel brands like Trina and Longi, indicating a strong likelihood of long-term durability and reliability.

While it would be beneficial for the company to become publicly traded and provide financial disclosures regarding their sales and profitability, this information gap doesn’t detract significantly from the inherent quality and performance of their products.

For homeowners considering solar energy, Seraphim panels are a viable option, especially if your installer offers them at a favorable price. Their technological features and competitive warranty make them a contender worth considering in the solar panel market.

Let 8MSolar Be Your Guide

It’s no surprise that there are loads of solar panels and solar energy brands to choose from. With all the great benefits, solar energy is becoming more and more popular every year. If you’re considering solar, but are confused or overwhelmed by all the options thrown your way, then let 8MSolar help. Our team of experts can help you find the best solar panel setup for your needs and financial situation. Contact us today.