Trina Solar Panels Review (2024)

Trina Solar Overview

Trina Solar is a globally recognized leader in the solar energy industry, known for producing high-quality, reliable solar panels. Over the years, the company has pushed the boundaries of innovation to make solar energy more accessible. One of their developments is the Vertex series of solar panels, which highlight their commitment to technology and efficiency.

The Vertex panels are designed to deliver performance at a more accessible price point, making them a popular choice for residential and commercial applications. These panels boast advanced features, like high power output, improved energy conversion efficiency, and durability to withstand various environmental conditions. This blend of affordability and performance places them among the top choices for cost-conscious consumers who don’t want to compromise on quality or efficiency.

Trina Solar’s focus on innovation ensures that their products remain competitive with the most expensive brands in the market. By offering solutions like the Vertex panels, they contribute to the global adoption of renewable energy, making solar power a viable and practical option for a broader range of users.

Quick Facts about Trina Solar Panels

• Power range: 370W to 670W
• Efficiency: Really good, between 19.8% and 22.5%
• Cell type: P-type and N-type TOPCon
• Cost: Fair, leaning towards affordable
• Top-selling panel: Vertex S 415W
• Warranty: Strong, from 12 to 30 years
• Customer service rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Background on Trina Solar

Trina Solar is one of the world’s top five solar panel manufacturers, renowned for its innovation and global reach. Established in 1997, the company is one of the most respected solar panel producers in China, with a rich history of advancing solar technology. Over the years, Trina Solar has set an impressive 18 world records in solar innovation, cementing its reputation as a leader in the renewable energy sector. Their products are available in more than 30 countries, making them a truly global player in the solar industry.

Trina Solar holds the prestigious Tier 1 designation from Bloomberg New Energy Finance, an important marker of financial stability and reliability. While Tier 1 status doesn’t specifically assess product quality, it signifies a company’s bankability—a critical factor for large-scale solar projects requiring long-term investment security. This distinction makes Trina Solar a trusted choice for utility-scale developments and significant commercial installations.

Trina Solar mainly competes on performance and value. While they don’t usually go head-to-head with top-dollar brands like Sunpower (from the US) and REC (from Singapore), they do have some high-end offerings. For example, their Vertex series, especially the ones with N-type TOPCon cells, are super powerful, with some models exceeding 600 watts. Their latest, the Vertex S+ series, even approaches 22% efficiency, making them just as efficient as some of the best out there.

Trina Solar Panels

Trina Solar makes a wide variety of solar panels. They incorporate a lot of the newest tech to do this, like multi-busbar PERC cells, big 210mm third-cut cells, and the newer high-density panels that use N-type TOPCon monocrystalline cells.

The Different Types of Panels

• Honey 350 – 380W: Affordable option.
• Vertex S 405 – 430W: Good residential panels that offer value.
• Vertex S+ 410 – 450W: Top-notch panels for homes with higher efficiency.
• TallMax 430 – 450W: Commercial panels.
• DuoMax Twin 430 – 445W: Two-faced panels (called bifacial) for big energy projects.
• Vertex N 670 – 700W: Super advanced bifacial utility panels.

The Vertex series is the most popular for homes. The older Honey series, which is easier on the pocket, is still around for those who want it. For big businesses and large-scale energy projects, Trina has panels that can handle high voltage and are even bigger in size, like the TallMax and DuoMax. These panels can be over 600W in power. There are also some specialized panels that have a dual-glass design and offer a 30-year performance guarantee.

The Vertex panels use Monocrystalline PERC cells, which are packed densely with multi-busbar (or MBB for short) connections. This helps them get efficiency rates up to 21.3%. They are one of the first panels to use the big 210mm cell size and cut them in a unique way, cutting them into thirds instead of halves. These high-power Vertex panels are pretty big, measuring between 2.1 to 2.3 meters in height and 1.10 to 1.35 meters in width. That’s a lot bigger than older commercial-sized panels, and they are primarily meant for big solar energy projects.

Vertex S 405W – 430W Panels

The Vertex S panels from Trina Solar are compact and lightweight, making them ideal for home and small business rooftops. The “S” stands for “small size,” emphasizing their suitability for installations where space and weight are limited.

Despite their smaller design, these panels deliver strong performance, with a power range of 405W to 430W and an efficiency of up to 21.8%. Their top power rating of 430W ensures reliable energy production, even in compact setups.

Built with advanced mono-PERC technology, multi-busbar (MBB) design, and high-density interconnection, the Vertex S panels are efficient, durable, and capable of performing well in low-light or partially shaded conditions.

Offering a blend of high performance and a compact design, the Vertex S panels are a great choice for maximizing energy production on smaller rooftops.

The New Vertex S+ 450W Panels

Trina has a new star in their lineup: the Vertex S+ series. This is pretty much the best panel they’ve ever made. It can reach a power of 450W and has an efficiency of 22.5%, which is as good as some of the top solar panels out there. To get this much power from a smaller panel, Trina used their newest tech, called N-Type TOPCon cell technology (or PACO for short), along with high-density cells and multiple busbars.

Double-Glass Design

The Vertex S+ panels stand out with their double-glass design. Unlike most panels that use one 3.2mm glass sheet and a plastic back, these panels feature two layers of 1.6mm toughened glass—one on each side.

This double-glass setup isn’t just for show. It’s key to the panels’ bifacial design, allowing them to capture light reflected from the ground, boosting efficiency. The extra layer of glass also makes them more durable, offering superior protection against water damage and the wear and tear that can degrade plastic-backed panels over time.

With their enhanced durability and efficiency, the Vertex S+ panels are built to last, delivering reliable performance in a range of environments.

Warranty Info for Vertex S+

Trina really believes in the Vertex S+. It’s the first time they’re offering a 25-year product warranty and a 30-year performance warranty on a panel. This is because the high-quality material they use doesn’t wear out as quickly. In the first year, the power drops by only 1%, and then it decreases just 0.4% every year after. So, after using it for 30 years, you’d still get at least 87.4% of the power you started with. That’s a long time for a solar panel to stay effective.

Trina Honey Panels

Trina’s older Honey panels earned a reputation for their solid quality and strong performance. The newer Honey M panels take it a step further with advanced features. They use monocrystalline cells and introduce half-cut PERC cells with 9 busbars (MBB) for better efficiency and durability. Available in power ratings from 350W to 380W, they offer flexibility for various installations.

The Honey M Black model adds a touch of style with its sleek all-black design, ideal for homeowners who value aesthetics alongside performance. The latest 380W panel boasts an impressive efficiency of 20.7%, achieved through big-format mono PERC and MBB cell technology, ensuring efficient energy generation.

Vertex N High-Power 600W+ Panels

There’s been a worldwide competition to make the strongest solar panels, and Trina Solar is definitely a big player. They introduced the new-gen Vertex panels in early 2020, and it immediately got attention with its 515.8W power, tested and confirmed by TUV Rheinland. This success came after Trina started producing these Vertex panels on a special small production line. Then, a few months after that, at a major solar expo in China, they blew everyone away with a 660W Vertex panel. Jump to 2021, and Trina released a 670W Vertex panel with a whopping 21.6% efficiency. This makes it one of the top panels for big solar projects. Even more recently, Trina introduced the Vertex N series, which uses a super pure and durable cell tech called N-type i-TOPCon. These panels can deliver between 670W to 700W with a peak efficiency of 22.6%.

Trina’s High-Tech Solar Cells

Trina is paving the way with some cool new solar cell technologies. They’re developing things like a special N-type i-TOPCon cell, multi-busbar (MBB) cells, and advanced cells that work on both sides.

Top Chinese solar companies are all looking at N-type cells to make their panels more efficient. Big brands like LG & Sunpower have been using similar cells for a while now, but they’re pricier. As Trina and other companies make more of these N-type cells and invest more in the tech, the prices should go down, and we’ll get more power for our buck.

Multi-Busbars (MBB)

Trina was among the first Chinese manufacturers to adopt multi-busbar (MBB) technology in all their new panels, setting a standard for reliability.

Why switch to MBB? It’s simple: it’s better. Traditional flat ribbon busbars cast small shadows on the solar cells, reducing efficiency. MBB, with its many small round wires, minimizes these shadows and improves performance. It also helps keep the cells cooler, preventing “hot spots” that can damage the panel and hurt efficiency.

This design is similar to the premium LG Neon 2 panels, but Trina has made it more accessible by producing MBB panels at scale and finding ways to lower costs. Now, more people can benefit from this advanced solar technology.

Understanding Bifacial Solar Panels

Bifacial solar panels, which soak up sunlight from both sides, have been around for quite a while. But only recently have they become trendy because the cost to make these high-quality PERC monocrystalline cells has gone down. When placed in the right spot, they can produce up to 30% more power than regular, one-sided panels. Trina Solar, a leader in this tech, developed their DuoMax Twin panels that use a mix of special cells and are enclosed in a two-sided glass panel. These panels work best when they’re on moving mounts and placed over light surfaces like sand or snow.

Is Trina’s Quality and Performance Good?

PVEL (DNV-GL), a respected German testing group, produces an annual report on how well different solar panels perform. Over the past six years, Trina solar panels have consistently been marked as a ‘Top performer’ among many of the world’s top solar brands. This doesn’t mean Trina is number one, but they’re among the best. And since PVEL is such a trusted testing organization, it tells us that Trina Solar panels are pretty reliable whether you’re using them for a big or small project.

What About Quality Control?

Like many large companies, Trina Solar faced some quality challenges early on. Between 2011 and 2014, certain panels had issues due to the materials used in manufacturing. While their more recent panels have shown no major problems, it’s important to remember that, like any large-scale manufacturer, occasional defects or issues in specific batches can still happen.

What sets Trina apart is how they’ve responded to these challenges. Over time, the company has improved its customer support and response strategies, becoming more proactive in helping installers and customers when problems arise. Their increased focus on quality control and customer service shows their commitment to resolving issues quickly and efficiently.

Understanding Trina Solar’s Warranty and Service

Trina Solar provides a standard 12-year warranty for their products, ensuring they’re free from defects. Additionally, they offer a 25-year performance warranty, meaning the panels will still produce at least 84% of their original power after 25 years. The Vertex series gets an even better deal with a 15-year product warranty, which can be extended up to 25 years. And the Vertex S+ panels? They come with a robust 25-year product warranty and a 30-year performance warranty.

Stepping Up in Customer Support

Since their 2018 review, Trina Solar has amped up their game in customer service, especially when dealing with warranty claims or product issues. Past reviews were mixed, but recent feedback points to Trina Solar being top-notch in handling warranty concerns, with a more efficient process and better overall customer service.

A Focus on Sustainability

Trina Solar is looking at the bigger picture by enhancing their manufacturing to be more eco-friendly. They received a nearly perfect score from the SVTC for their green efforts. This score reflects better working conditions and responsible recycling. They also recently got recognized by TÜV Rheinland for their low carbon emission Vertex modules. Last year, they achieved a double “Environmental Product Declaration” certification, which checks how eco-friendly their manufacturing process is from start to finish.

Is Trina Solar Worth It?

Trina Solar is a standout choice for reliable, cost-effective solar panels. With their commitment to innovation, strong customer service, and cutting-edge technology, they’ve positioned themselves as a leader in the industry. Their excellent performance in independent testing and ranking among the top five manufacturers worldwide further solidifies their reputation.

The Vertex series, especially the Vertex S+ panels, highlight Trina Solar’s dedication to quality and innovation. Their long-standing presence in the market and Tier 1 company status assure customers that Trina will continue to offer support and handle any potential product concerns for years to come.

When you choose Trina Solar panels, you can typically expect a 12-year product warranty and a 25-year performance warranty. For those opting for the advanced Vertex series, even stronger warranties are available, making these panels a reliable long-term investment.

Let 8MSolar Help You Decide

Choosing the right solar panel brand for you can be confusing and overwhelming. Let 8MSolar help you find the right fit for your solar project. Our team of solar experts are equipped and ready to help you plan and install the perfect solar panel system for your home. Contact 8MSolar today.