Three brands. All Tier 1. All ones we would put on our own roof.
Solar Panels
We install solar panels from Aiko, Trina and LONGi, all three are BloombergNEF Tier 1 manufacturers, and all three are brands we are comfortable putting on our own homes. Here is what each one actually does well, and what Tier 1 really means.
Licensed EC9879CEC approved productsTier one panels only
The honest answer
Yes, and here is what that actually means
All three brands we install are on the current BloombergNEF Tier 1 list. But Tier 1 gets thrown around in solar marketing as though it means best quality, and it does not.
Tier 1 is a bankability rating, not a quality rating.
To make the list, a manufacturer has to have supplied its own panels to at least six separate projects over 10MW, financed by six different banks, within the past two years. Manufacturers that have gone bankrupt or defaulted are excluded.
What that tells you.
The manufacturer is financially solid and big enough that international banks will fund projects using their panels. That genuinely matters when you are relying on a 25 or 30 year warranty, a warranty is only worth as much as the company behind it.
What it does not tell you.
Tier 1 says nothing about efficiency, degradation rates, warranty length, or after sales support. It is not a technical certification, and it does not mean one Tier 1 panel is better than another.
So we would rather show you the actual specs than hide behind a badge.
The brands we install
Three brands, chosen for different reasons
Aiko
Best for maximum efficiency and an all black finish. ABC cell technology means no front gridlines, up to 24.8% efficiency, and a 25 year product, 30 year performance warranty.
Trina Solar
Best for system design flexibility and dual glass durability. Dual glass TOPCon cells built for reliability, with a low voltage design that can simplify wiring on larger systems.
Longi
Best for proven scale and back contact performance. HPBC 2.0 back contact cells at 23.3% efficiency, backed by one of the world’s largest solar manufacturers.
What matters
How we choose solar panels
Tier one quality
Panels chosen for output, durability and a manufacturer that will still be around to honour the warranty.
Suited to WA
Built to keep performing through WA heat, dust and coastal conditions.
Sized to your roof
We match panel type and layout to your orientation, shading and goals.
Making the choice
How to choose between them
The honest answer is that all three are good panels, and the right one depends on your roof and your priorities.
Chasing maximum output from limited roof space?
Aiko’s higher efficiency does more with fewer panels.
Want the longest product warranty?
Aiko and Trina both offer 25 years, versus LONGi’s 15.
Prioritising durability?
Dual glass options, Aiko 2S+ and Trina Vertex S+, are built for it.
Larger commercial roof?
Trina’s 500W+ format is designed for exactly that.
This is the sort of thing we work through with you when we design your system, it is not a decision you should have to make off a spec sheet alone.
Questions
Frequently asked
Are Aiko, Trina and LONGi all Tier 1 solar panels?
Yes. All three are on the current BloombergNEF Tier 1 list. LONGi and Trina are the equal largest and third largest module manufacturers in the world by production capacity; Aiko is ninth.
What does Tier 1 actually mean for solar panels?
It is a bankability rating, not a quality rating. It means international banks have financed multiple large projects using that manufacturer’s panels, which indicates financial strength, important for a company standing behind a 25 to 30 year warranty. It does not measure efficiency, degradation, or warranty terms.
Does Tier 1 mean the panels are better quality?
No. BloombergNEF’s list is not a technical certification and does not rank panels by quality or performance. Always check the actual datasheet specs, efficiency, degradation rate, and warranty.
Which solar panel brand is the most efficient?
Of the brands we install, Aiko is the highest at up to 24.8% module efficiency, followed by Trina and then LONGi at 23.3% on the model we use.
What is the difference between mono glass and dual glass panels?
Dual glass panels have glass on both the front and back instead of a polymer backsheet, which generally improves durability, fire rating and long term reliability. Mono glass panels are lighter. We install both.
What are back contact solar panels?
Panels where the electrical contacts sit on the back of the cell rather than across the front. There are no visible gridlines, more of the cell catches sunlight, and the panel looks uniformly black. Aiko (ABC) and LONGi (HPBC 2.0) both use this approach.
Which panel brand should I choose?
It depends on your roof space, budget and priorities, efficiency, warranty length, or durability. We will work through it with you as part of designing your system rather than leaving you to compare datasheets.
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How we can help
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