Solar panel choice - advice required

[Fatbloke]

Hi All

I was going to purchase 16 x REC 245w panels from my supplier but the 245w are no longer available due to shortages - they can only supply 240w panels. My supplier has suggested Bisol 245w panels.

I can't seem to find any reviews on the Bisol panels. Has anyone got any knowledge of these?

Cheers

Dave

[russ]

Made in the Czech Republic with all the European certifications.

Never heard of them before either - specs seem standard and 10 year work warranty is good.

[KRenn]

Hi All

I was going to purchase 16 x REC 245w panels from my supplier but the 245w are no longer available due to shortages - they can only supply 240w panels. My supplier has suggested Bisol 245w panels.

I can't seem to find any reviews on the Bisol panels. Has anyone got any knowledge of these?

Cheers

Dave

Good manufacturer. Have heard lots of good things about them, while they're not available in the US, they are definitely known for their quality in Europe.

[Naptown]

Good manufacturer. Have heard lots of good things about them, while they're not available in the US, they are definitely known for their quality in Europe.

Gee that's funny Wholesale solar sells them and My boss has 25 on his roof.

[Fatbloke]

Gee that's funny Wholesale solar sells them and My boss has 25 on his roof.

Hi

Thanks for the replies guys.

Do the panels seem to be ok performance and build quality wise?

The panels seem to be used in a lot of large scale installations so I would expect they would be pretty good quality.

It is a big outlay for me at the moment with the current econmic climate so I want to be as sure as I can that I am not wasting my money.

I did call the Bisol office in the UK and they were very helpful but the only info I could find on them was their own literature.

Cheers

Dave

[BISOL]

Thank you for good reviews. BISOL products are thoroughly tested and comply with the principal international standards IEC 61215, Ed.2 and IEC 61730 and carry the MCS certificate (Microgeneration Certification Scheme), mandatory for the UK market. It quality is also confirmed by certificates BABT, T

[s.xavier]

Hi All

I was going to purchase 16 x REC 245w panels from my supplier but the 245w are no longer available due to shortages - they can only supply 240w panels. My supplier has suggested Bisol 245w panels.

I can't seem to find any reviews on the Bisol panels. Has anyone got any knowledge of these?

Cheers

Dave

I'm sure nothing is wrong with the Bisol panels but my only concern with smaller solar companies (especially those who do not have a greater presence here in the USA) is will it be available in the future? I'm sure USA companies are not insulated from the continual changes in the solar industry but I feel more comfortable with a company with a greater presence stateside.. It may not happen but in the unlikely event in the future where will you get another Bisol panel if their business evolves + or -?

If this is a cost based decision, I'm sure there are a lot of competitive modules in the same price level Trina, Conergy, Suniva, Schuco and even Samsung... Unless you're getting a super deal I believe those other modules are price relatively competitive and will continue to streamlining offerings in the USA.

Just take every precaution to protect your investment... If you are only saving a few bucks, why deal with the "potential" headache. I hear way too many stories of people buying super inexpensive models and things do not work out (wasting them a lot of money).

[Sunking]

I'm sure USA companies are not insulated from the continual changes in the solar industry but I feel more comfortable with a company with a greater presence stateside..

There are not many USA Solar manufactures left, and what are left are looking at bankruptcy.

[s.xavier]

There are not many USA Solar manufactures left, and what are left are looking at bankruptcy.

I hear yah Sunking but many of the bankruptcies resulted from poor execution. For those in the business we all know why Evergreen and Solyndria failed so the remaining players will push forward and build their existing business. Hopefully consumers and homeowners will come around and start buying from USA comps and manus so as to support American manufacturing and company.

[vinniethePVtech]

Problem is the chinese are dominating the market. I'm seeing more and more suntech power, helio's, Trina and yingli, selling at about a 1/3 lower than most manufacturers are selling per watt. May not be the most high efficient and there may be quality control issues. How ever they are offering warranty so any with quality control just get returned. The chinese won't be going out of business any time soon either, the production costs are that low and they are meeting demands.

Just installed 3 megawatts of yingli for the PUSD contractor was DC powersystems/stellar energy 9 months ago. Didn't find any serious quality control issues at VOC testing, how ever efficiency is low and the panels are big.

[s.xavier]

Problem is the chinese are dominating the market. I'm seeing more and more suntech power, helio's, Trina and yingli, selling at about a 1/3 lower than most manufacturers are selling per watt. May not be the most high efficient and there may be quality control issues. How ever they are offering warranty so any with quality control just get returned. The chinese won't be going out of business any time soon either, the production costs are that low and they are meeting demands.

Just installed 3 megawatts of yingli for the PUSD contractor was DC powersystems/stellar energy 9 months ago. Didn't find any serious quality control issues at VOC testing, how ever efficiency is low and the panels are big.

i understand the pricing advantage but a good amount of the American made modules are more price competitive now. The American modules will never be the cheapest (and it shouldn't) but as long as they are price competitive its up to the installer and homeowner to then decide. As for the future maintenance and solvency, it is tough enough for the American solar businesses but I'm sure the chinese solar businesses will also have their challenges. At least there is a greater deal of transparency with businesses in the USA

[russ]

With American made materials you have a chance to be protected by the courts - providing the company is not down the toilet

Third world companies - (Asia in particular)? You are depending 100% on their goodwill - in Asia there isn't much of that. Business is typically very cut throat.

[s.xavier]

With American made materials you have a chance to be protected by the courts - providing the company is not down the toilet

Third world companies - (Asia in particular)? You are depending 100% on their goodwill - in Asia there isn't much of that. Business is typically very cut throat.

concur russ.... perfect example are the utility solar projects.. extremely selective and even after they select a reputable company a great deal of faith is involved

[vinniethePVtech]

i understand the pricing advantage but a good amount of the American made modules are more price competitive now. The American modules will never be the cheapest (and it shouldn't) but as long as they are price competitive its up to the installer and homeowner to then decide. As for the future maintenance and solvency, it is tough enough for the American solar businesses but I'm sure the chinese solar businesses will also have their challenges. At least there is a greater deal of transparency with businesses in the USA

Well its sad to say even our american solar contractors are switching to the dark side of cheap PV.
Stellar Energy bid a project to supply Sharp PV. After the bid was placed. The sharp PV was swapped out for the cheaper less expensive yingli. The claim was that sharp couldn't meet the demand.

Sunpower I guess is keeping prestige. They use a PV panel other than sunpowers own panel. SunPower chose to use Italian PV panel Serengeti.Only for warranty purposes though as it isn't a top of the line high efficient panel.

I don't see american manufactured PV panel companies lasting another 5 years in this highly competitive market, unless finding means and methods of reducing cost up 40% in the next 5 years. Once the government tax credits ar eno longer an option. Companies will be forced to lower cost or the supply will stock pile. Union labor on the manufactured end is hurting costs. Solyndra beyond having a crap product used union labor to build the company.

I know from solar construction, Solar isn't as profitable as it was. Gross margins that use to be in the high 12~15%, are now in the low 2% to 5% gross margins.

Consumers are forcing the prices to go down.

[s.xavier]

Module swapping is terrible imo... If Stellar Energy did swap in the Yingli on the project that is definitely not coo and they should be smacked across the head. I'm a big believer if you spec out a system with a specific cost structure, you must follow it otherwise 1) you're misleading the customer 2) your team lack the planning skills to get the job done 3) the company is not as competent as they appear

SunPower make really efficient and quality modules but they tend to be more applicable in the utility size projects. Utility size focus is something to be applauded but you should never lose site of the residential and small business size projects. If SunPower can figure out a strategy to play the other market they will be more successful.

On the manufacturing side, most of American manu facilities all mechanized so you really do not see many people working in the plants. You'll have a few engineers and developers but that is about it. The weaker players are now out of the business and the handful remaining should develop into solid companies because they are now able to bring down costs and pass along those savings. IMO its good to see USA made modules more competitive with the China made modules, they could've avoided this but that's irrelevant now.

As for Solyndra, a crook is a crook. It is impossible to shield yourself from these goons, your only protection is to minimize the damage.