Solar Panel Manufacturers and Products

Written-by

Janet Richardson

Reviewed-by

Richard Burdett-Gardiner

Updated on

Oct 13, 2024

Solar Panel Manufacturers and Products

The fastest-growing energy technology in the world is grid-connected solar PV. Solar power once again claimed the top spot for renewable energy sources in 2022. Out of 363 GW of new renewable (RES) capacity added, solar PV accounted for 66%, connecting 239 GW to the grid. This was a substantial increase from the 56% contributed in 2021. According to Statista, as of 2022, the global cumulative solar PV capacity amounted to 1,177 gigawatts. Solar power continues to dominate the global energy transition with about twice the capacity of all other renewable technologies combined being installed. This is a huge increase from 2003 when the global cumulative installed solar PV capacity was less than 2.6 gigawatts. 

The statistics surrounding solar PV are extraordinary. Solar PV installations have also significantly reduced greenhouse gas emissions. The solar PV systems installed in 2020 alone helped to avoid approximately 2.6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Solar energy users save about thirty-five tons of CO2 emissions and seventy-five million barrels of oil yearly.

Solar PV technology is expected to continue growing globally at a rate of 27% from 2021 until 2031. Solar PV’s many advantages such as its abundance, renewability, and cleanliness make it the perfect solution for generating electricity. The number of households relying on solar PV grew to around twenty-five million in 2022 feeding into the electricity grid worldwide. In the UK, more than 17,000 households installed solar panels every month in 2023. It is thought that approximately one hundred million households worldwide will rely on rooftop solar PV by 2030. 

Solar PV Manufacturer Information

Over the last decade, global solar PV manufacturing capacity has moved progressively from Europe, Japan, Taiwan, and the United States to China. China has invested ten times more than Europe in new PV supply capacity as well as creating more than 300,000 manufacturing jobs across the solar PV value chain since 2011. China has a huge part to play in all the manufacturing stages of solar panels including polysilicon, ingots, wafers, cells, and modules, it’s share exceeding 80%. China accounted for 77.8 percent of the global photovoltaic (PV) module production in 2022. This figure is more than double China’s share of global PV demand. Ten of the world’s top suppliers of solar PV manufacturing equipment are in China. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), China built more solar panels in 2023 than the entire world did in 2022. Vietnam has the second-largest share of PV production, accounting for just 6.4%.

In 2022 global solar module production reached 379 gigawatts with 1.5 billion solar panels being made, a 57% increase from 2021. The year-on-year growth of solar PV module manufacturing has been increasing, with 2023 seeing a thirty-seven-gigawatt increase in global production compared to 2022. Ember has estimated that the world is on track to add 593 GW of solar power in 2024.

Solar PV module manufacturers must ensure that the products they produce will be sustainable for more than 25 years of application. Due to this, most solar manufacturers have their products approved by publicly recognised testing organisations and guarantee their product's longevity and efficiency for a period of 25 years. 

How Solar Panels are Produced

The most common type of solar panel is made from crystalline silicon (c-SI), which accounts for 84% of US solar panels. There are two main types of solar cells: monocrystalline and polycrystalline. Monocrystalline cells are cut from single crystals of silicon, while polycrystalline cells are made by merging multiple crystals. 

Solar panels are created by connecting solar cells in a panel. Here are the steps involved in creating a solar panel: 

1.    Create silicon wafers
Silicon dioxide is turned into metallurgical-grade silicon, then the polysilicon metal is melted and cut into wafers. The wafers are heated, purified, doped, shaped, and polished. 
2.    Make solar cells
Two silicon wafers, one positively doped, and one negatively doped, are stacked to create a solar cell. 
3.    Improve solar cells
Anti-reflective coatings are applied to improve the efficiency of the solar cells. 
4.    Assemble solar cells
Solar cells are connected with wiring and placed on a clear pane. 
5.    Add backsheet and frame
A backsheet is fitted over the solar cells, and the entire assembly is encased in a frame. 

How Solar Panels are Distributed

There are two main ways that solar panels are distributed:
•    Distributed solar
Solar panels are installed on individual homes and businesses, and the electricity they generate is used by the owners. Any excess power can be sold to the power company.
•    Centralised generation
•    Solar electricity is generated by a large plant and then distributed to consumers through a power distribution network (grid). 
Distributed solar has some advantages over centralised generation including the following:
•    Accessibility
Rooftop solar is widely accessible and can be customised to meet the needs of the consumer.
•    Renewable energy
Distributed solar has the potential to be a major player in the global transition to clean and renewable energy. 
•    Reactive power
Distributed energy resources like rooftop solar are especially useful sources of reactive power, which helps grids balance voltage and current. 

The World’s Top Solar Panel Manufacturers

Most of the world’s largest solar panel manufacturers are located in China. In fact, eight of the top ten manufacturers are based in China. Even Canadian Solar Inc., despite its name, is closely tied to Chinese manufacturing capabilities. There are over 350 companies worldwide that manufacture solar PV cells. Here is a list of the top 10 Solar PV Manufacturing Companies by Module Production Capacity as of Dec 2023:

1.    LONGi Green Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (LONGi Group) - https://www.longi.com/en/
The company was founded in 2000 in Xi’an, Shaanxi, China. LONGi is a well-known name in solar PV solutions, including agriculture-solar complementary solution, eco-friendly power station solution, hybrid power plant solution, BIPV (building-integrated photovoltaics), and BAPV (building applied photovoltaics). It has a capacity of 120 GW.
LONGi’s advantages of higher power, higher reliability, and lower degradation have made its PV modules versatile and useful for a variety of applications from alpine grasslands and desert wastelands to household dwellings and industrial units.

2.    Trina Solar Co., Ltd. - http://www.trinasolar.com
The company was founded in 1997 in Changzhou, China. It was one of the first PV enterprises in China and has developed into a leading solar technology and manufacturing company with record-breaking solar cell efficiency and module power. It has a capacity of 95 GW.
Trina Solar provides TALLMAX modules for commercial and utility-scale solar projects. It is also one of the largest solar panel manufacturers that provides dependable and sleek solar modules to home and business owners.

3.    JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. -  http://www.jinkosolar.com/
The company was founded in 2006 in Shanghai, China. JinkoSolar is one of the leading solar technology companies to have built a vertically integrated solar PV value chain with twelve global production facilities and twenty-two overseas subsidiaries in various countries. It has a capacity of 78.5 GW.
Some of the key benefits of using JinkoSolar products are their high compatibility, enhanced reliability, increased module efficiency, lower operating temperature, and PID (potential induced degradation) resistance.

4.    JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. -  https://www.jasolar.com/html/en/
The company was founded in 2005 in Beijing, China. It is a solar manufacturing company with a well-established global sales and customer service network. JA Solar has twelve manufacturing bases with over twenty branches globally. The company makes high-performance solar PV products from silicon wafers, cells, and modules to complete PV power systems. It has a capacity of 57 GW.
JA Solar has global projects in more than 120 countries and regions which include high-efficiency modules installed in large-scale ground-mounted power plants as well as residential, commercial, and industrial rooftop PV systems 

5.    Canadian Solar Inc. - http://www.canadian-solar.com/
The company was founded in 2001 in Guelph, Canada. It is an important solar technology and renewable energy company with twenty manufacturing facilities in Asia and the Americas and subsidiaries in twenty-three countries and regions. It has a capacity of 57 GW.
Canadian Solar provides solar modules and solar inverters for utility, commercial, and residential applications.

6.    Astronergy Co., Ltd. (CHINT SOLAR) - https://www.astronergy.com/
The company was founded in 2006 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. Astroenergy is a subsidiary of the CHINT group. As one of the most prominent solar companies in China, the company is a well-known solar power system solution provider. The company specializes in PV module production and PV power station development. It has a capacity of 55 GW.

Astroenergy provides the reliable “Solar System Total Solution” that includes:

• Rooftop solar power station
• Residential solar system
• Large-scale ground-mounted solar power station
• Agriculture-complementary solar power station

7.    Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. - http://eu.suntech-power.com/
The company was founded in 2001 in Wuxi, China. Suntech is a leading PV module manufacturer that has business interests across 100-plus countries. The company’s large-format silicon wafers and optimized circuit design increase module efficiency and assure maximum power output. On top of that the MBB (multi-busbar) and high-density cell interconnect technologies lower resistance loss and decrease the invalid power generation area. It has a capacity of 50 GW.

8.    First Solar, Inc. - http://www.firstsolar.com
The company was founded in 1999 in Tempe, Arizona, USA. First Solar, an American solar manufacturing company is one of the biggest solar panel manufacturers that manufactures solar PV modules and supplies utility-scale PV power plants and supporting services, such as construction, finance, maintenance, and end-of-life panel recycling. First Solar’s substantial experience across the solar value chain has underpinned its growth as a dependable, cost-effective, and comprehensive solar PV solution provider. It has a capacity of 16.6 GW.

9.    Risen Energy Co., Ltd. - https://en.risenenergy.com/
The company was founded in 1986 in Ningbo, China. Risen Energy is a pioneer of the solar industry with offices and sales networks in various countries, including Australia, China, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, and the US. As an integrated manufacturer of wafers and modules as well as off-grid systems, Risen Energy is a “one-stop-shop” solar solution provider to a wide range of energy-intensive industries. It has a capacity of 15 GW.
Apart from modules, Risen Energy provides other products, such as off-grid PV systems, solar lamps, and solar power stations. 

10.    Hanwha Q CELLS Co., Ltd. https://www.hanwha.com/en/products_and_services/affiliates/hanwha_q_cells.html
The company was founded in 1999 in Seoul, South Korea. Hanwha Q Cells is a top manufacturer of high-quality solar PV cells and modules. It serves the commercial, residential, government, and utility markets. It is one of the largest solar panel manufacturers with manufacturing, marketing and sales, and R&D facilities in several countries, such as Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, and the US. It has a capacity of 8.4 GW. 
The company’s Q. ANTUM technology is based on PERC cell technology. It continues to develop new solar technologies, such as anti-LID (light-induced degradation), anti-LeTID (light and elevated temperature-induced degradation), Tra.Q, and more.
Their current production networks span across China, Malaysia, South Korea, and the US while their R&D network encompasses China, Malaysia, and South Korea.

Please search here for UK installation companies or find a list of the 9 top Solar Panel manufacturing companies whose products are currently available in the UK. The solar panel manufacturers selected below have many years of experience and can provide high-quality and reliable solar panel systems:

• Project Solar: The best manufacturer in terms of warranty – they offer a warranty period of 99.9 years. 
• Viridian Solar: Best sleek solar panels for an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
• UKSOL: One of the best options for homeowners looking to purchase solar panels from a local company.
• REA Solar: Provides solar panels with high power output. 
• REC Group: Best manufacturer for using sustainable production processes.
• Panasonic: One of the solar panel manufacturers most engaged with a greener future. 
• Sharp: A very well-established solar manufacturer with a long history of producing good-quality solar technology.
• SOLARWATT: One of the best manufacturers of solar panels with protection against environmental influences.
• SunPower: Best manufacturer in terms of product variety.

The solar PV market continues to grow exponentially as costs decline and technologies advance. If we are to maintain a generation growth rate that is aligned with the Net Zero Scenario, we will need to reach annual capacity additions that are as close as possible to three times higher than those of 2022 by 2030. 

Note: The information in this article is believed to be correct at the time of publishing but may be subject to changes over time.