If you think comparing solar panel warranties is confusing, you’re certainly not alone. Even if you take the time to sift through pages of dense documentation, understanding the differences in warranties across the various manufacturers can feel like comparing apples to oranges! We sat down with some of the top solar panel companies to better understand their individual warranties, and to get a feel for the key warranty factors to be on the look out for. To help you compare different company’s warranties, we developed a scoring system that allows you to compare different options head to head. In this article, we’ll explain our scoring system and break down how each of the companies stack up against one another.
Key takeaways
- Choosing a solar panel brand should depend on a number of factors, including cost, efficiency, power output, performance, and warranty
- The most important warranty characteristics to compare include product warranty term, power guarantees, labor warranty term, transferability & bankability, and the availability of an extended warranty
- Based on our ranking system, SunPower has the strongest overall warranty, with Panasonic and LG Solar close behind
- The best way to make your solar panels last is to choose an excellent installer: visit the EnergySage Marketplace to access our network of pre-vetted solar installers
What’s in this article?
- The EnergySage warranty scoring system
- How do the top solar panel warranties compare?
- What to know when filing a solar panel warranty claim
The EnergySage warranty scoring system
Solar panel warranties aren’t exactly straightforward – so, we developed our own scoring system to facilitate comparison between warranties from different solar panel companies. Each factor of a warranty has its own unique scale within the rating, which we determined based on its importance. The warranty factors include:
- Product: How many years does the warranty cover the integrity of the equipment itself?
- Power at year 25: What percentage of initial power output is guaranteed at year 25? This is also often referred to as a performance warranty.
- Labor: Is the work needed for any diagnostics, repairs, or replacements covered by the manufacturer warranty? Is it up to a certain dollar amount?
- Shipping: Is the transportation of any components needed to be diagnosed, fixed, or replaced covered?
- Extended product warranty: Can you extend your product warranty by paying more?
- Extended 30-year power warranty: Does your power warranty extend to 30 years (either automatically, or at an additional cost)?
- Transferable: If you sell your house, how easy is it to transfer your warranty to the new owner? Do you have to fill out any paperwork or does it transfer automatically?
- Bankability: What happens if the company goes out of business or stops manufacturing panels? Will your warranty still be covered? We use a few different metrics here, as bankability can be difficult to quantify. First, Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) is an industry standard tool; Tier 1 panels are considered the most bankable. Second, PV Evolution Labs (PVEL) conducts independent testing to assess the quality and bankability of panels and releases a list of top scorers. And third, we assess if companies have a separate warranty reserve, escrow, or insurance company that backs their warranties.
- Inverter: Does the warranty extend to the inverters in the system?
- Racking equipment: Does the warranty cover the racking equipment for the system?
For more information on the warranty factors, be sure to check out our solar panel warranty overview article, which goes into depth about what each factor means.
| SCORE | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product | <15 years | - | <20 years | <25 years | - | 25+ years |
| Power at year 25 | <85% at year 25 | - | <90% at year 25 | - | <92% at year 25 | 92% at year 25 |
| Labor | No | Sometimes | Yes, up to a cost | Yes | - | - |
| Shipping | No | Sometimes | Yes | - | - | - |
| Extended product warranty | No | Yes, not automatically | - | - | - | - |
| Extended 30-year power warranty | No | Yes, not automatically | Yes, automatically | - | - | - |
| Transferability | Yes, with exceptions | Yes, but you have to file paperwork | Yes, automatically | - | - | - |
| Bankability | Little information available | • Additional certifications; • Third party testing; or • Established counter-party | • Top performing PVEL score | • BNEF Tier 1; • Has cash reserve; • Has escrow; or • Has insurance policy. | - | - |
| Inverter | Not covered | - | Covered | - | - | - |
| Racking equipment | Not covered | - | Covered | - | - | - |
We assessed and scored every company across each factor – but please note that each factor was weighted based on importance and thus they don’t all have the same number of available points. We then summed the individual factor scores to determine the overall company score. The higher the score, the better the warranty. For example, a company’s warranty could offer:
- 20-years for product (3)
- 88% at year 25 for performance (2)
- No coverage of labor (0)
- No coverage of shipping (0)
- Extended product warranty up to 25 years at a cost (1)
- No extended 30-year power warranty (0)
- Unlimited ownership transfers if you fill out paperwork each time (1)
- BNEF Tier 1 bankability (3)
- No inverter coverage (0)
- No racking equipment coverage (0)
In this case, based on each factor score, the manufacturer’s warranty overall score would be 10 points.
Compare solar panels based on various factors in the EnergySage Buyer’s Guide
While it’s important to compare warranties when choosing a solar panel company, they’re just one part of the equation. You’ll want to consider a number of factors when making your decision including cost, efficiency, power output, and performance. Using the EnergySage Buyer’s Guide, you can compare the warranties, performance, and aesthetics of top solar panels. There’s a lot in there, so we recommend using the filter and sorting functionalities to find the right solar panel for you.
How do the top solar panel warranties compare?
Based on our ranking system, we compared 10 of the top solar panel companies against each other and the industry standard. While making your decision for which solar panel to buy should be based on a number of things, including cost, efficiency, power output, and performance, warranty is an important consideration as well.
Click the image below for a full side-by-side comparison:
**Silfab’s 25-year product warranty pertains to systems installed by a properly registered and qualified Silfab installer; Silfab still offers a 12-year product warranty for other installers
Please note that warranties vary by product for some companies. The scoring system is based on the highest performing company product for each factor. Higher ranks indicate stronger warranties. To enlarge the image, right click and open in a new tab.
Most importantly, the company’s overall ranks are as follows:
| COMPANY | SCORE |
|---|---|
| SunPower | 23 |
| LG Solar | 21 |
| Panasonic | 21 |
| REC | 17 |
| Q CELLS | 14 |
| Silfab | 14 |
| Aptos Solar | 13 |
| Solaria | 13 |
| CertainTeed | 10 |
| AXITEC | 6 |
| Industry standard | 1 |
Please note that higher scores indicate stronger warranties.
Our ranking system shows SunPower with the leading warranty, with Panasonic and LG Solar close behind.
Best for hardware warranty
The following companies all offer 25-year product warranties. In addition, their warranty extends to the full system, including inverters and racking equipment:
- SunPower: with SunPower microinverters
- Panasonic: under AllGuard Warranty, bundled with Enphase microinverters
| COMPANY | PRODUCT | INVERTER | RACKING EQUIPMENT | PRODUCT + INVERTER + RACKING EQUIPMENT SCORE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SunPower | 25 years | Yes, 25 years for SunPower microinverters | Yes | 9 |
| Panasonic | 25 years | Yes, 25 years if panels bundled with Enphase microinverters in AllGuard Warranty | Yes, with AllGuard warranty | 9 |
| LG Solar | 25 years | Yes, 25 years for LG NeON R ACe series panels which come with integrated LG microinverters | No | 7 |
| REC | 25 years | No | No | 5 |
| Q CELLS | 25 years | No | No | 5 |
| Silfab | 25 years | No | No | 5 |
| Solaria | 25 years | No | No | 5 |
| CertainTeed | 10 years | Yes, 25 years for microinverters/ power optimizers, 12 years for string inverters | Yes | 4 |
| Aptos Solar | 15 years | No | No | 2 |
| AXITEC | 15 years | No | No | 2 |
| Industry standard | 10 years | No | No | 0 |
Please note that higher scores indicate stronger warranties.
Best for power warranty
The following companies all have power warranties that guarantee at least 92 percent output in year 25 for at least one of their products:
- SunPower: DC panels
- Panasonic: EverVolt panels
- LG Solar: NeON R panels
- REC: Alpha panels
| COMPANY | POWER | POWER SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| SunPower | 92% DC, 90% AC at year 25 | 5 |
| LG Solar | 92% NeON R, 90.08% NeON 2 at year 25 | 5 |
| Panasonic | 92% EverVolt, 90.76% HIT at year 25 | 5 |
| REC | 92% Alpha, 86% REC N-Peak & TwinPeak 4, 80.7% REC TwinPeak (60-cell), 85.5% TwinPeak (72-cell) at year 25 | 5 |
| Q CELLS | 86% G10+, 85% for all other panels at year 25 | 2 |
| Silfab | 85.1% at year 25 | 2 |
| Aptos Solar | 85.1% at year 25 | 2 |
| Solaria | 86% at year 25 | 2 |
| AXITEC | 85% at year 25 | 2 |
| CertainTeed | 80.2% at year 25 | 0 |
| Industry standard | 80% at year 25 | 0 |
Please note that higher scores indicate stronger warranties.
Best for labor warranty
The following companies cover labor for diagnostics, repairs, or replacements without a cost limit as long as the initial installation was conducted by an installer certified in the company’s network; they also cover shipping of components:
- SunPower: 25 years for SunPower affiliated installers
- Panasonic: 25 years if installed by Panasonic Authorized installer and registered through Panasonic within 60 days of Warranty Start Date
- CertainTeed: 25 years for Master installers, 15 years for Certified installers
| COMPANY | LABOR | SHIPPING | LABOR + SHIPPING SCORE |
|---|---|---|---|
| SunPower | 25 years with SunPower affiliated installers | Yes | 5 |
| Panasonic | 25 years if installed by an Authorized Installer and registered within 60 days of Warranty Start Date | Yes | 5 |
| CertainTeed | 15 years for Certified installers, 25 years for Master installers | Yes | 5 |
| LG Solar | 25 years, up to $450 in labor costs with an LG PRO installer | Yes | 4 |
| REC | 25 years for REC Certified Solar Professional installers for systems <25 kW (10 years for systems 25-500 kW) | No information available | 3 |
| Q CELLS | 25 years, up to $250 in labor costs for solar panels registered through Q.PARTNER program and less than or equal to 25 kW* | No | 2 |
| Aptos Solar | No | Yes | 2 |
| Solaria | 25 years, up to $300 for the first visit and no more than $200 for the second visit | No | 2 |
| Silfab | No | Sometimes | 1 |
| AXITEC | No | No | 0 |
| Industry standard | No | No | 0 |
*Q CELLS also offers an additional $250 in labor for battery storage systems
Please note that higher scores indicate stronger warranties.
Best for bankability & transferability
The following companies are all highly bankable, meaning they’re either BNEF Tier 1 or have a separate cash reserve to ensure warranties are paid out. Additionally, if you move and need to transfer your warranty to the new owner of your home, you won’t have to fill out any paperwork – the warranty will automatically transfer throughout the warranty period:
- LG Solar: BNEF tier 1
- Aptos Solar: 1% cash customer reserve for every panel sold
- Q CELLS: BNEF tier 1
| COMPANY | TRANSFERABILITY | BANKABILITY | TRANSFERABILITY + BANKABILITY SCORE |
|---|---|---|---|
| LG Solar | Automatically transfers to new system owners | • BNEF Tier 1 company • Holds a general warranty reserve on balance sheet for which the counter party is LG Electronics USA Inc. • Top performing PVEL score | 5 |
| Aptos Solar | Automatically transfers to new system owners | • Extensive third party testing • 1% cash customer reserve on every panel sold to ensure warranties are paid out | 5 |
| Q CELLS | Automatically transfers to new system owners | • BNEF Tier 1 company • Top performing PVEL score • Backed by Fortune Global 500 company Hanwha | 5 |
| SunPower | Must fill out transfer paperwork | • BNEF Tier 1 company • Large warranty reserve separate from balance sheet • Top performing PVEL score | 4 |
| REC | Must fill out transfer paperwork | • BNEF Tier 1 company • Top performing PVEL score | 4 |
| Silfab | Automatically transfers to new system owners | • Top performing PVEL score | 4 |
| Solaria | Automatically transfers to new system owners | • Conducts additional third party testing | 3 |
| Panasonic | Must fill out transfer paperwork | • Panasonic Life Solutions is a well-established counter-party with a diversity in products | 2 |
| AXITEC | Automatically transfers to new system owners | Little information available | 2 |
| CertainTeed | Solstice system can be transferred only one time in first 10 years | • ISO, IEC, ISO certifications on manufacturing facilities & inspectors in facilities | 1 |
| Industry standard | Must fill out transfer paperwork | Little information available | 1 |
Please note that higher scores indicate stronger warranties.
Best for extended warranty
Warranty extensions can apply to two different warranty factors: product and power. Of the 10 companies on our list, one offers an extended product warranty and three offer power warranties that extend to 30 years.
Product:
- Aptos Solar: for a cost, increases from 15 year baseline to 25 years
Performance:
- Silfab: automatically guarantees 82.6% at year 30
- Aptos Solar: for a cost, guarantees 82.4% at year 30
- Solaria: via a select finance partner, guarantees 83.5% at year 30
| COMPANY | EXTENDED PRODUCT WARRANTY | EXTENDED 30-YEAR POWER WARRANTY | EXTENDED PRODUCT + POWER WARRANTY SCORE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silfab | No* | Yes, automatically guarantees 82.6% at year 30 | 2 |
| Aptos Solar | Yes, to 25 years at a cost | Yes, 82.4% at year 30 at a cost | 2 |
| Solaria | No | Yes, 83.5% at year 30 via a select finance partner (contact Solaria or installer directly to take advantage) | 1 |
| SunPower | No | No | 0 |
| LG Solar | No | No | 0 |
| Panasonic | No | No | 0 |
| REC | No* | No | 0 |
| Q CELLS | No | No | 0 |
| CertainTeed | No | No | 0 |
| AXITEC | No | No | 0 |
| Industry standard | No | No | 0 |
*Silfab and REC both technically offer extended product warranties as well but these are automatically applied if the installation is done by an installer in their certified network at no cost to you; thus, these are reflected in the product warranty score.
Please note that higher scores indicate stronger warranties.
What to know when filing a solar panel warranty claim
While we don’t include the claim process in our scoring system specifically, we do think it’s important for you to understand! So, we’ve summarized some important information about each company that will help you if you have to file a warranty claim:
| COMPANY | HOW TO FILE CLAIM | CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER LOCATION | PHONE NUMBER | HOURS | WHAT TO EXPECT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aptos Solar | First contact installer, if customer can't reach installer, submit claim in writing by mail to Aptos Solar | Santa Clara, CA | 408-931-6054 | 8:30am - 5pm PST Mon - Fri | After a menu, will likely send you to voicemail |
| AXITEC | Contact AXITEC in writing | Logan Township, NJ | 856-393-7800 | 8:30am - 5pm EST Mon - Fri | No menu, straight to a person |
| CertainTeed | Contact installer or contact CertainTreed directly through website or over phone | Malvern, PA | 800-345-1145 | 8:30am - 5pm EST Mon - Fri | Menu, a person will likely answer after prompts |
| LG Solar | Contact installer or contact LG Solar directly in writing or via email | Huntsville, AL | 800-243-0000 | 8am - 6pm CST Mon - Sun | Menu, a person will likely answer after prompts |
| Panasonic | Contact installer or Panasonic directly and submit claim form with required photos via email | - | Only online | - | - |
| Q CELLS | Email or write to claims department if in purchase agreement | Irvine, CA | 949-748-5996 | 8am - 5pm PST Mon - Fri | After a menu, will likely send you to voicemail |
| REC | Notify installer, need proof of original purchase and must include description of defect and product's serial number in claim | Across the United States | 877-890-8930 | No hours listed | No menu, straight to a person |
| Silfab | Contact installer, installer will submit a return merchandise authorization on your behalf, can also contact Silfab directly via email or phone | Bellingham, WA | 360-569-4733 | 8:30am - 5pm PST Mon - Fri | After a menu, will likely be placed on an automatic hold |
| Solaria | Email or write to claims department directly | Fremont, CA | 510-270-2507 | Open 8am - 5pm PST Mon - Fri | After a menu, will likely send you to voicemail |
| SunPower | Notify installer and contact SunPower directly by phone or via email | Philippines | 800-786-7693 | 24/7 | Menu, a person will likely answer after prompts |
Find a company with a great warranty on EnergySage!
A solar system is a long term investment – typically they last 25 to 30 years! And while solar panels generally need very little upkeep and rarely break, having a strong warranty can give you peace of mind when going solar. The best way to make your solar system last? Choose an excellent installer! On the EnergySage Marketplace, you’ll receive up to seven quotes from our network of pre-vetted professional installers, offering equipment with some of the best warranties. If you’re looking for a specific panel brand, simply make a note in your EnergySage profile.
If you represent a solar panel OEM and don’t see your company’s warranty included in this article, please reach out to marketing@energysage.com.
More reading on EnergySage
Are My Home and Roof Suitable for Solar Panels?
What Is A Solar Inverter? Types, Pros And Cons
Types of Solar Panels: What You Need to Know
String Inverters vs. Power Optimizers vs. Microinverters
Calculate Your Solar Panel Payback Period