What solar panels are made in Australia?

Fact Checked

Whether you’re keen to support local industry or want to reduce the carbon emissions associated with transporting your solar panels, there are several good reasons to look for an all-Australian solar solution. This article explains your options and compares homegrown solar brands so that you can make a well-informed decision. 

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What solar panels are Australian-made?

If you’re chasing Australian-made solar panels, the good news is that you can buy solar panels that are made in Australia – they’re just much less common than solar panels that are made in China and sold in the Australian market.

Currently, Tindo Solar and MSquare Energy are the only companies that claim to manufacture solar panels in Australia.

Tindo Solar

Tindo Solar makes its panels at a manufacturing plant in Mawson Lakes, South Australia, and has been in business since 2011. Tindo offers a 25-year performance guarantee on its Wallara series of solar panels. 

Tindo Solar’s website says: “At Tindo, perfection is not an option; it’s a standard. Our Zero-Defect Manufacturing process guarantees that every Tindo panel undergoes rigorous testing at seven predetermined quality checkpoints. If it doesn’t meet our standards, it doesn’t make the cut”.

MSquare Energy

MSquare Energy’s manufacturing facility is in Kelso, New South Wales. However, in May 2022 the Clean Energy Regulator said that it had permanently suspended MSquare Energy in March 2022 from the register of individuals or companies that can create small-scale technology certificates (STCs) –  a nationwide solar rebate helping Aussies recoup some of the cost of installing solar. 

The regulator also said that the CEC had removed all MSquare solar panels from the list of modules that were eligible for STCs, after finding that MSquare’s solar panels didn’t comply with the required standards.

Why are Australian-made solar panels better?

There are two compelling reasons to buy Australian-made solar panels. 

Location

The company’s proximity to its customers determines the availability, accessibility, and quality of after-sales support and customer service. This is especially true for a physical product like a solar panel. 

For example, if an Aussie purchases solar panels from a foreign brand that doesn’t operate a physical presence, getting a faulty panel repaired or replaced would be a stressful and tedious ordeal.  

Growing the local economy

Supporting Australian-owned and operated businesses provides jobs to Australians and contributes positively to the economy. 

With the federal government committing $1 billion to the domestic manufacturing of solar panels, buying locally-made solar panels would kickstart the growth of our solar supply chain. 

However, it’s important to consider the cost premium you’d have to pay for going local. According to an April 2024 interview with the chief writer at SolarQuotes, Ronald Brakels, customers should expect to pay $1500 more than foreign-made solar panels with similar or equal specifications. 

What are the best Australian-made solar panels?

If you’re committed to buying Australian-made, it’s hard to look past Tindo Solar, which has a solid reputation as a panel brand that homeowners and businesses can rely on. 

Tindo panels power a range of Aussie sites, from Bendigo Bank branches to public pools run by Dubbo regional Council in NSW! 

SolarQuotes users give Tindo panels 4.8 stars out of a possible five stars and SolarQuotes founder Finn Peacock personally vouches for the brand, having installed their panels on his roof.

While there aren’t too many solar panels made Down Under, there are a handful of options when it comes to battery storage units. Solar battery brands including sonnenBatterie, Magellan Power and Powerplus manufacture batteries in Australia.

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Which solar panels are not made in Australia?

As of July 2024, only 1% of solar panel installations across Australia are locally manufactured. The remaining 99% comprises foreign brands. 

To illustrate this trend, below is a list of top-performing solar panels in Australia and their manufacturing sources of origin in alphabetical order: 

• Aiko (e.g. Neostar 2P): China
• Astronergy (e.g.ASTRO N5s): China, Thailand and Türkiye
• Canadian Solar (e.g. TOPHiKu6): United States, Canada, China, Indonesia, Vietnam and Brazil
• Jinko (e.g. Tiger Neo N-Type): China, United States, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East
• Longi (e.g.Hi-MO X6 Max Scientist): China
• Phono (e.g. Helios Clear): China
• REC (e.g. Alpha Pure-RX Series): Norway, Singapore
• Sunpower (e.g. Maxeon 6): France, Malaysia, Mexico and the Philippines
• Trina (e.g. Vertex S+ TSM-NEG9R.28): America, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and UAE
• Winaico (e.g. WST-NGX-D3): Taiwan

None of these brands are Australian, with six of them partially or completely manufactured in China. 

According to the International Energy Agency, China is responsible for more than 80% of all manufacturing stages that go into making solar panels. China’s dominance of the global solar panel manufacturing scene has had the benefit of bringing down the price of panels, dramatically cutting the ‘payback period’ for investing in home solar. 

The downside is that global reliance on just one country for many of the elements required to create solar panels is a supply chain risk.

Are solar panels from other countries of poorer quality?

As shown above, the best-rated solar panels sold in Australia are from other countries, especially from China. Chinese manufacturers have indeed produced low-quality solar panels in the past. But it’d be unfair to generalise Chinese-made solar panels and those from other countries, such as Vietnam, Malaysia, India, the US, South Korea, Germany, Canada, and Japan. 

Many Chinese companies have invested heavily in research and development to improve the technology and quality of their solar panels, putting them on par, if not better than, some panels made in other countries.

Germany also plays a significant role in the solar industry, with many innovative companies located there. Much like most German-made automobiles, German solar panels have an excellent reputation for reliability as well as for using high-quality materials during the manufacturing process.

Product recalls in the solar sector over the past decade have tended to be related to inverters and batteries, as well as the isolators used on solar systems.

Furthermore, all Clean Energy Council (CEC)-accredited solar installers must choose products that comply with Australian standards, which means that if you choose a solar panel that’s made overseas and sold to you by a CEC-accredited installer, it still meets strict local regulations.

The council also has an “enhanced” list of panels that meet those minimum approval requirements plus higher standards, such as not degrading prematurely if exposed, for example, to salt mist in coastal installations or particularly hot, humid environments. You can find the list of approved panels on the CEC website. 

As with any product, there are good and bad manufacturers in each country, making it important to research individual brands before making a purchase decision.

What should you look for in a solar panel?

Australian-made solar panels have a good reputation in terms of quality and durability, despite there not being many brand choices yet. 

If cost is the primary concern, you just need to do your research and look for panels that offer the best value for money, considering issues such as efficiency, durability, price, certification, warranty and local support. 

That’s why it may be wise to explore high-quality solar panels manufactured in China, Germany and other countries too – keep your options open!

You can read much more about these topics in Canstar Blue’s guide to solar panels. Your solar installer can also advise you on which brand of panels may suit your needs and budget. Check out our best-rated solar installers page to find an installer that best satisfies your preferences.