TW Solar’s Rooftop Panel For Punishing Australian Conditions

Australians have a new choice in high-power rooftop solar panels; one that appears to be built particularly tough for our often-harsh conditions — TW Solar’s 470-Watt TWMNH-48HE470.

How Tough Is The TWMNH-48HE470?

A full-black monofacial dual-glass solar panel with a footprint of 2m², the TW Solar TWMNH-48HE470 is suitable for installation in coastal locations. There’s nothing particularly special in that, but additionally the panel is cyclone-rated and hail impact tested to 44.9 mm hailstones at 110 km/h¹. That’s slightly larger than the diameter of a golf ball, which is 42.67 mm. The standard IEC hail test involves 25 mm hailstones at 82.8 km/h.

More TWMNH-48HE470 Specifications

• Maximum Power: 470W
• Cell Type: TNC (N Type monocrystalline cells)
• Module efficiency: 23.5%
• Temperature Coefficient (Pmax): -0.28%/°C
• Maximum System Voltage: 1500V DC
• Dimensions: 1762mm x 1134mm x 30mm
• Weight: 22.8kg
• Glass (front and back): 2mm
• Operating Temperature: -40°C to + 70°C
• 25- year product warranty (rooftop installs).
• 30- year performance warranty for roof- mounted installations (1st year degradation <1%, <0.4% annually thereafter for a capacity not less than 87.4% at the end of year 30).

A full datasheet is available here.

TW Solar’s contender is heavier than some we’ve seen in this wattage range due to the 2mm glass front and back. There are manufacturers opting for 1.6mm instead; sacrificing some strength as a result².

The TWMNH-48HE470 is being exclusively launched in Australia this month by national wholesale distributor of solar gear Supply Partners, which has warehouses in Brisbane, Townsville, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.

“TW Solar is one of the world’s only fully integrated solar manufacturers, giving them unparalleled control over quality, supply, and innovation,” said Supply Partners’ John Degotardi. “Our partners are looking forward to offering one of the best specified and most value-focused solar panels in the Australian market today.”

As for pricing and like other TW Solar panels, I’m assuming the TWMNH-48HE470 should come in towards the budget-friendly end of the spectrum.

Supply Partners says it will be showcasing the panel at All Energy Australia in Melbourne late this month. The event is promoted as the largest gathering of renewable energy professionals in the Southern Hemisphere.

Who Is TW Solar (aka Tongwei Solar)?

China’s TW Solar is one of the world’s largest PV manufacturers and commenced making solar cells for other companies in 2009. The firm then moved into producing their own panels, evolving into a vertically integrated company controlling the entire process; from refining polysilicon to assembling the final product.

Tongwei opened an Australian office this year in North Sydney, but their panels were being installed here for a few years prior.

TW Solar panel reviews here on SolarQuotes from Australian customers have been generally positive to date, with the company averaging a 4.9 star rating. However, we only have a few dozen customer reviews so far, compared to some of the longer established brands in Australia that have hundreds — and some with thousands — of reviews. The company is currently listed as a SolarQuotes approved solar panel brand.

Among other manufacturers to release high-power solar panels suitable for Australian rooftops this year are Risen Energy (475 W), Aiko (480 W) and Winaico (475 W). Risen and Aiko tend to cater towards the budget end of the market, with Winaico being more middle-of-the-road on pricing.

Learn everything you need to know about choosing the right solar panels for your home; or check out some other high-efficiency modules here. We still need to update the table on that page with some of the products more recently made available in Australia; including this one from Tongwei.