Phono solar panels reviews

Sumec Phono Solar is a Chinese company that manufacturers tier one solar panels with a 15 year product warranty, an optional 15+5 Product Warranty and a 25 year performance warranty. They are certified as corrosion resistant and so are suitable for installation by the sea.

Phono Solar also now have an Australian presence: Level 35, Tower One, 100 Barangaroo Ave, Sydney, Australia. Phone number: (02) 8114 4516

Company History

Phono Solar was founded by the Sumec/Sinomach conglomerate, apparently in 2004. The huge Sumec/Sinomach conglomeration has so many fingers in so many pies they have probably had extra hands grafted on to accommodate them all. They are involved in everything from large and small scale generator manufacture, to lawn mowers, to clothing. In 2018, it was noted as Forbes' 5^th fastest growing company in the world. 

Phono Solar first started large scale manufacture of solar panels in 2008 with a 120 megawatt solar panel production line. They expanded this to 200 megawatts the following year and by 2014 they were considered to be a tier one manufacturer by Bloomberg.

Manufacturing Capacity

Phono Solar have advised that their most recent production figures are 2.2 gigawatts capacity for 2020. 

Manufacturing Location

Phono Solar manufactures their panels in Nanjing, a city that is often known as Nanking to English speakers. It is on the Yangtze River and is only a one and a half hour express train ride from Shanghai.

Phono Solar Is Very Proud Of How Their Panels Performed in DVN GL Tests

DNV GL is, among other things, an international certification body. They perform independent tests of solar panels. Phono Solar did extremely well in testing, coming second overall in an extensive round of tests completed in 2016, which I wrote about here.

Phono Solar Panels

Datasheets for Sumec Phono Solar panels can be acquired from their Australian website (https://www.phonosolar.com.au/). 

Ultra High Efficiency Panels

Sumec Phono Solar produces a line of called Twin Plus, which are up to 20.58% efficient - this is a very high conversion efficiency.

Warranties And Corrosion Resistance

All Sumec Phono Solar Panels come with a 15 year product warranty. For residential panels, an optional 5 years warranty coverage is now available to make it a 15+5 year product warranty. All Sumec Phono Solar Panels are certified as corrosion resistant. 

Warranty Procedure

With the establishing of its office in Australia, SUMEC Australia is now responsible for all warranty services. Customers can make warranty claims via www.phonosolar.com.au, or [email protected], [email protected]

My Recommendation

I would have no problem with installing Phono Solar modules on my roof, especially since the did so well in DNV GL testing. They are also very competitively priced. Personally, I’d take them over a considerable number of other tier one panels.