Trina Solar panel review: Reliability meets budget
If you’re looking for that sweet spot between affordability and performance, Trina Solar could be it.
:quality(70) "Roof with solar panels installed")
Trina Solar is the industry’s Goldilocks option. Known for dependable solar panels that won’t break the bank, the China-based solar panel manufacturer offers a middle ground between premium brands and budget options—and is popular among shoppers on the EnergySage Marketplace.
Trina Solar employs sophisticated solar technologies—PERC, bifacial, and half-cut, to name a few—while maintaining competitive prices. It’s a great option for those seeking a balance between affordability and performance, but you can almost always find another option that’s either more efficient or cheaper.
Trina Solar’s panels are well suited for solar shoppers with a “just right” mindset regarding quality and cost. But if you’re looking to install the best of the best, or you're trying to keep your costs as low as possible, Trina Solar isn’t the best brand to go with.
- 100% free to use, 100% online
- Access the lowest prices from installers near you
- Unbiased Energy Advisors ready to help
In a nutshell
Prices
$2.80 per watt on average, based on more than 10,000 real-world quotes on the EnergySage Marketplace in the second half of 2023.
Federal tax credits and state, local, or utility incentives should further reduce the price. The federal solar tax credit alone reduces the cost by 30%.
Pros
Price: Trina Solar’s panels are about $0.06 cheaper per watt than the average solar panel on the EnergySage Marketplace.
Good specs: Trina Solar's panels' efficiency, performance, and degradation rates are competitive.
Cons
Not a standout in any category: If you want to install the most efficient panels available, or want the lowest temperature coefficient possible, consider another premium brand. Likewise, there are cheaper solar panels available.
Founded in 1997, Trina Solar’s solar panel technology has set a world record or two (or 26). The company’s most recent breakthrough panel achieved a maximum power output of 740.6 Watts. Alas, you won’t be able to install those on your roof, but the residential panels are still adequately powerful.
Trina Solar currently offers two solar panel lines for residential solutions in the U.S.: the Vertex S/S+ and the Residential line.
Trina Solar solar panels
Vertex S+ | Vertex S | Residential (PERC Module) | Residential | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cell type | Bifacial | Monocrystalline | Monocrystalline | Monocrystalline |
| Power output | 400-430 W | 380-405 W | 355-380 W | 310-335 W |
| Efficiency | 20%-21.5% | 19.8%-21.1% | 19.2%-20.6% | 18.4%-19.9% |
| Temperature coefficient | -0.30% / °C | -0.34% / °C | -0.34% / °C | -0.36% / °C |
| Warranty | 25 years | 25 years | 25 years | 25 years |
| Warranted degradation | 99% of output in year 1, at least 89.4% in year 25 (0.4% degradation rate) | 98% of output in year 1, at least 84.8% in year 25 (0.55% degradation rate) | 98% of output in year 1, at least 84.8% in year 25 (0.55% degradation rate) | 97.5% of output in year 1, at least 83.1% in year 25 (0.6% degradation rate) |
| Weight | 47.0 lb | 46.3 lb | 43.4 lb | 39.7 lb |
| Size | 69.37 x 44.65 x 1.18 in | 69.06 x 43.15 x 1.18 in | 72.91 x 39.21 x 1.38 in | 66.54 x 39.21 x 1.38 in |
For solar panels, the most important specs to watch are:
Efficiency: How well a solar panel captures sunlight and converts it into electricity for your home, expressed as a percentage (i.e., 22.2%). The higher, the better.
Temperature coefficient: How well your solar panels perform in less-than-ideal conditions, expressed as a percentage per degree (i.e., 0.34% / °C). The lower, the better.
Warranty: Guarantees that the company will replace your panel if it fails due to manufacturing defects or environmental issues. Warranties also guarantee a certain amount of production throughout the 25+ year term.
Trina Solar vs. other popular brands
Trina Solar Vertex S+ 420W | Sun Power Maxeon 3 420W | Tesla T420S 420W | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | 47.0 lb | 46.7 lbs | 55.8 lb |
| Size | 69.37 x 44.65 x 1.18 in | 71.3 x 41.2 x 1.6 in | 82.4 x 40.9 x 1.57 in |
| Average price per watt* | $2.80/W | $3.49/W | $2.27/W |
| Efficiency | 21.0% | 22.2% | 19.3% |
| Temperature coefficient | -0.30% / °C | -0.27% / °C | -0.331% / °C |
| Warranty | 25 years | 25 to 40 years | 25 years |
| Warranted degradation | 99% of output in year 1, at least 89.4% in year 25 (0.4% annual degradation rate) | 98% of output in year 1, at least 92% in year 25 (0.25% annual degradation rate) | 98% of output in year 1, at least 85% in year 25 (0.54% annual degradation rate) |
*Price reflects the average price per watt based on more than 10,000 real-world quotes on the EnergySage Marketplace in the second half of 2023. It is not specific to the model listed.
It’s a great bang for your buck
Trina Solar’s panels are a safe bet for your home if you’re trying to strike a balance between price and performance.
Overall, Trina Solar offers above-average solar panels at a below-average price. While they may not be as efficient as SunPower, they’re not too far behind. Looking at the table above, Trina Solar’s Vertex S+ panel is 1.2% less efficient but about 20% cheaper per watt than its SunPower counterpart.
You’ll get quality technology
Trina Solar is an innovative solar panel manufacturer that continuously advances its technology. The company prioritizes affordability and performance, resulting in reliable solar panels built with advanced technology. For its residential solutions, Trina Solar uses monocrystalline solar cells with multi-busbar, PERC, and bifacial technologies.
Multi-busbar: A busbar is a copper electrical conduit that connects solar cells and is known to increase durability, efficiency, and flexibility. Trina Solar uses multiple busbars on a single panel, further improving performance.
PERC: Passivated Emitter and Rear Contact (PERC) solar cells include a back surface layer that reflects light back through the cell, reduces heat absorption, and reduces electron recombination, all of which improve panel efficiency.
Bifacial solar cells: Bifacial solar panels can capture sunlight on both the front and back faces. They’re more efficient than traditional solar cells because they have more surface area to absorb sunlight, but they don’t make much sense for rooftop installations. Bifacial solar cells are best for ground-mounted solar systems.
They’re not the best of the best
Trina Solar competes with some of the top brands on the market, but they’re not number one in any category. Trina Solar does everything pretty well (efficiency, temperature coefficient, warranties, price, etc.), but there’s usually a premium solar panel brand that does it better. If performance is your priority, you may want to consider installing Maxeon, SunPower, or REC Group solar panels.
They’re also not the cheapest option
Trina isn’t quite up there with the “premium” brands, but it’s not exactly a “budget” option either. If your top priority is budget, you can definitely find cheaper solar panels elsewhere. Brands like AXITEC, Jinko Solar, and LONGi Solar made our 2024 Best Cheap Solar Panels list, and all have a more affordable price per watt than Trina Solar.
If you’re willing to make reasonable compromises on budget and specs, Trina Solar panels are a great choice. Ultimately, the best way to determine whether Trina Solar is the best solution for your home is to review multiple quotes with different solar equipment before deciding.
- 100% free to use, 100% online
- Access the lowest prices from installers near you
- Unbiased Energy Advisors ready to help
Explore heat pumps, the latest in clean heating & cooling technology.
See solar prices near you.
Enter your zip code to find out what typical solar installations cost in your neighborhood.
