Which Solar Panels Are Made In America?

When you’re purchasing solar panels, you want something of great quality. So, the first filter for most buyers is the solar panel manufacturers.

The right producer offers the very best quality and cost-effectiveness. More often than not, these solar panels are made in the USA.

Many companies that produce overseas tend to cut corners and deliver lower-quality panels. But, when made in the USA, they are forced to comply with solar industry standards in the USA to be successful.

So, if you’re looking for some options while you’re switching to renewable energy, read on below.

Key Takeaways

• Many American solar panel manufacturers prioritize quality and compliance with industry standards, making them a preferred choice for buyers seeking high-quality and cost-effective solar panels.
• Notable American solar panel manufacturers include Heliene, Mission Solar, Silfab Solar, Solaria, Seraphim USA, SolarTech Universal, Suniva, Tesla/Panasonic Solar Panels, and First Solar.
• While it can be challenging to find solar panels that are entirely made in the USA due to globalization, there are several options with a strong American presence and reputation for quality. Buyers should consider factors like efficiency, warranty, cost efficiency, durability, and manufacturer reputation when choosing solar panels.

Which Solar Panels are American Made?

Heliene

As a part of the Minnesota Solar Incentive Program, Heliene is one of the more notable American solar panel manufacturers. True to their roots, they remain dedicated to outfitting every Minnesota home with solar panels. They’re also one of two companies that are also based out of Canada.

They have a unique solar panel that is a 96 cell monocrystalline model. It has an output and efficiency of 490 Wp at 19.1%.

Mission Solar

Based out of San Antonio, Texas, Mission Solar is a truly American solar panel manufacturer. They are up to date with IEC and Ul standards. It means that their solar panels can withstand wind, snow, and other such conditions.

Their production process is more notably high-quality. Each Mission Solar panel passes through several technical revisions that ultimately lead to high-quality, weather-resistant solar panels.

The most impressive solar panel Misson Solar manufacture is the 72-cell PERC monocrystalline cell model. With an output of 362 Wp and an 18.46% efficiency – you’ll be hard-pressed to find something better.

Silfab Solar

If you want a company that’s been around a long time, then Silfab Solar should be your go-to. With 35-years of experience in the solar panel industry, they’ve mastered the art of production.

They operate out of a 158,00 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Bellingham, Washington. Their plant has automated production lines that produce PV modules specially designed for the free market and American consumers.

Since it’s been in the industry for a while, there are multiple solar panels that are noteworthy.

Firstly, there’s the monocrystalline 60-cell SLA-MWT solar panel. It has a 320Wp and a 20% efficiency. You can find it in a beautiful black design that is guaranteed to last you at least 30 years.

Secondly, there’s the monocrystalline 120-cell, SLA-M-HC-320 model. It has half-cell technology, an efficiency of up to 20%, and PID resistance. Even if those values don’t mean anything to you – just know it’s brilliant.

They have multiple models that also make use of Bifacial PV modules. So, you have a wide variety of American-made panels that suit every American home.

Most notably in the history of Silfab Solar is when they acquired another important solar panel manufacturer called Itek Energy in 2018.

Solaria

While not completely manufactured in America, Solaria does have manufacturing units in California as well as South Korea. It has one of the highest efficiency values in the country, reaching 19.9%, making it one of the top American solar manufacturers.

If you want the very best out of this brand, then purchasing the Saloria Power Xt 360 would be the right decision.

Seraphim USA

If you wanted something truly American, then Seraphim is the way to go. With manufacturing units in Jackson, Mississippi, and headquarters in Houston, Texas – Seraphim is as American as it gets.

They offer both polycrystalline and monocrystalline solutions, depending on your taste and requirements.

All of their products also perform brilliantly against ammonia and salt mist corrosion. When it comes to PID tests and Photon lab’s yield measurement tests, the results are phenomenal. If you want the very best from this brand, you’d have to opt for the SRP-6MA model.

SolarTech Universal

If you’re from down south and want to support your state, then opt to buy from Florida’s only solar panel producer – SolarTech Universal. Their manufacturing facility is placed right on Riviera Beach.

They have a unique EPIQ technology which has been designed by the company. The upside to the technology is the high-energy and efficient performance.

The top product of the company, the EPIC 32W HJT model, uses this technology and comes out at a solid 19.9% efficiency.

Suniva

When you want solar panels made in America, then Suniva is a go-to brand. With headquarters in Atlanta and manufacturing units in Michigan and Georgia, it’s one of the Top 60 solar companies in Georgia.

It’s won multiple awards, such as Georgia’s Manufacturer of the Year, despite how young the brand is compared to many others on this list.

Tesla / Panasonic Solar Panels

We can’t have a list of American solar panels without mentioning the Tesla/Panasonic panels.

Back in 2016, Tesla finalized an agreement to start manufacturing the PV cells and modules in their Buffalo, NY facility.

Along with brand new cells, there is also the production and incorporation of Panasonic’s own cells to work with Tesla’s energy storage products.

First Solar

If you were wondering why the largest solar panel manufacturer in the USA wasn’t mentioned until now, then it’s because a lot of their production does not happen in the USA.

Along with production units in the US, they also have facilities in Malaysia and Vietnam. So, while some panels are definitely made on home ground, there’s no way to tell which ones were. You could ask your solar installer, but there’s no way for you to tell.

In the USA, they have manufacturing plants in Perrysville and Lake Township, Ohio. Both plants manufacture the greatest number of solar panels in the whole country.

Foreign Companies that Manufacture in the USA

if you’re not too fussed about the origin of the company but solely want the manufacturing to be completed in the USA, then there are multiple foreign companies that operate out of the US.

Hanwha Q Cells

Despite being a South Korean company, a lot of the production happens in China and Malaysia as well. But, the company recently opened a new facility in Dalton, Ohio.

According to the company, it is one of the largest manufacturing facilities in the Western Hemisphere. But, the facility only manufactures the Q.PEAK DUO-G6 (the latest model with an efficiency of almost 19.8%.). It isn’t clear if the facility will start to produce the older solar panels or simply focus on the present and future versions of the Q.PEAK series.

But, the Q.PEAK model being created is a huge competition for the SunPower (Maxeon cell technology) and LG solar panels.

Jinko Solar Panels

No list is complete without a Chinese company. Jinko Solar is a China-based solar company with manufacturing plants in Jacksonville, Florida.

The company is one of the largest manufacturers of solar panels in the world, and its Jacksonville branch focuses on monocrystalline PERC models.

However, if you’re hoping to find out just which products are manufactured in the USA, you’ll be hard-pressed to find information that gives you a straightforward answer. None of their datasheets have clear-cut answers.

LG Solar

As mentioned above, LG has a massive presence in the American solar industry. The South Korean company is based out of Huntsville, Alabama, that manufactures their NeON 2 series solar panels.

But, not all the NeON 2 solar panels are manufactured in the Huntsville branch. There is a large chance that the panels are manufactured overseas.

Some Notable American Solar Companies

Apart from those mentioned in the lists above, there are other brands that either manufacture solar panels in America or are based out of the country.

• Auxin Solar – San Jose, CA
• CertainTeed Solar – San Jose, CA
• SunPower – San Jose, CA
• Lumos Solar, San Jose, CA

Does it Matter Where the Solar Panels are Made?

There are two main reasons you might opt for purely American-made solar panels: patriotic reasons and indisputable quality reasons.

When it comes to quality, you can’t argue about the incredible quality that is American-made solar panels. However, multiple solar panel companies such as Jinko Solar and SunPower are either not American companies or produce outside the country but still make excellent quality solar panels.

If you’re looking for quality and therefore opting for American-made, then you need not limit your options too drastically. But, if your reasons are patriotic – good on you.

How Do You Choose a Solar Panel?

There’s no singular factor based on which you can choose solar panel manufacturers. If you’re filtering based on country of manufacture, then you’re going to have a limited list anyway. But, even that list will need to be filtered down further.

You can filter based on factors such as:

• Efficiency
• Warranty
• Cost Efficiency
• Durability
• Manufacturer Reputation

What’s the Catch?

Buying American solar panels is trickier than it sounds. You can blame it on globalization. With the advent of globalization, most manufacturers prefer either manufacturing abroad or importing parts and assembling in the USA.

What does this mean? The chances of buying completely American-made solar panels are extremely hard and next to impossible.

Whether it’s the silicone, batteries, or wires – some part of the solar panel you purchase might have been manufactured outside America.

On the flip side, there are foreign companies that manufacture almost completely in the USA. If not completely, primarily in the USA. But it defeats the purpose of buying American if it is a foreign company.

But, as stated earlier, there are multiple options for solar panels made in the USA. Even if it does limit your options, the ones mentioned above are of great quality. Even the solar panels’ cost isn’t exorbitant or too different from the more international versions of the same.

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Wrapping Up

Unlike companies like Vivint solar that manufacture in China to cut corners, the companies mentioned in this list are solar panel manufacturers that are based out of the USA.

Whether they are an American Company like Tesla with a domestic manufacturing plant or a foreign company like Jinko Solar with assembly units in the USA – the product quality is undeniable.

American-based companies offer an undeniable lure of better quality, transparent production, manufacturing process, and the added benefit of manufacturing jobs.

It’s also just nice to support your country.