Note: Solar Choice is not a solar installer and has no financial or other incentives to promote any product brand over another.
Overview of Znshine Solar – Company History
Znshine Solar was founded in 1988 but didn’t enter the photovoltaic market until 2006. Znshine is a Bloomberg Tier 1 ranked solar panel manufacturer headquartered in Changzhou, China. Znshine has a global photovoltaic production capacity of 5GW, which in the current market makes them a medium-sized solar panel manufacturer.
Znshine is a growing manufacturer with a global presence residing in China, Japan, India, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, UK, USA, Canada, Chile, Australia, and Africa. In 2018 Znshine was ranked India’s top PV supplier.
Read below our in-depth Znshine solar panels review.
Bloomberg’s infamous tier 1 ranking is NOT a measure of Solar Panel quality in any way. It is simply an indication of the bankability of the manufacturer based on publicly released information on the financial health the company. This should give you an idea if the company is a large, well-known manufacturer.
PV Evolution Labs with support from DNV GL independently test solar panel reliability. The tests are voluntary, with solar panel manufacturers paying to participate in the testing. This testing process is internationally renowned and is an accurate reflection of the solar panel’s performance.
Znshine Solar Panels was listed as a top performer for 4 performance tests(mechanical stress sequence, PID, LID+LETID and PAN performance) in the latest 2024 report.
Most solar panel manufacturers entering the Australian market first set up their distribution channels and worry about customer service later. This has led to many unhappy customers who are left trying to contact Chinese head offices to claim on their 10-year product warranty.
Relying on your solar installer is not always an option as we’ve seen many residential solar installers (including the large ones) go out of business well within the lifetime of the systems they are installing.
Znshine has an Australian office located in Parramatta, NSW.
How Much Do Znshine Solar Panels Cost?
Based on Solar Choice’s database we have provided the below-average costs as an indicative guide. These prices include:
Full turnkey Solar System with Znshine Solar Panels
Installation from a pre-vetted reputable installer from Solar Choice’s network
The STC rebate and GST
System Size
Average Fully Installed Cost
6.6kW
$4,211
10kW
$8,073
15kW
$10,944
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Znshine Solar Panels – Points of Difference
There are many solar panels out there, what makes Znshine solar panels stand out?
Tier 1 Listed Brand
Znshine has been awarded certifications through independent testing authorities including PV Evolution Labs and Bloomberg NEF and their panels have been trusted by large investment firms on many large-scale solar farm projects in Australia.
The annual capacity of Astronergy has reached up to 10GW in 2021 which makes them now one of the main-stream solar panel manufacturers.
Znshine Solar Panel Technologies
Znshine Solar currently has 120 solar panels approved by the Clean Energy Council in Australia under the name “ZNSHINE PV-TECH CO LTD”. This is a requirement to be eligible for the federal STC solar rebate.
Znshine has two main series of solar panels: ZXP6 and ZXM series, which have a variety of different options to suit residential, commercial and utility-scale projects.
ZXP6 Series
Znshine ZXP6 series panels are all polycrystalline PV modules. The power output for this series ranges from 320 watts to 360 watts. Znshine provides three models within this series to meet the different needs of customers. The ZXP6-72 and ZXP6-LD72 models have 72 cells with similar dimensions: 1960 x 992 x 30mm. The ZXP6-LD72 model features double glass panels (meaning the backsheet is more durable) and as a result has a heavier weight at 25.5kg.
The ZXP6-HLD144 model utilises 144 half-cut solar cells with the maximum efficiency reaching 18.15% which is towards the lower end of what is now available on the market.
ZXM Series
The newer ZXM6 and ZXM7 series of panels use a monocrystalline PERC technology with a higher module efficiency performance reaching up to 21.3%.
This extra efficiency along with slightly larger dimensions enables these panels to reach a higher reach of output extending up to 540 watts (for the ZXM7-SPLDD144).
The ZXM series also offers some models with the more durable double glass construction. The double glass panels have a lower degradation rate and enables ZN Shine to offer a longer warranty period.
Both the ZXP6 and ZXM7 series have a bifacial option which generally suits ground-mounted or tilt-frame solar projects that can take advantage of reflected light.
Znshine’s Warranty Offer for Australian Customers
Solar panels in the Australian market come with a performance warranty and a product warranty.
The product warranty is the more important one as it covers manufacturing defects and most problems experienced with solar panels. Most Znshine solar panels come with a 12-year product warranty which is the same as the market average standard. While their double glass module’s warranty period can be up to a market-leading 30 years.
The performance warranty guarantees a certain level of output for the lifetime of the panel – typically guaranteeing 80-82% of the nameplate output after 25 years. Znshine’s solar panels come with a range of different performance warranties depending on the model type. Their standard monocrystalline panels come with a guarantee of 84.3% of the nameplate value at the end of the 25th year, which is on par with most cost effective solar panels in the market.
Given Znshine have an Australian office to assist with the warranty claim process, customers would have a clear path to access a claim even if their installer is no longer around to help.
Bloomberg tier 1 and top performer in PV Evolution Labs
Have local offices in Sydney
Panels are mostly focused on the mid-range cost-effective mass market
Low market share in the Australian market
Znshine Solar Panel Comparison (Common Modules)
ZXP6-LD72
ZXM6-H144
Cell Number
72 Cells
144 Half Cut Cells
Cell Type
Polycrystalline
Monocrystalline
Power Output
350Wp
400Wp
Maximum Voltage
38.2V
41V
Panel Efficiency
17.841%
19.72%
Annual Power Degradation
0.50%
0.55%
Dimensions
1978 x 992 x 30 mm
(1.96 m²)
2024 x 1002 x 35 mm
(2.03 m²)
Weight
25.5kg
22.5kg
Product Warranty
12 years
12-15 years
Performance Warranty
30 years
25 years
Operational Temperature Range
-40°C to 85°C
-40°C to 85°C
Made in
China
China
So, Should I Buy Znshine Solar Panels?
Znshine Solar Panels come with an above-average product warranty and at minimum, an industry-standard performance warranty. The common panels sold by Znshine in Australia also feature high maximum efficiency around 19-20%. From Solar Choice’s perspective, Znshine panels offer value for money, as Znshine sells one of if not the most affordable CEC approved Bloomberg Tier 1 ranked solar panels available in Australia. Now that they have established an Australian office and sales and service team they offer full support to end-customers.
Example of a Znshine Commercial Solar Project
Znshine 250 W polycrystalline solar modules were installed in the two phases of construction at a Znshine owned solar power plant located in Hamada, Shimane province, Japan. The plant was completed in two installations, the first totaling an 11 MW capacity was completed in 2015. The second phase of the installation was completed in 2017 and added an additional 12 MW capacity. This brought the overall capacity of the Hamada solar power plant to 23 MW. The project was estimated to cost Znshine up to 10 billion Japanese Yen (approximately AUD $133 million).
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Reviews from Australians who have installed ZNShine Panels
