Overview of Jinko – Company History
Jinko Solar is a Chinese company that was founded in 2006 originally producing silicon wafers and are widely recognised as a global leader in the solar panel industry. Since listing on the New York Stock Exchange in 2010 the stock price has seen some volatility and is currently trading just over US$37 as at June 2021 with a market cap of US$1.7 billion. Jinko currently has over 15,000 employees across over 30 countries.
The company has an annual production capacity of 17.5 GW of monocrystalline silicon wafers, 10.6 GW of solar cells and 16 GW of Solar Panels as reported on their website in March 2020. As of June 2020, Jinko has informed Solar Choice that they have 9 production facilities around the globe with an increased integrated annual capacity of 20GW for mono wafers, 11GW for solar cells and 25 GW for Solar Panels.
Given Jinko’s financial stability and track record, they have been utilised in many of Australia’s largest solar farms with over 1GW of their solar panels deployed in utility scale installations.
Key Indicators
| Jinko Solar Panels | |
| Bloomberg Tier 1 Ranking | Yes |
| PV Evolution Labs Top Performer | Yes (4/6) |
| Office location in Australia | Yes |
What is a Bloomberg Tier 1 Solar Panel?
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 of the company. This should give you an idea if the company is a large, well-known manufacturer.
Jinko Solar Panels are in the Bloomberg Tier 1.
See full list of Bloomberg Tier 1 Solar Panels
What is PV Evolution Labs Top Performer?
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.
Jinko Solar Panels are currently ranked in the PV Evolution Labs Top Performers across 4 of the 6 annual tests and are one of the few manufacturers that have consistently been listed as a top performer for the last 6 years. This is a good indicator of them being a leader in the solar industry.
See full list of PV Evolution Labs Top Performing Solar Panels
Why is office location in Australia Important?
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.
Jinko currently has offices located in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
How much do Jinko 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 Jinko 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 |
| 10kW | $9,692 |
| 8KW | $7,960 |
| 6kW | $5,982 |
Important Note: Prices will vary depending on location, inverter brand and which installer is used
Compare quotes from up to 7 installers in your area now.
Jinko Solar Panels Are Used Commonly In Premium Solar Solutions
Solar Choice has been collecting quote information from hundreds of solar installers in Australia since 2008 to use in our comparison service. We can observe that Jinko Solar Panels (particularly the Tiger Series) are used in approximately 1 in 8 solar installers’ premium offers. This implies that Jinko Solar panel quality is better than average and is suitable for customers looking for a high quality product. See the full breakdown of products used in premium offers on the Solar Choice Price Index page.
Jinko Solar Panel Technologies
All the models of panels they currently sell in Australia are salt mist corrosion resistant and suitable for coastal installations across Australia.
The majority of Jinko’s solar panels are approved by the Clean Energy Council for the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, which is Australia’s home solar rebate program. Jinko offers four series of panels being the Swan, Eagle, Cheetah and Tiger Series.
Swan Bifacial Series (HC 60M and HC 72M)
The Swan Bifacial Series includes 5 busbar solar cell adopts new technology to improve the solar panel efficiency of modules, offers a better aesthetic appearance, making it perfect for rooftop installation
It has an excellent Anti-PID performance guarantee limited power degradation for mass production and designed for high voltage systems of up to 1500 VDC, saving BOS cost.
The 0.55% annual power degradation 30 year linear power warranty and light-weight design for easy installation and low BOS cost.
The module power increases 5-25% generally (per different reflective condition) lower LCOE and higher IRR also means excellent performance in low-light environments (e.g. early morning, dusk, and cloud, etc.)
Cheetah Series (60, 72V, HC 60, HC 72 V)
The Cheetah Series includes 5 busbar solar cell adopts new technology to improve the efficiency of modules, offers a better aesthetic appearance, making it perfect for rooftop installation.
They are UL and IEC 1500V certified; lowers BOS costs and yields better LCOE with a higher module conversion efficiency (up to 20.74%). Their excellent Anti-PID performance guarantee limited power degradation for mass production and advanced glass and cell surface textured design ensure excellent performance
in low-light environment.
This Solar Panel comes with a 30 year performance warranty with degradation at 1% in the first year and 0.4% annually until year 30, and a product warranty of 15 years.
Eagle Series (60, 72, PERC 60, PERC 72, Eagle MX, Eagle SE)
The Eagle Series is the most affordable panel in Jinko’s Australian solar panel range.
The Eagle Plus module conversion efficiency (up to 18.57%) is boosted by PERC technology (developed initially at UNSW) andwith limited power degradation caused by PID effect is guaranteed under extremely strict testing condition (85℃/85%RH, 192 hours) for mass production.
The advanced glass and solar cell surface texturing allow for excellent performance in low-light environments and has high salt mist and ammonia resistance certified by TUV NORD.
Tiger Series (66, 78, Monofacial, Bifacial, All Black, P-type, N-type)
The Tiger Series utlises Jinko’s leading technology and is the most efficient panel they offer into the Australian market.
The Tiger Series cell technology comes in the more common P-type and the more efficient and durable N-type which has 30-year performance warranty and an annual degradation rate of only 0.4% after the first year.
The 66 cell panels also have an ‘All Black’ option which make a stylish solution for a residential roof-space.
Compare quotes from up to 7 installers in your area now.
A Video of Jinko’s Smart Factory in China
Comparison of Jinko Solar Panel Specifications (common modules)
| Jinko Cheetah HC 330W JKM330M-60H | Jinko Tiger All Black 390W JKM390N-6RL3-B | |
| Cell Number | 120 half-cut cells | 132 half-cut cells |
| Cell Type | Mono PERC | N-type Monocrystalline |
| Power Output | 330Wp | 390Wp |
| Max Power Voltage | 33.54V | 37.25V |
| Panel Efficiency | 19.56% | 20.43% |
| Annual Power Degradation | 0.7% | 0.4% |
| Dimensions | 1684 x 1002 x 30 mm
(1.68 m²) |
1855 x 1029 x 30 mm
(1.91 m²) |
| Weight | 18.5kg | 20.8kg |
| Product Warranty | 12 Years | 25 Years |
| Operational Temperature Range | -40°C to 85°C
|
-40°C to 85°C
|
| Made in | China | China |
So, should I buy Jinko Solar Panels?
From Solar Choice’s perspective Jinko Solar Panels strike a good balance between a trustworthy and reputable brand and affordability. Jinko offer a good range of panels including their affordable Cheetah Series and their premium Tiger Series which offer industry leading technology and warranties. Jinko Solar panels also have a proven track record on residential and commercial projects in Australia for over 10 years, so our opinion is you can’t go wrong with Jinko.
Example of a Jinko Commercial Solar Project
- Date: Q1, 2016
- Jinko Model: Solar Eagle Series
- Type of Application: Supplier
- System Size: 1.8 MW
In March 2016, a 1.8 MW solar system was commissioned at Voyages Ayers Rock Resort. Jinko Solar supplied 1.6MW EAGLE PID free modules to this project with the balance of the project supplied by another module provider. The project includes both roof and a ground mount systems, which ensures that energy is produced close to where it is needed.
Jinko Solar Eagle series PID free modules were attractive to Voyages due to their quality, the strong track record of Jinko Solar delivering globally on large scale solar projects, and Jinko’s competitive price points.
Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia (“Voyages”) selected Epuron to design, build and own the project through Yulara Solar. Energy is supplied to Voyages under an operational lease model, which more effectively shares the long-term risks and opportunities of running solar PV systems in remote areas. This project is the first utility scale plant to be proposed and completed by an Indigenous Land Council.
The system is expected to offset a minimum of 2733 tonnes CO2 per year. Its largest array is the ground-mounted 1 MW area in the Desert Gardens.
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Reviews from Australians who have installed Jinko Panels
Are generating very well, even on cloudy days.
A friend was recommended Jinko panels by a long term experienced installer. They're a big company, have been operating for quite a while, and have good representation in Aus.
Great warranty period
Slim and fits well
NA
Amazing
It is early days, but there have been no issues at all.
Good as long as its reliable long term.
No comments
The all Black Tiger Solar panels look fantastic. The blend into my roof nicely and look like a nice feature rather then an eyesore. It’s been overcast ever since they have been installed so I have to yet seen there full potential.
This was the brand recommended by Solar Choice, who are clearly experts in this field. We were happy to be guided by them.
excellent
Seems to be a very popular brand
Really happy with them.
No comment.
They seem to be very good, Our energy costs last bill march to may was $108, this is pretty good.
Great stuff
seems to be working well 4 years later
