Yingli Solar Panels: An independent review by Solar Choice

Note: Solar Choice is not associated with Yingli Solar Panels and is not an solar installer and has no financial or other incentives to promote any product brand over another.

Yingli Solar- Company History

Founded in 1998 by Liansheng Miao in Baoding, China – Yingli Energy (China) Company Limited, known as “Yingli Solar” has over 20 years experience as a solar panel manufacturer. Their headquarters remain in Baoding with a distribution channels set up around the globe with over 30 subsidiaries.

Yingli grew to be one of the world’s leading solar panel manufacturers by volume in 2012 and 2013, however started to experience financial troubles in 2015 with rising debt levels paired with low profitability. This culminated in a restructure taking place in 2020 whereby subsidiaries including Yingli Green Energy Holding Co Ltd were liquidated and the Chinese creditors took an equity interest in the new entity.

Following the restructure Yingli have regained their Bloomberg Tier 1 status which indicates they are in a stable financial position. Yingli have an annual production capacity of 7.2GW bolstered by a new 5GW plant in Tianjin, China.

Yingli have established a local presence in Australia with an office located in Sydney which is designed to provide technical and sales support to new and existing customers.

Key Indicators

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.

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.

Yingli Solar Panels are currently ranked in the PV Top Performers List for 5 tests (thermal cycling, damp heat, mechanical stress sequence, LID+LETID and PAN performance) tests (2024)

 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 their 15-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.

Yingli have an office space on Clarence St in Sydney CBD.

Yingli Solar Panels – Points of Difference

There are many solar panels out there, what makes Yingli’s solar panels stand out?

Long history and experience

Despite the companies financial troubles, they have remained one of the largest solar panel manufacturers through-out the last couple of decades with over 14GW of solar panels delivered worldwide by 2015. This puts Yingli’s experience as a manufacturer up in the top 10 in terms of volume.

Yingli have developed in-house expertise in their factory in Baoding which has been their headquarters for two decades.

Yingli Solar Panel Technologies

Yingli currently have 70 solar panels approved by the Clean Energy Council in Australia under names Yingli Energy (China) Company Limited and Yingli Energy China Co Ltd. This is a requirement to be eligible for the federal STC solar rebate.

The panels are split into 3 main series which are detailed below:

Mono Series

There are 7 different models in the Mono Series with varying numbers of solar cells and cell sizes. The panels range from 60 cell panels which are more commonly deployed in residential projects to 72 cell panels focused on commercial projects. All the panels feature half cut cells which retains the output capacity of the panel but increasing the efficiency by reducing the electrical resistance in the internal wiring.

All the solar panels in this series feature an impressive module efficiency of over 20% and reaching 21.57% for the YLM 132 Cell(G12) model. The panels utilise low-iron tempered glass for the top sheet and anodised aluminium for the frame.

Mono GG Series

There are a further 7 panels in the Mono GG Series which is a step up from the Mono Series. The modules in this series are ‘bifacial’ meaning electricity can be generated from the topside and the underside of the solar panel. This can generate up to 25% more electricity, particularly in ground-mount installations or tilt-frames with light coloured roofs. The modules offer an equally impressive module efficiency stretching up to 21.57% for the YLM 132 Cell(G12) model which uses the same cell technology as the Mono Series.

These panels would be better suited to ground-mount solar projects.

Panda 3.0 Pro (New in 2024)

Yingli’s latest solar panel to drop in Australia in early 2024 is the Panda 3.0 Pro. This is a 440W bifacial solar panel which utlises N-type monocrystalline cell technology. The panel dimensions are 1.76m by 1.13m making it ideal for residential rooftop solar installations.

The maximum efficiency rating of the solar panel is 22.02% which is a solid figure. The panel also has an impressive temperature co-efficient of 0.25%/°C which means it will outperform many solar panels in the hotter parts of Australia.

With the solar panel’s durable glass on glass design, Yingli is able to offer a 25 year product warranty and a 30-year performance warranty.

Yingli Solar Panels – Pros and Cons

Yingli Solar Panel Specifications (common modules)

Example of a Yingli Solar Project – Allianz Stadium

As part of the redevelopment of the Allianz Stadium in Sydney, Yingli’s solar panels were selected. The solution features 180kW worth of Solar Panels and powers the site’s gym and pool facilities.

Read more product reviews from Solar Choice

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James Shand

Marketing Manager at Solar Choice

With half a decade experience in the solar energy industry, specialising in business strategy and marketing for solar companies. He has worked with top solar distributors in Canada and now collaborates with solar manufacturers and installers across Australia via Solar Choice, Australia's leading solar comparison platform. With degrees in business technology, science, and marketing, James combines in-depth market insights with technical knowledge, positioning him as a trusted authority in renewable energy.

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