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LONGi is one of the world's largest solar panel manufacturers.  For a while they were the largest, but it looks like Jinko has them beat at the moment, but they still managed to hold the number one position for a very Longi time.

The Chinese company became a solar giant by producing panels with a good combination of affordability and reliability. Their panels come with 12, 15, or 25 year product warranties and 25 year performance warranties.  Almost all going on Australian roofs have 25 year produce and performance warranties.

Because they're reliable and good value for money, LONGi panels are among those SolarQuotes recommends. I'd be fine with having them installed on my mother's roof. In fact, our blogger, Anthony, did put them on his mum's roof.

Company History

LONGi Solar was founded in 2000. It may be hard to believe, but the company wasn't named after Australian solar legend Jack "Longy" Long. Instead, it was named after Jiang Longji, a university president who died in 1966. The name choice makes it look like the young company was trying to curry favour with the Chinese government, but LONGi's founders insist it was just because he was a really cool dude.

Initially, LONGi produced silicon for electronics. In 2005, they began producing silicon for solar, and in 2006, they had enough capacity to make around 1,000 tonnes a year. They then began climbing their way up the solar supply chain, starting with cutting the silicon ingots they made into wafers used for solar cells. In 2014 they purchased a solar panel manufacturing company.  This completed their transformation into an enormous, vertically integrated company, involved in all major steps of solar panel production. They have continued expanding at a rapid rate and, in 2021, also moved into producing equipment for hydrogen production.

Production

In 2023 LONGi shipped a massive 67.5 gigawatts of solar panels. That's enough to generate electrical consumption equal to half of Australia's electricity consumption.  Not bad for a single company.  Their figure for 2024 is likely to be similar.  This will make it one of the few years there hasn't been a large increase in their panel production.

Longi silicon wafer production in 2023 was 125.4GW.  This is much more than is required for their own use and the excess is sold to other companies.  At the moment, it looks like their 2024 wafer production may be lower, but final figures aren't yet in.

Monosilicon Only

Two types of silicon are used to make solar cell -- polysilicon and monosilicon. LONGi only makes and uses monosilicon. While more expensive than polysilicon, its makes for more efficient solar cells and has been gradually gaining market share. Almost 100% of panels going on Australian roofs these days are monosilicon.

Production Locations

LONGi's headquarters are in Xi'an, a city of 13 million that's famous for flatbread in lamb soup and terracotta dudes. It's located in Shaanxi province, which has goddamned beautiful mountains that often can't be seen because of goddamn awful air pollution. The bulk of LONGi's silicon production occurs in this province.

Most of LONGi's production is in China but they also have factories in Malaysia and Vietnam. For years now they've been talking about opening facilities in India, but that project has been really slow to get off the ground. They've also built a $900 million plant in Ohio in the United States, able to produce up to 5 gigawatts of panels a year.

LONGi Hi-Mo X6 Panels

Longi panels used for residential solar are most likely to be their Hi-Mo X6 panels.  These come in three slightly different versions called Explorer, Scientist, and Guardian panels.  All have fairly high efficiency and performance warranties that promise a low rate of degradation.

If you want to check out panel information on the Longi website, make sure the page is set to Australia, because they don't offer the same panels or the same warranties in every country.  The last time I used their site, it thought Adelaide was in India.

Efficiency

Solar panel efficiency is the percentage of sunlight energy they convert into electrical energy.  All else equal, the higher the panel efficiency, the more energy they'll generate for a given amount of roof space.  Currently, I'm happy panels over 22% high efficiency.  As the Hi-Mo X6 panels offered in Australia have efficiencies that range from 21.3% to 23.3%, many of them count as high efficiency panels.

Heat Tolerance 

As solar panels get hotter, their output declines.  For typical modern panels it will drop by around 0.29% for 1°C the panel goes over 25 degrees.  So a panel at 45°C would produce 5.8% less power than it would at 25°C.  The Longi Hi-Mo X6 panels available in Australia fall by 0.28% to 0.29%.  This makes some of them a little better than average.

Hail Resistance

Longi Hi-Mo X6 panels are certified to resist 25mm hail striking the panel at 23m/s.  This means the panel can withstand multiple impacts without suffering more than a 5% decline in output.  This level of resistance is standard and sufficient for panels to survive impacts from normal sized hailstones.

Avoid Shading

Their installation manual for HiMo 6 panels recommends avoiding shade and says "LONGI suggests the module surface should not be shaded in any case."  As it's not clear if the panels can be installed where they will suffer temporary shade during the day, I've asked Longi to clarify this.

Right By The Beach Is Bad

Their installation manual says Longi panels can be installed 50m or more from the beach.  It also recommends anti-corrosion treatment wherever they may be exposed to sea mist. 

A 10° Tilt Is Recommended

While it's not a requirement, it is recommended the panels be installed at a tilt of at least 10° to allow rain to effectively clean them.

Performance Warranty

In Australia, Hi-Mo X6 panels have a 25 year performance warranty that promises their output will decline by no more than 1.5% in the first year and no more than 0.4% in each subsequent year.  This means they'll have at least 88.9% of their original capacity after 25 years.  While this is a very low rate of allowed deterioration, it isn't exceptional for modern solar panels.

Product Warranty

In Australia, Longi Hi-Mo X6 panels have a 25 year product warranty that protects against defects in materials and manufacture.  Longi refers to this as a 25 year warranty for materials and processing. 

Making A Warranty Claim

The odds are good you'll never need to make a warranty claim on LONGi panels, particularly if you get ones with a 25 year product warranty. But if a problem does occur, the first person you should contact is the installer who provided them. If they're no longer around, you can contact LONGi Solar's Australian office directly:

LONGi Australia General Enquires: 02 8484 5805.

If you prefer to send an email, LONGi says they'll reply within 24 hours. Their email address is: [email protected].

100% Renewable Production By 2028

In 2020 LONGi committed to using 100% renewable energy by 2028. At that time their energy use was 42% renewable. In 2022 it was up to 47%. Obviously, they'll need to pick up the pace to hit the target, but with the amount of solar being installed in China, I have no trouble believing they'll meet their goal.

LONGi Hydrogen

LONGi has moved into producing equipment for hydrogen production, but only on a small scale at the moment. Their approach is to make electrolysers that have low efficiency but are cheap to make. This makes a lot of sense for a solar company working to ensure the world has plenty of low cost electricity during the day.

Financial Security

A long warranty isn't useful if the company it came from is no longer around to back it up. I expect a large company like LONGi will still be around well into the future, but it's not possible to be certain it won't disappear and render its warranties worthless.

The good news is there is plenty of evidence LONGi is currently financially secure -- or at least secure for a solar panel manufacturer. As of July 2023 they had been in PV-Tech's PV ModuleTech bankability report's highest category for three and a half years. This means they're one of the solar companies considered least likely to suffer bankruptcy or financial problems.

Unfortunately, it's always possible for a company's financial position to rapidly deteriorate. Many manufacturers are likely to face problems over the next couple of years thanks to falling panel prices. But I have a feeling LONGi will be around long-term. I don't have any specific evidence to back this up, it's just a feeling I have in my gut. Specifically, my longi-intestine.

A Recommendation

Because we consider them reliable and well-supported in Australia, SolarQuotes is happy to recommend using LONGi Solar panels. If you put them on your roof -- or your mum's roof -- you are very unlikely to need to make a warranty claim, especially if you use ones with a 25 year product warranty.

Sungrow Customer Service: 1800 786 476

Sungrow Power Supply Co Ltd is a Chinese company that was established in 1997 and operates in several different energy-related niches, including wind power conversion, inverter production for photovoltaic systems and energy storage.

The company says more than 340 GW of Sungrow inverter capacity had been installed worldwide as as at the beginning of 2023. To give a sense of how rapidly the firm's manufacturing capacity has grown in just the last couple of years, 154GW of capacity had been deployed by the end of 2020.

Walking the clean energy talk, Sungrow has also committed to sourcing 100% renewable electricity for its operations by 2028.

Sungrow In Australia

Sungrow has been present in the Australian solar inverter market since 2012. Its Australian operations are based in North Sydney, NSW. So, should you need technical assistance or in case you have any questions about their warranty policies, you can contact Sungrow easily by calling or shooting them an email.

Australian customers can choose from a pretty solid range of solutions, including single-phase and three-phase inverters in the SG series. Sungrow's inverter range also includes hybrid models available in the SH series.

To view specifications and approximate pricing of various Sungrow power conversion products available in Australia, check out the SolarQuotes solar inverter comparison table. For hybrids models, see the hybrid inverter comparison table. 

Sungrow Hybrid Inverter Cybersecurity Flaw

While Sungrow has enjoyed signficant success in Australia, it hasn't always been sunshine and puppies for the company. In early January 2020, an engineer based in Brisbane revealed he had identified a series of security flaws in Sungrow's hybrid inverter, model SH5K-20. In March 2020, Sungrow announced they had shipped a firmware update that fixed the flaws.

Sungrow Warranty Notes

Sungrow generally offers a standard product warranty period of five years from the date of installation and no more than six years from the manufacturing date of a solar inverter - so that's something worth checking.

However, in April 2020, the company announced it was offering 10 years’ warranty for some inverter models purchased from 1st April 2020 and installed in Australia. Eligible Sungrow inverter models can be identified here.

If you have problems with your Sungrow inverter, your first port of call is the original  installer. Despite what some might say, if the installation company is still in business then they are the ones liable for the repair/replacement of a faulty inverter assuming it is still within its warranty period. If your original installer is no longer in business or is uncontactable, you'll need to lodge a warranty claim with Sungrow.

In order to do so, Sungrow advise you must arrange an installer to test the solar inverter to determine if it is faulty. Sungrow can help you find someone in your area if you call them on the number listed above. If a fault is confirmed, Sungrow will work with the installer to arrange a replacement inverter. Notably - you are not compensated for the out of pocket cost of the initial testing.

My Recommendation

Given the quality of the company's products and support along with generally positive feedback from installers and customers over years (you can read Sungrow customer reviews below), Sungrow is currenly listed as a SolarQuotes recommended solar inverter brand. 

In the 2024 SQ Installers' Choice Awards, Sungrow took out the top spot for best value inverter for the fourth year, and second place in best after-sales support.

If you're an owner of one of the company's products, we invite you to share your experience with others. You can add your Sungrow solar inverter review by clicking the "leave a review" button at the top of this page.

Sungrow is a giant Chinese company and the world's largest inverter manufacturer. They also make home batteries that are a popular choice here thanks to a combination of affordability and reliability.

Sungrow was founded in 1997 by RenXian Cao, a professor at Hefei University of Technology. He has degrees in electrical engineering and automation, so the boss clearly knows his stuff. Since then, the company has grown enormously but sustainably. Not only do they make products required for the world to switch to renewables, but they've also maintained financial sustainability. In 2022 BloombergNEF gave the company a 100% bankability rating. This means Sungrow is considered financially secure and likely to be around long term.

If a giant utility-scale battery is what you're after, Sungrow can get you one. But what Australian homes and small businesses will be most interested in is the Sungrow SBR HV home battery.

Sungrow SBR HV

Sungrow's current residential battery is the SBR HV. This has stackable battery modules with 3.2 kWh of usable storage each. There's a 3 module minimum and that amount gives 9.6 kWh of usable storage, which will be enough for many households. If you want more, up to 8 modules can be stacked on top of each other for 25.6 kWh. Few households will need that much, but if you want even more, up to four stacks can be connected in parallel for over 100 kWh of usable storage.

If you've bought a Sungrow battery stack and want to add more modules, it's relatively easy -- provided you have less than eight. Of course, it's still a good idea to get the amount right at the start so you won't have to pay to have additional modules installed.

Safety

Sungrow uses lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO) battery cells. This is the safest type of lithium battery. But to actually be safe, they need to be part of a well-designed battery system. Fortunately, the Sungrow SBR HV does appear to be safe, as many have been installed in Australia without issue.

In the past, Sungrow sold the now discontinued PowCube home battery. Despite its alarming name, I'm not aware of any ever going "Pow!" and exploding.

Provided the work was done by a reputable installer, I would have no problem having a Sungrow battery installed on my own home. I'd also be fine with one on my parents' home or my brother's. But I'm not sure my sister deserves one.

Cost

A major reason the Sungrow SBR HV is a popular choice is its competitive price. It's a lower-cost battery but reliable enough for us to recommend. You can check out how its cost compares by going to our Battery Comparison Table and scrolling down to "Cost Per Warranted KWh: One Cycle Per Day".

Sungrow Inverter Required

Under normal circumstances, Sungrow batteries will be installed with Sungrow hybrid inverters. While hybrid inverters cost more than standard ones, Sungrow's are reasonably priced. They also come with a 10 year warranty, which is better than a number of other inverters on the market. We haven't heard much in the way of complaints and so consider them reliable.

Both single-phase and three-phase hybrid inverters are available and Sungrow is one of the few companies supplying hybrid inverters that can provide full three-phase backup.

Because they require a hybrid inverter, a Sungrow battery is often a good choice for homes without existing solar. Alternatively, if there's enough room on the roof, a second solar system with a Sungrow battery can be installed. Another option is to simply replace an old solar system with a new large one with a battery.

If you have an existing solar system, replacing its inverter with a Sungrow hybrid is also an option. Here's a video of it being done. (Ignore how Finn pronounces "garage" like a New Zealander.) This can require wiring upgrades, so it won't necessarily be a simple task to do.

Fill Your Roof

When a solar system is installed without a battery, the solar panel capacity can normally be no more than one-third larger than the inverter capacity. But when a solar system is installed with a battery this limit can be exceeded.

When a new solar system is installed with a Sungrow battery the panel capacity can be around twice the capacity of Sungrow single-phase hybrid inverters and around 50% more for the three-phase ones. This can be useful for installing large solar systems and I recommend filling your roof with as much solar as you reasonably can.

Flexible Installation

Sungrow batteries are high voltage. This gives installers some flexibility with their location and this helps with meeting Australia's strict fire safety standards.

While they're suitable for outdoor installation, they should be positioned out of direct rain and sunshine.

Backup & Off-Grid Capable

Sungrow battery systems can provide backup power. The switchover is almost instantaneous, so there's no temporary power loss. The batteries can also charge from rooftop solar during the day when the grid is down.

Sungrow batteries are also suitable for off-grid use.

For further specifications and estimated pricing, see Sungrow solar batteries listed on our comparison table.

Installer Recommended

In a vote of confidence for the SBR HV, Sungrow scored 2nd place in SolarQuotes' Installers' Choice Awards 2022 in the budget/best value home battery category. In the SQ 2023 awards for home batteries, Sungrow attained bronze in the best overall battery brand category, gold in the best value battery category, and silver in best after-sales support.

Sungrow is currently listed as an SQ recommended home battery brand.

Sungrow Battery Warranty

The Sungrow battery warranty is better than average. It lasts 10 years or until it has discharged 13,440 kWh per module. Whichever comes first. For most households, it's likely to last the full 10 years. But for households that use the battery at a high capacity factor it will end before then. With a high daily average discharge of 4.8kWh per module, which is 150% of its usable storage capacity when new, the warranty will end after 7 years and 8 months. 

The warranty states the battery will maintain a minimum of 60% of its original capacity. This means a module with 3.2 kWh of usable storage could drop down to only storing 1.95 kWh and that would be okay according to the warranty. While allowing this much capacity loss isn't good, it is common for lithium battery warranties.

Sydney Office

Their headquarters are in the Chinese city of Hefei, but Sungrow has had a local office in Sydney since 2012. This means they should - hopefully - be able to deal with any warranty issues locally and rapidly. Overall, I'd say Sungrow has good -- but not perfect -- customer support.

If you're an Australian Sungrow battery system owner, please feel free to share your views on how your system performs by submitting a rating and review.

Tesla’s Wall Connector EV charger is good quality and great value at $800 for the hardware. It will charge any brand of recent EV in Australia.

But there’s a big problem. It’s dumb. Unlike most other home EV chargers, it can’t be set up to only charge off excess solar without a Tesla Powerwall.

So, if you want a reliable, cheap, dumb charger for any EV – it’s a great choice. If you want smarts, look elsewhere.

(Tesla car owners can make it smart without buying a Powerwall by using the ChargeHQ app, which controls the charging by talking to the Tesla car, not the Tesla charger – but that has an ongoing monthly subscription fee).