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JA Solar Panels: Review


Founded in 2005, JA Solar is a global manufacturer of high-performance photovoltaic (PV) products, with a business portfolio including wafers, cells, modules and photovoltaic power stations. They have 11 production bases and more than 20 branches, with products available in over 100 countries and regions.


JA Solar is headquartered in Shanghai, China and has a large customer base in Europe, Asia, and North America. Their list of product offerings include items such as silicon wafers, solar cells, solar panel modules, and other solar energy components.


In terms of solar panel options, JA Solar has a number of variations for the customer to choose from. With the ability to get different power outputs, solar cell counts, and solar cells types, JA Solar offers a great level of flexibility that earns them a spot as a top solar panel on our reviews.


JA solar panels are used extensively on residential rooftops (e.g. HDB) around Singapore. Their solar products are well established in Singapore, supported by leading technological innovation. They have a proven manufacturing process. JA’s financial performance is strong and they boast an advanced global sales and service network. For several consecutive years, JA Solar has been on the Fortune China 500 list and the World TOP 500 Energy Companies.


This strong international reputation means that customers can have confidence in the design, performance and warranty of their solar panels. While high-profile companies will often charge premium prices, JA Solar offer their panels at a highly competitive price in Singapore. This gives Singaporeans an accessible option for a premium solar panel solution for their home.


  • 10% Global Market Share

  • 3 Billion USD Annual Sales Revenue

  • 27GW Cumulative Shipments (As of Q4 2017)

  • 33,000 Clients Worldwide

  • 20,000 Employees

  • 5 Busbar design


Module and Cell Technology

A Solar utilizes two primary solar cell technologies in their solar panels, PERC (P-Type) and N-Type. The cells are similar in design, however, the newer technology delivered by N-Type solar cells is more efficient, and are also not affected by Light Induced Degradation (LID). Simplified, this means that your solar panels will operate more efficiently, and have a higher efficiency rating due to factoring out LID over time.


JA Solar produces both monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar panels, like the majority of solar panel manufacturers, JA has transferred most of their production into monocrystalline technology. Mono solar panels are made from a single ingot, and have been tested to be more efficient than multi-ingot polycrystalline panels. In combination with their N-Type technology, JA Solar's monocrystalline panels are at the higher end of efficiency for mid-range panels.


Warranty Period

JA Solar modules come with an above industry standard warranty of 12 year product and 25 year linear performance. The product warranty is 2 years longer than most other mid-range panels (10 years), but less than LG and SUNPOWER, which come with 25 year product and performance warranties.


JA Solar guarantees a minimum of 81.4% output at the 25 year benchmark. This figure is lower than Longi (83.8%) and SUNPOWER at 90.76%. It is slightly below the industry average of 82%, but above Trina Solar's 80.7% guaranteed output. These figures can vary slightly depending on which JA solar panel you are using in your system, to confirm your expected output, view their warranty statement below.


How do you think?

JA Solar offers high efficiency solar panels at a mid-range price point, in comparison to their mid-range competitors, JA solar panels are more affordable, have a higher average efficiency rate, and offer a longer product warranty. The efficiency rating greater than 20% is similar to the ratings found with premium solar modules, which come in at a higher price point. The solar panels expected output at the 25 year benchmark is lower than some of their competitors, but on par with industry standards.


Solar energy systems utilizing JA Solar modules can expect an ROI period under 10 years, depending on the size of the system. When considering the 25 year warranty period of the panels, this makes JA Solar an attractive option for both residential and commercial solar projects. The high-watt modules offered by the manufacturer ensure that you will need fewer panels to complete your solar energy system, this leads to savings both in terms of the modules themselves and the total bill of materials needed to meet your energy requirements.


We recommend checking out JA Solar modules for your next solar energy project. If you are interested in obtaining a quote for a solar energy system using JA Solar panels, request a quote from Solar Era, or check out our resources to see how you can get started with designing your solar system.

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