The process of choosing the best solar panel supplier includes many key points. I have tried to sum up most of the factors you have to consider when you are in need of thin-film PV modules. To able to benchmark the different offers you have to focus on the following areas:

1. Manufacturer location: choose manufacturer from your continent (at least). Any other manufacturers are welcome when they provide smooth guarantee response but usually you want to avoid legal disputes at all in case of problems with modules.
2. Module type: So far I don’t have a determined preference: aSi (rigid), monocrystalline silicon (in tandem with amorphous), CdTe, CIS, CIGS
3. Ratio (Power output / module area) : the bigger the better
4. Material guarantee: minimum expected 2 years
5. Yield guarantee: minimum expected 90% at 10 years and 80% at 25 years
6. Price: below 2 eur/Wp (current exchange $2.81/Wp)
7. Payment terms: i.e. 15% down payment, 60% material release etc.
8. Delivery rate: at what rate will the panels be delivered
10. Choose big solar panels manufacturer with strong positions:Evaluating the probability that the company will still be alive in ten years when you will start to have problem seems important to me.
    Thin film have a twenty year warranty, but who will be there for taking the warranty in 20 years ?
11. Yearly module energy output decrease which requires an individual and initial flash test report to mitigate power load per string (inverter load optimization)

All these parameters are key, but you have to rank them through a decent manufacturer evaluation procedure. You would have to select the best fit between thin-film modules manufacturer/ best inverter as inverters for thin film modules has to be carefully selected (inverters voltage range).

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