GCL-Poly (Suzhou) Energy solar panel

A Brief History of GCL Solar as a Company

GCL System Integration Technology Co. Ltd. (GCL) was started in 2003 and is still a part of Golden Concord Group. Golden Concord Group is an energy conglomerate based in China. Its main businesses are electric power, photovoltaics, natural gas, materials for integrated circuits, mobile energy, and new electric ecology.

GCL-Poly Energy Holdings Limited, which makes silicon wafers and ingots, one of the main parts of a solar panel, was also started by the Golden Concord Group. The Hong Kong Stock Exchange listed GCL-Poly Energy Holdings Limited, which brought in about USD$180 million.

GCL has six factories that make solar panels, five in China and one in Vietnam, with a total capacity of 12GW per year. This makes GCL a medium-sized company that makes solar panels.

All GCL solar panels were taken off the Clean Energy Council’s Approved Product List on December 19, 2018, because testing found parts that weren’t covered by the modules’ certificates. This seems to have been quickly fixed by GCL, as they were back on the CEC Approved Products List on January 3, 2019.

Even though the Clean Energy Council has approved some of GCL’s solar panels for sale in Australia, none of the major distributors list their solar panels as being for sale. As of June 2021, none of the installation companies listed on Solar Choice’s platform offer GCL solar panels. GCL also doesn’t have any employees, an office, or a version of their website in Australia.

What is a Tier 1 Solar Panel from Bloomberg?

Bloomberg’s well-known “tier 1” ranking is in no way a measure of how good Solar Panels are. It’s just a sign of how well the manufacturer can make money based on information about the company’s finances that is available to the public. This should give you an idea of how big and well-known the company is.

What is the top performer at PV Evolution Labs?

PV Evolution Labs and DNV GL work together to test the reliability of solar panels. The tests are voluntary, and the companies that make solar panels pay to take part. This testing method is known all over the world and gives an accurate picture of how well the solar panel works.

In the PV Evolution Labs 2021 report, GCL Solar showed up for the first time as a top performer. They were one of the few companies whose panels scored as the best in 3 of the 6 annual tests, which was a big deal.

See the full list of the best solar panels from PV Evolution Labs.

Why does where an office is in Australia matter?

Most companies that want to sell solar panels in Australia first set up their channels of distribution and then worry about customer service. This has made a lot of people unhappy, and now they have to try to get in touch with the Chinese head office to use their 10-year product warranty.

Depending on your solar installer isn’t always a good idea, since we’ve seen many residential solar installers, even big ones, go out of business before the systems they put in are done working.

GCL Solar Panels Available in Australia
At the moment, the Clean Energy Council (listed as GCL System Integration Technology Co Ltd) has approved 39 GCL solar panels for the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, which is Australia’s home solar rebate program.

GCL-Saturn Mono Solar Panels

The GCL-M8/60H is one of GCL’s best solar panels. It has 120 half-cut monocrystalline solar cells.

The efficiency of monocrystalline solar cells is higher than that of polycrystalline ones. This solar panel has solar cells that are 166.75mm wide, which are bigger than the usual 158.75mm solar cells and let in more sunlight. This is in line with a trend among manufacturers to make solar cells (and the solar panel as a whole) bigger to get a higher output.

The rated efficiency of the module is 21.1%, which is very good compared to what is on the market right now. In addition to the large-wafter technology, this module also uses encapsulating materials and technologies that ensure a high resistance to PID and, as a result, give a better yield over their expected 25-year life.

Depending on the model, this panel’s power ranges from 355W to 390W.

Polycrystalline Solar Panels from GCL-Jupiter
The 72 solar cells in the GCL-P6/72H are made with polycrystalline solar technology.

The cost-effectiveness of polycrystalline technology is well known, but it is not as good as monocrystalline. Because of this, the rated efficiency of the module is 18.6%, which is low compared to what is on the market now.

This model has glass that cleans itself and is very clear, which increases the yield and lowers the cost of maintenance. In the same way, this module has a high resistance to PID because of the materials and technologies used to encase it. This ensures a long-term yield. Both of these things make it a good choice for ground installation on a large scale.

Depending on the model, this panel’s power ranges from 325W to 360W.

GCL-Gemini Bifacial Dual Glass Solar Panels

The GCL-M3/72GD has 144 monocrystalline solar cells that are cut in half. This is made possible by half-cut solar technology.

Half-cut solar cells are now very common in the solar industry because they improve the efficiency of the panels without making them bigger. The rated efficiency of the module is 20.7%, which is about average for the market.

The GCL-Gemini solar panels have advanced designs that allow them to reach a high system voltage of 1500V. This means that more solar panels can be connected in each string, which lowers the cost of Balance of System (BOS).

As a bifacial panel, it can make power from both sides. This makes it better for a ground-mounted installation, where more sun can hit the underside and be reflected back up.

Depending on the model, this panel’s power ranges from 385W to 420W.

What GCL’s Warranty Covers

Solar panels come with a warranty for both the product and how well it works. Most solar panel manufacturers give a 10-year warranty on their products, which is meant to cover damage or problems caused by flaws in the way the panel was made. All GCL Solar panels come with a standard 10-year warranty, which is the bare minimum on the market for solar panels.

The performance warranty guarantees a certain level of output for the lifetime of the panel, usually 80-82% of the nameplate output after 25 years. GCL offers a performance warranty for 25 years with a guaranteed output of 83.1% for monofacial modules and 83.0% for bifacial modules after 30 years.

Even though the terms of the warranty are what was expected, it looks like claiming the warranty will be a nightmare. At the moment, customers who want to make a warranty claim have to tell GCL about it by mail or email. Since GCL has no employees in Australia, you will have to write, email, or try to call their head office in Jiangsu, China.

Here, you can see a list of the modules and learn more about the warranty.

The pros and cons of GCL solar panels

Pros
PV Evolution Labs says it is one of the best solar panels.
Prices are competitive, and the quality is good enough
Have a 51% stake in the Australian company One Stop Warehouse, which sells PV products
Cons
There is no office and contact information in Australia.
There is no high-end product with a 25-year warranty.
Do not appear on Bloomberg’s Tier 1 list

Comparison of the Features of GCL Solar Panels (common modules)

So, should I buy solar panels from GCL?

PV Evolution Labs’ independent testing shows that the Saturn and Gemini series of GCL solar panels are among the best. This is a good sign that they are good quality. At the moment, their service in Australia (if it is still available) doesn’t have good customer service. They don’t have any Australian staff, an office, or a website, so if something goes wrong, it would be very hard.

Because of this, we wouldn’t tell Australians to buy GCL Solar Panels.