What are Tier 1 Solar Panels?

What are Tier 1 Solar Panels?

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Looking for a quality brand of solar panel can be daunting, with so many manufactures offering so many types of technology, it can be hard to pick which will offer you the best value for money and reliability.

 

Mis-leading sales of ‘Tier 1 solar panels’

Many clients come to us and ask for a Tier 1 panel, often under the misunderstanding that a Tier 1 panel will be a top quality product worth buying.  In actual fact, there is no such thing as a ‘Tier 1 Solar Module’, only ‘Tier 1 Module Manufacturers’.  An important difference as, in Bloomberg’s own words – “We strongly recommend that module purchasers and banks do not use this list as a measure of Quality” – The Bloomberg Tier 1 classification has nothing to do with the quality of the product.

 

Bloomberg’s methodology.

Tier 1 is simply an investigation by Bloomberg New Energy Finance that entails the Solar Panel manufacturer needing to show that 6 different finance houses have backed projects of over 1.5MWp of solar (a fairly large solar farm) within the last 2 years.  You can read the full Methodology on Bloomberg New Energy Finance’s website here.

Bloomberg New Energy Finance do not publish tier 2 or tier 3 lists, so any sub-tiered lists out there are just made-up marketing terms.  It’s also important to note that BNEF’s tiered system “ranks” manufacturers and not specific panel lines. Tier 1 doesn’t mean the panels are the best performing modules on the market.

 

How to find out who’s on the list.

You’ll also note in Bloomberg’s Methodology document that access to the list of Manufacturers on the Tier 1 list is only available to BloombergNEF subscribers, which is several hundred dollars/quarter.  As the list is not widely accessible, it’s also very easy for Solar PV manufacturers and sellers of Solar PV panels to claim that their ‘Panels’ are Tier 1 as it’s unlikely anyone could prove otherwise.

So all in all, not worth the paper it’s written on and if anyone tries to sell you Tier 1 panels, you’re now armed to deal with their false claims.

Shelley Sampson - Finance and Growth Director

Shelley Sampson is a founding member of the Naked Solar team, having played a pivotal role in the company’s evolution from a startup to a leading force in the renewable energy sector since 2010 . As the Finance and Growth Director, Shelley combines strategic financial oversight with a deeply rooted passion for ethical business practices.

Expertise & Professional Background

Before dedicating her career to solar energy, Shelley spent several years working within the oil industry. This unique background provides her with a comprehensive understanding of the global energy landscape and the critical importance of the transition to sustainable power.

She studied  Business Studies at Leeds Metropolitan University, which laid the foundation for her analytical approach to business scaling and operational excellence.

While her title focuses on finance and growth, Shelley’s core mission is centered on the customer experience. Having been involved in the business since its inception, she is a fierce advocate for consumer rights within the renewables industry. She ensures that every Naked Solar client is treated with transparency and respect, overseeing a culture that prioritises high-quality installations and long-term system performance over short-term gains.

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