SEG Solar (known outside of America as Seraphim), has been a global manufacturer of solar panels since 2011. And with over 14 GW of their solar panels installed in over 40 countries, they’re a popular one at that.
But how do their panels stack up against the competition, and are they suited for the American market? In this blog, we’ll review SEG Solar’s panels so you can discern whether this brand is right for your project.
We’ll take a look at:
SEG Solar is the former US division of the Chinese solar manufacturer, Seraphim. Seraphim was founded in 2011 and serviced North America under that original name until the late 2010s. According to Solar Power World, SEG completed a separation from Seraphim in 2023 and now operates as a standalone business.
In 2018, the company announced it was temporarily closing its US-based module assembly facility in Mississippi for an expansion. However, as far as many can tell, this plant remains closed to this day.
Around the same time, the company rebranded its US division as SEG Solar due to a licensing issue, according to Solar Power World. As it turns out, there was already an American-based solar manufacturer named Seraphim Solar Holdings, meaning the Chinese-based Seraphim had to change its name for US operations.
SEG Solar is now headquartered in the Bay Area of Northern California and is on a mission to provide high-efficiency solar panels to North America. Despite its name change, there is no difference between the panels sold under the Seraphim name and the SEG name.
According to the company’s website, SEG Solar’s panels have been made in Vietnam since 2019. The company also has factories in South Africa and China.
However, SEG Solar is building a solar panel manufacturing plant in Houston, Texas, which is expected to be operational by mid-2023. This would bring their manufacturing back to the United States after closing their Mississippi plant in the late 2010s.
Bringing solar panel production stateside is a growing trend across the industry as the preference for American-made panels increases. Fueled by the additional incentives granted to American-manufactured solar panels in the Inflation Reduction Act, American solar owners are looking for domestic components to max out their savings.
SEG Solar’s panels have achieved various external indicators of success and quality.
In addition to gigawatts of installed panels operating across the world, SEG panels have achieved Tier 1 designation from Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). BNEF’s Tier 1 designation is a marker of how bankable a project is that utilizes a brand’s specific panels for large-scale utility solar installations. While this isn’t always an ideal marker for quality (especially for residential and commercial systems), it certainly doesn’t hurt.
Additionally, SEG panels were recognized as a Top Performer in PV Evolution Labs (PVEL) PV Module Reliability Scorecard for five of the past six years.
All of SEG Solar’s current panels are protected with a 15-year product warranty. That means if there are certain issues relating to the panels’ manufacturing or components, you should be able to get them repaired or replaced at no cost.
Additionally, the panels are protected with a 25- or 30-year production warranty. This guarantees that your panels won’t degrade more quickly than the manufacturer’s specified rate each year.
Both the standard and black mono-facial panels are protected with a production warranty for 25 years at a rate of 84.8%. That means 25 years after installation, your panels will still produce 84.8% of their nameplate power output.
Their bifacial solar panels in both series are backed by a 30-year production warranty at 84.95%.
Today’s average solar panel efficiency ranges from around 16% to 20%. All of the panels on SEG’s website currently have efficiencies at or exceeding 20%, but not yet reaching 22%. That puts their panels just above average in terms of efficiency.
SEG’s current offerings utilize half-cut mono PERC cells. This technology reduces the impact high temperatures and partial shade has on performance and also improves efficiency.
YUKON and YUKON TOPCon Series both have efficiencies that top 20% and utilize monocrystalline half-cut cell technology, however, YUKON TOPCon panels tend to pack a great punch in terms of power and efficiency. The following stats come from the data sheets available on SEG Solar’s website.
SEG Solar’s panels are priced competitively with the current market. That means you won’t be splurging for top-of-the-line technology, performance, and quality, but you will get a dependable and well-performing panel that’s protected by good warranties.
It’s worth noting that several other factors contribute to the overall cost of a solar installation. Everything from labor to inverters to connection requirements and permits will impact what you pay for an installation.
Overall, SEG Solar created panels that have good efficiencies and performance. They’re backed with significant warranties that will protect your investment for up to 30 years. And once their American-based production facility is producing panels at full steam, you may be able to qualify for the additional 10% domestic content tax credit.
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Last updated: June 2023