SolarKobo Score: 3/5
Manufacturer's Profile
Sharp Solar is a fully-owned subsidiary of Sharp Electronics, a Japanese multinational corporation based in Osaka, Japan. Founded in 1912, Sharp Electronics is owned by the Taiwan-based Foxconn Group. Sharp takes its name from one if its first inventions, the Ever-Sharp mechanical pencil, invented in 1915 by one of its founders.
Also an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) company, Sharp handles jobs such as the design, equipment procurement, and construction of power plants; conducts operation and maintenance (O&M) of plants; and occasionally takes the role of independent power producer (IPP), who sells the generated electricity to off-takers such as utility companies.
With more than sixty years experience in the solar industry, Sharp Solar is one of the most respected brands in the solar industry. The company was founded in Osaka, Japan in 1959. It began researching solar cells in the same year becoming the first company in the world to do so. It would begin mass production of solar cells in 1963. In 1976, Japan's first operational satellite for space, called “Ume”, were equipped with Sharp solar cells. More than 180 satellites have been equipped with Sharp solar cells, and dozens of them are still in orbit. In 2003, Sharp Solar had expanded into USA and Europe. By 2010, Sharp earned the most revenue of all solar cell manufacturers. In 2010, it would also expand into 2.8 GW annual production capacity. In 2019, Sharp began trialling electric vehicles equipped with solar cells and batteries on public roads.
Technological Features
Sharp Solar panels are built to be able to withstand potential induced degradation (PID). The feature is also reflected in the warranty that is offered by Sharp.
Sharp solar panels are coated to protect them from rust and corrosion caused by salt. The damage caused by sea salt can often cause cracks, and the ions found in the sea air can corrode the aluminium frames. This makes them a great option for coastal regions.
Also, Sharp coats its solar cells with an anti-reflection coating that increases the absorption of light. This feature creates further value for potential customers in cloudy areas.
Types of Sharp Solar Panels
Sharp makes polycrystalline, monocrystalline and thin film panels of different designs including half-cut, IBC (all-black), MBB and HJT technologies with 120, 144, 96, 72, 60 and 48 cells for residential, industrial and remote large-scale installations.
Sharp's thin film modules are made of of two glass layers laminated with a vapour barrier. Their thin film modules can be installed either in portrait or landscape, making them more flexible in terms of positioning. Efficiency-wise, Sharp's thin film panels are the best in the industry. Their efficiency leaves something to be desired with rates of up to a mere 9.6%. Their depth of 6.7mm, however, makes them super-slim, attractive, easy to install and wind-resistant.
Warranty
Sharp offers a 10-year product warranty for their solar panels, and 25 years warranty for linear performance. After the first year, Sharp's solar panels will drop its output by 4%. Sharp guarantees that for the next 24 years, there will be a maximum annual reduction of 0.667% of the power output.
Like most panels from Japan and China, Sharp solar panels stands very close to the premium brand in quality and performance. They are however, cost-efficient while providing high-performance.
SolarKobo helps its clients in Lagos and elsewhere in Nigeria make the best choice of solar panels and other solar electricity products like inverters, batteries and charge controllers. We also have university-trained engineers that provide high-grade installation services on order.