Do Anchor Panasonic Solar Panels best for you?

Anchor Panasonic solar panels are offered by Panasonic Life Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

A wholly-owned subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation.

It is a combination of 2 great brands:

• Panasonic Corporation (Japan)
• Anchor Electricals (India)

Panasonic Corporation (Japan) is a worldwide leader in electronic technologies. And over 40+ years in solar expertise

While

Anchor Electricals Private Ltd., known as electrical switches super brand.

It has more than 56 years of presence in India

It is acquired by Japan’s Panasonic Corporation in 2007.

Now it has become Panasonic Life Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

They are in solar operations in India since 2014.

The Benefit

Panasonic is a cash-rich company with a worldwide presence.

And Anchor has a strong presence in India.

The merger of two brands will have the following benefits:

• Panasonic technology will help in producing efficient solar panels.
• The large-scale production will achieve economies of scale in solar.
• You will get solar panels at competitive rates.
• Anchor’s presence will help them to penetrate deep into the Indian market.

Solar Panel series by Anchor Panasonic

Anchor Panasonic offers Polycrystalline and Mono-PERC solar panels.

Both Polycrystalline and Mono-PERC come with full cell and half-cut cell solar panels.

• Polycrystalline Series: Full cell and Half-cut
• Mono-PERC Series: Full cell and Half-cut

They come with power range of 330 watts to 450 watts

These solar panels have positive power tolerance of 0 to + 5Wp.

With the junction box of IP 68 rating.

The technology of Anchor Solar Panels

Anchor Panasonic is using the latest technology for making solar panels.

Half-cut solar cell technology:

Anchor Panasonic cuts the conventional solar cell into equal halves.

It increases the structural strength of the cell.

And reduces the heat losses in the solar panel.

Hence, using this technology increases the efficiency of solar panels.

Mono-PERC technology

When you paste a layer at the rear of the monocrystalline cell, it becomes more efficient.

This extra layer reflects that light back to the cell which passes through it unused.

In this way, the solar cell gets another chance to utilize the light for a photo-electric effect.

In addition, this technology reduces the heating effect in the solar cell.

This, in turn, minimizes the heating losses.

Finally, you get a highly efficient solar panel for use.

Also, it uses multi-bus bars (thin strips of copper) for connecting the solar cells.

These multi-bars reduce the current path.

Hence improves the current collection of the solar cells.

The efficiency of Anchor Panasonic solar panels

The use of the latest technology by Anchor Panasonic makes their solar panels highly efficient.

Its Polycrystalline (full cell) series has a maximum efficiency of 17.26%

And when it becomes half-cell poly-crystalline the max efficiency increases to 17.60%

Another 2% increase in the efficiency.                 

(17.60% – 17.26%)/17.26% x 100% = 2%

When I talk about its Mono-PERC solar panels.

These are very efficient with the maximum efficiency of 20.15% in Mono-PERC full cell.

And it reaches 20.70% when we see Mono-PERC with half-cut solar cell technology.

How well do Anchor-Panasonic solar panels perform at high temperatures?

I live in North India where the day temperature of summer crosses beyond 45ᵒ Celsius.

And solar panels’ power output reduces when their cell temperature rises beyond 25 ᵒ Celsius.

Therefore, the Anchor Panasonic solar panels must perform well in high temperatures.

The power loss is calculated using the metric called the temperature coefficient of power.

The lower value signifies better performance.

Anchor Panasonic solar panels have two values of temperature coefficient of power.

• -0.38%/ᵒ C for its Polycrystalline (full- and half-) series and Mono-PERC series.
• Whereas it is -0.36%/ᵒ C for its Mono-PERC (half-cut) solar panels series.

An Example

Let us understand these metrics more clearly.

Assuming I have 2 solar panels of 400 watts each.

One with temp. coefficient of power of -0.38%/ᵒ C and another -0.36%/ᵒ C.

Both are operating at the ambient temperature of 30 ᵒ Celsius.

This makes their cells operate at 50 ᵒ C.

(The solar cell temperature is generally 20 ᵒ C to 30 ᵒ C higher than the ambient temperature).

They will lose some power.

The formula for power loss is:

Power loss (%) = (Cell temperature – 25 ᵒ C) x Temperature coefficient of power

Let us know the power loss in a solar panel with the value of -0.38%/ᵒ C

Power loss (%) = (50 ᵒ C – 25 ᵒ C) x -0.38%/ᵒ C

= 25 ᵒ C x -0.38%/ᵒ C

= -9.5% of 400 watts or 38 watts.

Similarly, a second solar panel with -0.36%/ᵒ C temperature coefficient of power will lose 9% of 400 watts or 36 watts.

Therefore, solar panels with lower values of this metric are better suited for hot climates.

How strong are Anchor Panasonic solar panels?

Solar panels are installed outside or on the roof of your house facing the sun.

And

They will remain outside for the next 25 to 30 years.

Facing hot, cold, humid, and other adverse climatic conditions.

Therefore, the solar panels have to be strong enough to withstand such environmental conditions.

Their strength is measured in terms of snow load rating and wind load rating.

Both ratings are measured in Pascals (a unit of pressure).

A higher value signifies more strength.

a) Snow Load Rating

The ability of the solar panel to withstand the snow weight.

It offers 5400 Pascals for its series.

Any solar panel with this rating can withstand a snow height of 5.8 meters over its surface.

Snow load rating = Height (h) x density of snow x acceleration due to gravity (g)

I’m assuming the density of fresh snow is 100 kg/m³.

g = 10 m/s²

5400 = height x 100 x 10

Height = 5.4 meters.

The density of snow varies so does the height bearing capacity of the solar panel.

And 5.4 meters is a good value.

Wind Load Rating

Anchor Panasonic solar panels have 2 values of wind load rating that are:

• 2400 pascals for Polycrystalline (full cell) and Mono-PERC (full cell).
• And 3800 Pascals for Polycrystalline half-cut series and Mono-PERC half-cut solar panels series.

Let me further quantify these values for easy understanding.

A solar panel with a wind load rating of 2400 pascals.

It means, it can withstand a wind pressure of 225 km/hr

Similarly, a solar panel with 3800 Pascals (wind load) tells that it can bear wind speed up to 283 km/hr.

Warranties

Everything goes in vain when your solar panels don’t have long warranties.

A warranty is an assurance from the manufacturer to the buyer about the reliability, durability, quality, and performance of the solar panel.

It offers two types of warranties:

Product and Performance warranty.

Anchor Panasonic gives 12 years Product warranty and 25 years Performance warranty.

a) Product warranty

Product warranty keeps your solar panel protected against premature wear and tear, damage to diode, cracking of solar cell, moisture penetration, and similar faults within a stipulated period.

b) Performance warranty

The Performance warranty assures that your solar panel will produce a certain percentage of Pmax after 25 years.

Anchor Panasonic offers 25 years performance warranty on its solar panels.

With varying degrees of degradation over its lifetime.

• Polycrystalline (half-cut): 25 years 97.5% in the 1^st year and then 0.7% from 2^nd year till the 25^th year.
• Mono-PERC (full cell): 25 years 97.5% in the 1^st year and then 0.73% from 2^nd year till the 25^th year.
• Mono-PERC (half-cell): 25 years (98% in the 1^st year and then 0.55% from 2^nd year till the 25^th year.

When I extrapolate these different Performance warranties, you’ll see something as shown below:

Read: REC solar panels Review

IEC Certifications

IEC certifications in solar are the international level standard tests.

These are conducted over solar panels simulating real environmental conditions.

These tests assess the reliability, durability, and performance of solar panels.

Anchor Panasonic solar panels are certified to:

• Hail Resistance (IEC 61215)
• Suitable for long-term use in the open-air conditions and climate (IEC 61730)
• Salt and Mist resistant (IEC 61701) and
• Ammonia resistant (IEC 62716)

Price of Anchor Panasonic solar panels

Anchor Panasonic solar panels are affordable.

You can buy Mono-PERC 380 watts (72 cells) solar panel for Rs. 32/watt.

Payback with Anchor Panasonic solar panels

When I consider all the system and environmental losses.

There is a number of losses in the system when it operates in real conditions.

Let me write a few of them:

• Temperature loss
• Dirt loss
• Transmission inefficiency loss
• Inverter inefficiency loss

Solar panel degradation and more.

Did you know that all these losses may account up to 30% power loss in the system?
"And Still it is profitable"

A 3-kW Anchor Panasonic solar panel in North India will produce an average of 12-15 units per day.

It will cost you around 1,85,000 (grid-tied system).

Read: What is the cost of 5-kW solar power system in India?

Assuming Rs.7 per unit as the grid price

Daily savings = units produced x grid price

= 12 units x Rs. 7 to 15 units x Rs. 7

Or

Rs. 84 to Rs. 105

Yearly savings: Rs. 30,660 to Rs. 38,325

The payback period will be: Total cost/yearly savings

= 1,85,000/Rs. 38,325 to Rs. 1,85,000/Rs. 30,660

= 5 years to 6 years

Pros of Anchor Panasonic solar panels

1. Century year brand of Panasonic Corporation

Anchor is also a half-century-old brand in the Indian market. When I talk about switches, Anchor switches come into my mind.

You can see the dedication of the team to building the brand.

2. Most of the Indian solar panel manufacturers give you a 2400 Pascals wind load rating.

But Anchor Panasonic is offering 3800 Pa.

Therefore, it is giving 50% strength more than the market average in India.

Cons

When I searched on Google about the best solar panels in India.

I don’t see Anchor Panasonic on the list.

Despite its good quality and brand.

I feel it lacks in marketing.

Anchor Panasonic needs to market its solar panels aggressively.

This will establish them as a reliable solar brand.

This can be done effectively through excellent service.

And increasing presence by opening more service centers.

Key Takeaways

• Its efficient Mono-PERC (half-cut) solar panels are right for people looking for solar power with space constraints.
• It has a high wind load rating and salt and mist-resistant solar panels. This makes it suitable for coastal regions where cyclones and storms are common.
• Anchor Panasonic solar power system works efficiently in the places where livestock is kept.
• Its high snow load rating makes it suitable for snow falling regions
• Anchor Panasonic offers long warranties to its buyers