PVCompare.net is the first free platform made for users by users in order to address the problem of asymmetric information that has always characterized the energy sector.  Through the huge amount of data we have collected, we are now able to provide you with some insights. For this research we resorted to our 35,000 outputs from as many plants around the world, isolating only those from the US territory. We did not set tilt or orientation, but we made the comparison in absolute terms. The comparison is based on the historical production data we detected in the year 2014. Therefore at the end of this year it will be a possible amendment of the current ranking.

Who is the best manufacturer in the US?

Obviously we understand that given the vastness of the territory, and the climatic differences from area to area conjugated to possible technical differences the answer to this question is impossible, only with the use of our tools for more focused research may have more answers certain. So what we did was to extrapolate the plants with the best outputs, let's check.

Overview of the US PV-Market:

According to the Solar Energy Industries Association and GTM Research, US reached a record of 6,201 megawatts of newly installed solar photovoltaic capacity in 2014, growing 30% over 2013’s total. 32% of the US new generating capacity in 2014 is solar energy: doing better than wind energy and coal.

Let's see which have been the best manufacturers of photovoltaic panels in 2014 according to our data:

  1. Sharp Corporation has built its credibility upon its long history of solar development: Sharp has put efforts in research and development since 1959. These efforts have led to ground-breaking solar solution. Starting from 1959, when the founder Tokuji Hayakawa started developing solar cells, Sharp has achieved many different successful results: it also contributed to the development of the solar cells that power the satellites in Japan’s national projects. Sharp’s solar business spans across the globe: Europe, US, Middle East, Asia and Oceania. This producer is placed in first position in the year 2014 with an efficiency of 1517 kWh/kWp. This pv-plant is located on Grain Valley , System size of  5760 Watts with Enphase as inverter 

 

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  1. SolarWorld AG is a German company dedicated to the manufacture and marketing photovoltaic products and one of the largest solar companies worldwide, with about 3,400 employees. It has location in all key target markets: this reduces transport costs and facilitates cost-optimised production processes. The bases for meeting the challenge of global competition are uniform quality standards and high-tech manufacturing.  SolarWorld AG rapidly grew from a wholesale company to a solar provider with processes along the entire value chain – from raw materials to solar wagers, solar cells, solar modules right up to high-quality turnkey solar power plants – in a very short period. This producer is placed in second position in the year 2014 with an efficiency of 1340 kWh/kWpThispv-plantis located in Edwardsville,System size of  5635 Watts with Enphase M215 as inverter
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  1. ReneSola (NYSE:SOL) is a leading international manufacturer and supplier of green energy products. Capitalizing on economies of scale, low cost production capabilities and technology innovations, ReneSola leverages its in-house virgin polysilicon and solar cell and module production capabilities to provide its customers with high-quality, cost-competitive solar wafer products and solar module OEM services. Its offices and warehouses are present in more than 16 countries: Renesola is well positioned to provide the highest quality green energy products and on-time services for EPC, installers and green energy projects around the world.
  2. This producer is placed in third position in the year 2014 with an efficiency of 1150 kWh/kWp. This pv-plantis located in St Charles, System size of  11985 Watts with Enphase Energy M215-60-2LL-S23 as inverter 

 

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  1. Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ) operates as a global energy provider with successful business subsidiaries in 20 countries on 6 continents. Besides serving as a leading manufacturer of solar PV modules and provider of solar energy solutions, Canadian Solar has a geographically diversified pipeline of utility-scale power projects. With the company’s recent acquisition of Recurrent Energy, Canadian Solar’s total project pipeline is now 9 GW, including an increase in the late-stage project pipeline to 2.4 GW. With state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Canada, China and Vietnam, Canadian Solar employs over 8,500 workers worldwide. This translates into more than 12 GW of panel shipments, or over 30 million PV modules, in the past 14 years.
  2. This producer is placed in forth position in the year 2014 with an efficiency of 1079 kWh/kWp.This pv-plant is located in Washington DC , System size of  16250 Watts with Enphase Energy as inverter 

 

 

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  1. Schüco , headquartered in Bielefeld but present worldwide, is one of the market leader for innovative building envelopes, stands for global expertise in windows, doors and façades. Schüco Solar Shading CTB is the first high-performance solar shading that can be fully integrated into the façade and offers exceptionally high wind stability.Schüco Solar Shading CTB (Concealed Toughened Blind) is external solar shading that provides exceptionally high wind stability. This electrically-operated roll-up blind is made from aluminium profiles, provides a view to the outside and also guarantees the best possible protection from the heat. The anodised louvre blades are available in 6 anodised colours and provide a uniform profile face width on the outside. The fine louvre blade geometry achieves a particular façade appearance, creating a distinctive design feature. The numerous installation options and perfect integration into Schüco window and façade systems guarantee design confidence from the start.
  2. This producer is placed in fifth position in the year 2014 with an efficiency of 1058 kWh/kWp This pv-plant is located in Webster Groves, System size of  3055 Watts with Enphase Energy M215 as inverter

 

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Our research is based on absolute-level data, which do not allow a precise and detailed plant comparison. To make comparison among pv plants with similar characteristics (location, tilt and azimuth), we invite you to use our free comparison tool on PV-Compare.