Compare solar panels in NZ
22 solar panels sold in NZ, with datasheet specs and NZD prices.
Compare REC, Aiko, Longi and their rivals side by side.22 solar panels sold in NZ with indicative per-panel prices, specs sourced directly from manufacturer datasheets, including REC, Aiko, Longi, Jinko, Trina and their main rivals. Compare efficiency, degradation, warranty, coastal ratings and value to find the right fit for your roof.
Specs verified 21 July 2026. Prices are indicative NZ supply-only estimates.
Solar panels
side by side
Power & Efficiency
Pick two or more solar panels to compare
Tier-1 value pick
- Cell technology
- N-type TOPCon
- Efficiency
- 22 %
- Output at year 25
- 89.4 %
- Product warranty
- 25 years
- $ per watt
- $0.45/W
The default Kiwi mid-tier
- Cell technology
- N-type TOPCon
- Efficiency
- 22 %
- Output at year 25
- 89.4 %
- Product warranty
- 25 years
- $ per watt
- $0.49/W
The budget ABC
- Cell technology
- N-type back-contact
- Efficiency
- 23 %
- Output at year 25
- 90.6 %
- Product warranty
- 25 years
- $ per watt
- $0.53/W
The budget bifacial
- Cell technology
- N-type TOPCon
- Efficiency
- 22.5 %
- Output at year 25
- 89.4 %
- Product warranty
- 15 years
- $ per watt
- $0.55/W
The NZ default
- Cell technology
- N-type back-contact
- Efficiency
- 22.5 %
- Output at year 25
- 88.9 %
- Product warranty
- 25 years
- $ per watt
- $0.57/W
The value bifacial
- Cell technology
- N-type TOPCon
- Efficiency
- 22 %
- Output at year 25
- 89.4 %
- Product warranty
- 25 years
- $ per watt
- $0.74/W
The armoured flagship
- Cell technology
- N-type HJT
- Efficiency
- 22.6 %
- Output at year 25
- 92 %
- Product warranty
- 20 years
- $ per watt
- $1.06/W
The premium standard
- Cell technology
- N-type back-contact
- Efficiency
- 22.8 %
- Output at year 25
- 92 %
- Product warranty
- 25 years
- $ per watt
- $1.64/W
The efficiency king
- Cell technology
- N-type back-contact
- Efficiency
- 24 %
- Output at year 25
- 92 %
- Product warranty
- 25 years
- $ per watt
- $1.61/W
The NZ mainstream
- Cell technology
- N-type back-contact
- Efficiency
- 23.1 %
- Output at year 25
- 90.6 %
- Product warranty
- 25 years
The efficiency flagship
- Cell technology
- N-type back-contact
- Efficiency
- 23.8 %
- Output at year 25
- 90.6 %
- Product warranty
- 25 years
Premium all-black HJT
- Cell technology
- N-type HJT
- Efficiency
- 23 %
- Output at year 25
- 91.8 %
- Product warranty
- 30 years
Not sure where to start?
Two ready made matchups, the popular picks,
or the best budget options.
Solar panels in NZ
at a glance
The headline numbers across all 22 panels sold in NZ,
from efficiency to value per watt.
Want the plain-English rundown first? Read our best solar panels for NZ guide. Sorting the rest of the system? Compare inverters and batteries side by side too.
Found a couple you like?
Prices here are approximate supply-only figures. Compare real quotes
from vetted local installers to see what a full install actually costs at your place.
Price varies far more than efficiency
Across the 22 panels here, efficiency spans a narrow 2.2 percentage points (21.78% to 24%, topped by SunPower Maxeon 7 475W), while the per-panel price ranges about 3.8 times over, from $200 (JA Solar Deep Blue 4.0 Pro 440W) to $765 (SunPower Maxeon 7 475W). That gap is the whole game: two panels a fraction of a percent apart on paper can be worlds apart on price, which is why the $ per watt row, not the headline efficiency, is the honest way to weigh value. For the full picture of where panels sit in a system budget, read our solar panel costs in NZ guide.
The PERC era is over: every panel here is N-type
All 22 of the 22 panels on this page use a current-generation N-type cell: 11 TOPCon, 9 back-contact and 2HJT. Not one still uses the older P-type PERC cell that dominated a few years ago. N-type runs cooler on a hot roof, fades more slowly, and holds up better in low light, which suits New Zealand's cloudy, coastal conditions. The "What's this?" link on the Cell technology row explains each type in plain English, including why back-contact panels are the ones with the pure-black, gridline-free look.
The warranty gap is the real differentiator
Product warranties here run from 15 to 30 years (Hyundai HeteroMax 460W leads, LONGi Hi-MO X6 Max 460W anchors the other end), a bigger real-world gap than the efficiency numbers. The product warranty covers the hardware itself; the separate performance warranty guarantees the output curve. Watch for cover that only reaches its headline figure after online registration or an accredited-installer condition: the detail modal spells out which panels do that. A long warranty is also only as good as the brand still being here to honour it, which is worth a thought on newer or restructuring makers.
Coastal NZ: salt mist and wind zones
9 of the 22panels here carry IEC 61701 salt-mist certification, which tests the panel against airborne salt corrosion. With most NZ homes within 5 km of the sea, that matters near the coast, and a blank in the column means the maker has not published the test, not that the panel fails it. Wind is the other local factor: NZS 3604 wind zones run up to Extra High on exposed and coastal sites, where the panel's rated load, its frame and the racking install all count. Each panel's NZ Conditions card lays out its salt-mist rating and wind and snow loads against the honest NZ story.
How we verify these specs
Every figure here comes straight from the manufacturer's published datasheet for the exact wattage sold in NZ, checked by hand and cross-examined by a second pass. Where a brand does not publish a number, we mark it Not published rather than guess, and where there is no public price we say Price on request rather than invent one. Prices are indicative New Zealand supply-only estimates so the value per watt stays fair between brands; your installed quote will differ. Last verified 21 July 2026: spot something out of date? Tell us and we will recheck.
Solar panel FAQs
A typical 5 to 7 kW system needs about 11 to 15 of these panels, or roughly 20 to 28 square metres of roof. A higher-watt panel means fewer panels for the same system, which matters most on tight or complex roofs.
Across these 22 panels efficiency spans just 2.2 points, while price ranges about 3.8 times over. Premium panels pay off on tight roofs, in the heat and through longer warranties; on a big simple roof a strong value panel often wins.
Almost every panel sold new in NZ now uses an N-type cell (TOPCon, HJT or back-contact), and all 22 here are. N-type runs cooler, fades more slowly and handles low light better than the older P-type PERC it replaced.
Every panel fades a little each year. The best here still guarantees 92% of day-one output at year 25, and a slow fader beats a fast one by a few hundred kWh a year late in life, so the year-25 figure is the one to compare.
Yes, just less. Panels run on daylight, so an overcast day still gives roughly 10 to 25% of bright-sun output, and cooler winter air actually helps efficiency even though the days are shorter.
If you are near the sea, it is worth it: 9 of the 22 panels here carry IEC 61701 salt-mist certification. A blank in that column means the maker has not published the test, not that the panel fails it.
NZS 3604 wind zones run up to Extra High on exposed and coastal sites. The panel's rated wind load matters, but the mounting and how it is fixed matter just as much, so a quality racking install is half the story.
The panels are usually only 25 to 35% of an installed system's price; the rest is the inverter, mounting, wiring, switchboard work, scaffolding, consents and labour. That is why we show per-panel prices as indicative only and point you to real installer quotes.