Note: Solar Choice is not a solar installer and has no financial or other incentives to promote DAH Solar or any product brand over another.
Overview of DAH Solar – Company History
Anhui Daheng Energy Technology Co., LTD also known as DAH Solar was established in Hefei, China, in 2009. DAH Solar are best known as a TOPCon solar panel manufacturer. Their website claimed that they would reach a solar cell production capacity of 6GW and solar panel production capacity of 10GW in 2024, which makes them medium-scale manufacturer.
DAH Solar currently operates 4 factories based in China. Its products are now distributed to over 120 countries with Latin America and Europe being their main markets.
DAH Solar launched in Australia during 2024, establishing a partnership with solar distributor Austra Energy. DAH Solar don’t currently hold a physical office or premises in Australia.
Key Indicators
| DAH Solar Panels | |
| Bloomberg Tier 1 Ranking | Yes |
| PV Evolution Labs Top Performer | No |
| Office Location in Australia | No |
What is a Bloomberg Tier 1 Solar Panel?
Bloomberg’s infamous tier 1 ranking is NOT a measure of Solar Panel quality in any way. It is simply an indication of the bankability of the manufacturer based on publicly released information on the financial health of the company. This should give you an idea if the company is a large, well-known manufacturer.
See full list of Bloomberg Tier 1 Solar Panels
DAH solar panels are now a Bloomberg tier 1 solar panel.
What is PV Evolution Labs Top Performer?
PV Evolution Labs independently test solar panel reliability. The tests are voluntary, with solar panel manufacturers paying to participate in the testing. This testing process is internationally renowned and is an accurate reflection of the solar panel’s performance.
DAH Solar’s solar panel modules were NOT named as top performers by PV Evolution labs (2024)
See the full list of PV Evolution Labs Top Performing Solar Panels
Why is office location in Australia important?
Most solar panel manufacturers entering the Australian market first set up their distribution channels and worry about customer service later. This has led to many unhappy customers who are left trying to contact Chinese head offices to claim their 25-year product warranty.
Relying on your solar installer is not always an option as we’ve seen many residential solar installers (including the large ones) go out of business well within the lifetime of the systems they are installing.
DAH Solar currently do Not have an Australian office
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DAH Solar Panels – Points of Difference
There are many solar panels out there, what makes DAH’s solar panels stand out?
Full-Screen Frameless Solar Panel (Anti Dust Technology)
DAH Solar panels hold a number of patents relating to their ‘full-screen frameless’ solar modules. The frameless front of the solar panel basically means there is no aluminium lip to the panel that can cause dust and dirt to accumulate over time (see image below courtesy of Austra Energy.
DAH Solar claim that this could increase production of the solar panel by 6-15% and reduce requirements for solar panel cleaning. There are different types of frameless technology on the market, but most require double-glass panels which is not the case with DAH Solar.
DAH Solar Panel Technologies
DAH currently has 38 solar panels approved by the Clean Energy Council in Australia under the name “Anhui Daheng Energy Technology Co Ltd” and “DAH Solar Co Ltd”. This is a requirement to be eligible for the federal STC solar rebate.
DHN Series
The DAH DHN series is their flagship product, offering a wide power range from 420Wp to 630Wp, catering to various users.
Currently their main residential panel available via Austra Energy is the 440W full screen frameless panel. This panel has a reasonable max efficiency rating of 22.53% and a standard temperature co-efficient of -0.30%/°C.
There is also a slightly larger 475W solar panel with similar characteristics that may be better suited to commercial rooftops.
Balcony Solar – AC Solar Panels
DAH Solar also offers integrated solar panels with built-in microinverters. This option provides customers with versatile solar solutions, allowing installation in various locations, including on balconies which is growing in popularity in some European countries. These are currently not available in Australia.
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DAH Solar’s Warranty for Australian Customers
Solar panels typically come with both product and performance warranties. The product warranty covers manufacturing faults that lead to damage or malfunction and is typically 15 to 25 years for most solar panel manufacturers. DAH offers a 25-year warranty for their DHN series panels which are available in Australia.
The performance warranty ensures a certain level of output for the solar panel’s lifetime, normally guaranteeing 80-85% of the nameplate output after 25 years. DAH provides a 30-year performance warranty for their DHN series. The warranty guarantees a maximum degradation of 1% in the first year and 0.4% each year thereafter until year 30. This offers some advantages over alternative performance warranties on the market.
It is important to note that since DAH Solar currently does not have an Australian office, and the only contact information on the warranty document is for their Chinese headquarters. This may present a serious headache for Australian customers attempting to claim warranty and should be taken into consideration before purchasing these panels.
See more details of DAH Solar’s warranty document here.
Pros and cons of DAH Solar panels
Pros:
- Bloomberg Tier 1 Solar panels
- Frameless ‘full-screen’ technology may improve output through dust resistance
Cons:
- No Australian office and very fresh to the Australian market
- Not ranked in PV Evolution Labs Top Performer test
- Limited availability of case studies showcasing the utilization of their panels in larger projects in Australia
So, Should I Buy DAH Solar Panels?
DAH Solar have some impressive technology when it comes to their frameless ‘full-screen’ solar panels. While their claims are this could increase production by up to 15%, it would be great to see some independent testing into the real differences in outcomes for consumers.
The downsides of DAH Solar stems from their freshness to the Australian market with no local office or support team. In the past this has presented frustrating issues for domestic customers trying to access technical support or lodge a warranty claim.
We would recommend caution with DAH Solar panels until they have a stronger domestic presence in Australia and have demonstrated good performance in independent testing like PV Evolution Labs.
Read more product reviews from Solar Choice
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