Trina vs JA Solar vs LONGi Panel Comparison Calculator
Enter your roof area, target kWp, budget, climate, and peak sun hours — get a 3-way side-by-side: panels needed, temperature-adjusted production, 25-yr yield, LCOE, and winner badges for hot climate, small roof, max efficiency, and best value.
| Metric | Trina Vertex N | JA Solar Deep Blue | LONGi Hi-MO 9 Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panel efficiency | 23.8% | 23.5% | 24.3% |
| Panel wattage | 590W | 625W | 670W |
| Temp coefficient (35°C rise) | -0.3%/°C | -0.31%/°C | -0.26%/°C |
| Effective hot-climate eff. | 13.3% | 12.7% | 15.2% |
| Panels needed | 17 | 16 | 15 |
| Actual kWp delivered | 10.03 kWp | 10.00 kWp | 10.05 kWp |
| Roof area needed | 42.1 m² | 42.6 m² | 41.4 m² |
| Fits on your roof? | No (need 42 m²) | No (need 43 m²) | No (need 41 m²) |
| Cost per watt (mid) | $2-2.3/W | $1.95-2.25/W | $2.3-2.6/W |
| Total panel cost (mid) | $21,565 | $21,000 | $24,623 |
| Within budget? | Over budget | Over budget | Over budget |
| Annual production (temp-adj) | 9,206 kWh | 8,842 kWh | 10,325 kWh |
| 25-yr yield (with degradation) | NaN kWh | NaN kWh | NaN kWh |
| LCOE ($/kWh) | $NaN/kWh | $NaN/kWh | $NaN/kWh |
| Warranty | 25 yr | 25 yr | 25 yr |
How to Use This Calculator
Enter your roof area and target system size
Start with your available roof area (in m² or sqft) and your target system size in kWp. The calculator determines how many panels from each brand are needed, whether they fit on your roof, and flags if a brand's panel count exceeds your available space. LONGi Hi-MO 9 at 670W per panel requires the fewest panels to hit any given kWp target — a critical advantage on small roofs.
Set your climate type
This is the most technical — and most commonly ignored — input. All solar panels lose efficiency as temperature rises, but at different rates (temperature coefficient). LONGi Hi-MO 9 has a -0.26%/°C coefficient — the lowest of the three. In hot climates where cell temperatures reach 45°C above STC conditions, LONGi's panels outperform their spec sheet more than Trina (-0.30%/°C) or JA Solar (-0.31%/°C). In cold climates, this difference is negligible.
Enter peak sun hours and budget
Peak sun hours (PSH) drive the annual production estimate. Use 4.0-5.0 for most temperate climates, 5.0-6.5 for desert or tropical regions. The budget check tells you which brands are within your panel cost envelope — helping narrow your choice without running down dead ends.
The Formula
The temperature coefficient formula is where this calculator adds real insight. At 35°C above STC (typical hot day): Trina loses 35 × 0.30% = 10.5% output, JA loses 35 × 0.31% = 10.85%, and LONGi loses only 35 × 0.26% = 9.1%. LONGi's 1.4% advantage over JA translates to ~1.4% more annual production in hot climates — meaningful over 25 years on a 10 kWp system.
Example
Carlos — 10 kWp, hot climate (Arizona), 40 m² roof
Carlos has a 40 m² south-facing roof in Arizona with 5.5 peak sun hours. He wants 10 kWp and is prioritizing maximum production in the desert heat.
3-way result
In Arizona's heat, LONGi's -0.26%/°C temperature coefficient delivers 492 more kWh per year than JA Solar and 492 more than Trina. Over 25 years this adds ~10,500 extra kWh — worth ~$1,575 at $0.15/kWh. LONGi also needs only 15 panels vs Trina's 17, freeing 5 m² of roof for future expansion.
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