REC Solar Panels

‍About REC

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REC - which stands for Renewable Energy Corporation - is a premium solar panel manufacturer.

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Originally founded in Norway in 1996 and still listed on the stock exchange there, REC’s operational HQ is now a little closer to us in Singapore.

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As at February 2024 REC has a market capitalisation in Norway of nearly AUD$1bn, and is majority owned by a large Fortune 500 conglomerate that is financially stable as indicated by their Bloomberg Tier 1 rating for bankability.

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REC have made over 50 million panels since their inception, and claim a very low defect rate of less than 0.0001% of the approximately 4 million panels they make each year.

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REC Alpha Pure RX Solar Panels: Pros & Cons

Pros

Unreal performance from superior HJT technology compared to N-type panels
Beefy 460W output means more power from fewer panels
All-black ‘silhouette’ design looks very sleek and modern, particularly on darker roofs
Built really, really strong and to withstand very large hail
Unique ProTrust Warranty covers you for labour plus product and performance
Made in Singapore

Cons

Total system cost usually 30-40% more than budget-friendly but quality brands like Jinko

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Where Are REC Solar Panels Made?

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REC’s Alpha Pure RX panels are made in Singapore, making them somewhat unique given the vast majority of the world’s solar panels are made in China.

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Importantly, REC is well supported in Australia, with the manufacturer’s head office for sales and support located in Melbourne and their product proudly stocked in a number of major solar distributors around the country.

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Given REC’s dominance at the premium end of the market, we believe that they will have a presence in Australia for many years to come, giving peace of mind to any customer who is considering their solar panels.

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Are REC Solar Panels High Quality?

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REC is considered globally to be one of the highest quality solar panel brands in the market, with many independent certifications and accolades to prove it.

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REC doesn't seem to be interested in servicing the cheap and cheerful end of the solar panel market, unlike many other solar panel brands that exist in a ‘race to the bottom’ on pricing.

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Instead, REC focuses solely on premium residential and commercial solar panel applications. They’ve also created an accredited installer program to further boost consumer confidence when purchasing a solar system.

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REC’s Heterojunction Cell Technology (HJT)

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REC's Alpha Pure RX solar panels feature heterojunction cell technology (HJT).

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To save you reading a full on academic study, HJT is a technology used in the Pure RX panels that is superior to that of P-type and N-type cells in cheaper panels owing to a thin layer of film on top of each of the three ‘wafers’ in the cell. Whilst it sounds simple, it requires complex changes in the manufacturing process - meaning the panels cost more to make.

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Basically, HJT technology converts more sunlight to electricity through trapping more light in the wafer layers, increasing the panel efficiency and lowering the temperature coefficient.

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‍How Strong Are REC Solar Panels?

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REC’s Alpha Pure RX is objectively one of the strongest solar panel models you can buy.

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Apart from the 30mm frame and 3.2mm thick tempered glass, Alpha Pure RX panels have two extra support bars on the back of the panel. This increases lateral strength and rigidity, ensuring that the panel doesn’t easily bend or crack under high pressures from, for example, high winds - which was evident in the strong test results cited on the data sheet:

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When it comes to hail, Alpha Pure RX panels are tested and certified to withstand up to 35mm stones (a standard golf ball is 42mm) as can also be seen in the certifications section of the datasheet:

*Always check the data sheet - REC stipulate the exact standard (IEC61215:2016) that their Pure RX panels are tested to for hail resistance.*

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In comparison, most budget solar panels on the market are typically tested to 25mm diameter hail under IEC61215.

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It's an often overlooked test of strength, but consider the cost of an insurance claim and potentially months of no solar savings from a broken solar panel. Worse yet, hail damage can sometimes be invisible to the naked eye (a phenomenon known as hotspotting). Investing slightly more in a stronger panel like REC could be the best insurance you can buy!

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‍How Efficient Are REC Solar Panels?

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Solar panel efficiency is simply a measure of the percentage of sunlight converted into electricity.

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REC’s Alpha Pure RX efficiency is up to 22.6%, putting them at the top of the efficiency stakes when compared with most other brands on the market.

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‍How Do REC Solar Panels Perform?

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As we’ve outlined, REC’s high efficiency and unique HJT tech means that they perform extremely well, even in low light and shaded conditions.

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What Do REC Solar Panels Look Like Installed?

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As an REC Certified Solar Professional Installer we are obviously biased, but we think they look fantastic - and our clients who have chosen REC seem to agree!

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The silhouette or all-black appearance of the panels means that they look particularly modern and unobtrusive on darker coloured roofs, especially when combined with black anodised rail and mounting:

*Our client Stephen in Kingscliff opted for REC Alpha Pure RX panels with black Clenergy mounting - we think it looks great on his dark tile roof.*

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What's the Warranty on REC Solar Panels?

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‍REC is a little different from most solar panel manufacturers in that they have approved installers (like Renewture!) who are vetted and then issued an REC Certified Solar Installer Professional badge and certificate:

*REC's vetted installers (like us) will proudly display their Certified Solar Professional badge and can provide their registration certificate when asked.*

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Whilst technically any solar installer can install REC solar panels, the benefits of REC’s ProTrust Warranty are only activated if they are installed by an REC Certified Solar Installer Professional.

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REC’s ProTrust Warranty gives the homeowner an extra 5 years product warranty and 25 years of labour coverage, in addition to the 30 year performance warranty.

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In simple terms, the labour coverage gives homeowners peace of mind that REC will cover the labour charge if a panel or panels need to be replaced under the product or performance warranties.

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In contrast, most other solar panel manufacturers might cover you for the product and/or performance, but they leave it up to you to find someone to replace the affected panel(s). This can be time-consuming and expensive.

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REC Solar Panel Product Warranty

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Solar panel product warranties cover you against defects resulting from manufacturing.

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REC’s Alpha Pure RX Solar Panels are covered by a 25 year product warranty (or 20 years if installed by a non-REC-approved installer).

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When combined with the Labour coverage stipulated as part of their ProTrust, we’d argue that REC have one of the most comprehensive product warranties on the market.

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REC Solar Panel Performance Warranty

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Solar panel performance warranties cover you against excessive panel performance degradation, as all solar panels lose performance gradually over time.

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REC’s Alpha Pure RX Solar Panels are covered by a 25 year performance warranty, guaranteeing no more than 2.0% performance degradation in the first year and less than 0.25% performance degradation each year thereafter.

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In effect, this means that REC are guaranteeing that Alpha Pure RX panels will perform to at least 92% of their original rating in year 25.

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Most brands will have an annual degradation guarantee of around 0.4% or higher resulting in performance somewhere between 85-90% in year 25, so REC is a clear leader in this area.

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What Do REC Solar Panels Cost?

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REC Alpha Pure RX solar panels currently retail for about $370-$390 each, plus shipping and handling. At just over 1.7m tall, they’re a similar length to more budget friendly Jinko or Trina panels, but they are significantly wider at over 1.2m. Because they’re stronger and larger, they’re also heavier, with each panel weighing in at 23.4kg. Given this, all Alpha Pure RX solar panels are shipped on a pallet and need to be unloaded with a forklift or a team of burly solar installers!

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As ever, the cost of solar panels is just one small part of the total cost of any solar system. Multiplying the retail price of an Alpha Pure RX solar panel by the number of panels required does not take into account the rail, mounting, inverter, cabling/wiring, labour, and consumables that help to make up the total cost of a system.

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Given this, the total investment for a fully installed system with REC Alpha Pure RX will vary substantially depending on the equipment selected, your roof type, the complexity of the property, and whether you want a battery installed now or at a later date.

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We consider a standard installation to be something like a:

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single-storey dwelling
with a tin or Colorbond roof
no switchboard works or other non-standard work
a premium Sungrow inverter and Clenergy mounting

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As a general guide, you can expect the total investment for a fully installed REC Alpha Pure RX solar panel system to be roughly the following for a standard installation:

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8 panels (3.68kW) - $5,900-$6,400
14 panels (6.44kW) - $7,800-$8,300
19 panels (8.74kW) - $10,900-$11,400
23 panels (10.58kW) - $12,300-$12,800
32 panels (14.72kW) - $15,900-$16,400

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Pricing above is after the federal government’s STC incentive discount. Final pricing is subject to site-inspection and quote as each property and installation is different.

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