Trina solar panels - Reviews from Australian installers

Trina solar panels are amongst the most popular solar panels on the Australian market – and for good reason too.

Australian solar installers that responded to Solar Calculator's August 2026 Solar Installer Survey ranked Trina number 2 out of 8 popular solar panel brands for overall satisfaction, with an average rating of 8.9 out of 10 – second only to Aiko (9.4).

Find out why Trina is one of the most popular solar brands on the market in Australia, what solar installers have to say, and whether they are the right choice for your property.

About Trina solar panels

Trina Solar is one of the largest solar manufacturers in the world shipping more than 292 gigawatts ¹ of solar each year to more than 170 countries.

Founded in 1997 in Changzhou, China, Trina is the world's third-largest solar panel manufacturer by volume, behind Jinko and LONGi, and holds around 11% of the global PV module market ². With a global workforce of 22,301 employees ³, Trina manufacturing is still largely centred in China, but they also have facilities in Vietnam and Thailand.

Trina is one of the most established solar brands in the Australian market. Backed by Tier 1 solar panel status, Trina is recommended and installed by thousands of trusted solar retailers and installers across the country. Over the last 25+ years, Trina has captured a significant portion of both the residential and commercial solar markets in Australia.

Key facts about Trina solar panels

• Trina Solar was founded in 1997 in Changzhou, China
• Manufactures across 10 different centres in China
• 22,301 employees globally as of 2026
• Tier 1 bankability rating from Bloomberg
• Ships 292 gigawatts of solar products each year
• Ships to 170+ countries around the world
• Strong presence in both the commercial and residential markets
• 3rd highest volume of solar shipments globally in 2024 behind Jinko (1st) & Longi (2nd)
• By volume, Trina owns around 11% of global solar PV market share

Sources:
¹ Trina solar shipments
² Global PV shipment data
³ Trina employee count

What Australian solar installers say about Trina

In August 2026, Solar Calculator surveyed solar installers across Australia to find out about their first-hand experience with some of the most popular solar panel brands on the market.

The survey data is telling because most reviews for Trina products found online typically come from consumers at the start of their solar journey. These reviews are typically published right after installation: before a panel has been through a storm, a sweltering summer, or been the subject of a warranty claim. Installers on the other hand, install panels daily – and are well placed to comment on defects and quality. If a panel fails, they're the ones who go back up on the roof to fix it.

What the data shows

• Amongst all solar panel brands in our survey, Trina ranked second highest overall with an average score of 8.9 out of 10 – behind only Aiko (9.4), and ahead of higher-volume solar manufacturers like Jinko (8.5) and LONGi (8.6).
• 70% of solar installers who dealt with Trina panels scored them 9 or higher
• None of the installers surveyed ranked Trina lower than a 7/10
• Along with Aiko and LONGi, Trina was one of only three brands to rank higher than 7/10 amongst all installers.

How Trina stacks up against other popular solar panel brands

*Note: Data taken from Solar Calculator's August 2026 Solar Installers survey

What Australian installers like about Trina

Amongst Australian solar installers who regularly install Trina solar panels, two consistent themes stood out:

• Great Value: Trina offers one of the best cost-to-quality ratios on the market
• Proven Longevity: Trina has a long track record with some installers working with the panels for 15 years.

Matt, GI Energy (rated Trina 9/10)

"Trina has consistently been a great performing and quality panel since we began installing them in 2011. Their support is excellent and our endorsement is based on value for money."

Marco, MDB Solar (rated Trina 9/10)

"Great panel that has been around in Australia for many years with no issues and fair pricing."

Nitin, Solarpath (rated Trina 9/10)

"Great panel and great price – after sale service is good."

Steve Burgess of Regional Solar made the point that the unique dual-glass module design of Trina Solar Panels made them ideal for coastal areas where other solar panels struggled with premature degradation due to sea mist and salt.

What Australian solar installers don’t like about Trina

We had to dig hard to find criticism for Trina. The lowest score amongst Australian solar installers surveyed was 7/10 – which speaks to the overall satisfaction amongst Australian solar installers when it comes to Trina Solar Panels.

Nitin from Solarpath – who still scored Trina 9/10 – did note a design limitation:

“After sale service is good but limitation with designing on the roof as voltage issues.”

It is worth clarifying that this is a string design constraint rather than a quality concern. On a straightforward roof it won't come up. If your roof has multiple faces or tight sections, then it might be worth asking your installer how they intend to string the array.

Overall, Trina attracted very few criticisms. Trina's two lowest scores (both 7/10) both came without criticism – the installers simply rated them lower than other brands with no particular drawbacks or issues noted. Installers often referenced value when commenting on Trina panels.

Where does Trina Solar sit in the Australian market?

Trina is a Tier 1 solar manufacturer.

Trina Solar has held Tier 1 status since the Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) report started back in 2012.

Tier 1 solar panel status is – to consumers at least – a bit of a confusing one.

Most consumers assume that Tier 1 status means premium quality – and while that may be the case by virtue of the ranking – it actually has nothing to do with the quality of solar panels.

Tier 1 status is derived from Bloomberg’s Bankability Survey. It’s more of a financial audit of the company than it is a quality audit of the module. The report assesses the financial feasibility of companies and assigns tiered rankings from 1 (highest) to 3 (lowest) accordingly. In simple terms, Tier 1 means that banks trust companies and would recommend them for large scale solar projects.

What does Trina’s tier 1 ranking mean for consumers?

It’s a good question.

Probably the best way to think about it is that if a solar manufacturer is good enough for banks to trust, then there’s a good chance they’ll be in business for your entire warranty period.

Tier 1 status doesn’t tell you how well solar panels are going to perform – the specs do that. What it does tell you is that the company that you are buying from is going to be around and in business should you ever need to use your warranty.

In summary:

• Tier 1 status is a financial report of the manufacturer
• Tier 1 is not directly tied to solar panel performance – it’s a financial rating
• Buying tier 1 solar panels means buying from a trusted manufacturer

Final Thoughts

Trina is one of the most recognisable brands on the Australian solar market. From our data, we know that Trina is more than just a name – it's ranked as one of the most trusted panels among the installers who actually install it, scoring 8.9 out of 10 and finishing second out of the eight brands surveyed. It outscored longtime household solar name SunPower.

If you want a sensibly priced system from a recognisable manufacturer with the assurance that they will likely be around for the entire warranty period of the panel, then Trina is a solid choice and one of the safest choices on the Australian market.