How We Review Solar Products
A review is only worth as much as the method behind it. Here is exactly how we score — and the limits we are honest about — so you can judge our judgement.
We review specifications and field reality — we are not a lab
We do not run independent laboratory tests, and we never present a number as a measured result we did not produce. Our hard specs come from manufacturer datasheets and certification records, clearly labelled as such. What we add is neutral interpretation: which numbers matter, which are marketing, and how a product behaves in Indian conditions.
Five stated dimensions, each with a written rationale
Every product is graded on the same five dimensions for its category, on a 0–5 scale. Each score carries a sentence explaining why. You can disagree with a judgement — but you can always see exactly what it was based on.
No winners for sale, no affiliate influence
No manufacturer can pay for a score, a ranking, or a place on this page. There are no affiliate links, no sponsored reviews, and no “editor’s choice” badge that quietly follows a commission. If that ever changes, it will be disclosed on the page itself, in plain sight.
Fit over hype — “best for whom”, not “best”
There is rarely a single best product. A premium module that suits a subsidised home may be the wrong choice for an accelerated-depreciation MSME. We score on fitness for a stated buyer, and say plainly who each product is — and is not — for.
Dated, sourced, and revisited
Every review carries the date it was assessed and links to the source datasheet. Specifications and prices move; a review that is not revisited goes stale, and we treat that as a defect, not a detail.
What We Grade, by Category
Each product is scored 0–5 on the same five dimensions for its category, and every score carries a written rationale on the review page.
Solar Panels
Modules graded on real-world yield, durability, warranty strength, subsidy fit, and value — not on datasheet peak numbers alone.
- Efficiency & Real-World Yield
- Module efficiency, temperature coefficient, and low-light behaviour — how much of the rated kW a roof actually harvests across an Indian year, not just at STC.
- Durability & Degradation
- First-year and linear degradation, PID/LID resistance, and build quality (frame, glass, junction box) that decide output in year 20, not year 1.
- Warranty & Bankability
- Product vs performance warranty terms, and whether the manufacturer is financially likely to honour a 25-year claim — scale, track record, and service footprint.
- Subsidy & Policy Fit
- ALMM listing, DCR availability, and BIS certification — whether the module is eligible for the subsidy or tender the buyer is actually targeting.
- Value for Money
- Price per watt against the specification delivered — the honest ₹/W a buyer pays for the yield, durability, and warranty above, not the cheapest sticker.
Inverters
The brain of the plant, graded on conversion efficiency, reliability, monitoring, service reach, and value.
- Conversion Efficiency
- Peak and weighted (Euro/CEC) efficiency, MPPT count and range — how much DC the unit turns into usable AC across the load curve.
- Reliability & Build
- Thermal design, IP rating, surge and protection features, and field failure reputation — the inverter is the part most likely to fail first.
- Monitoring & Software
- App quality, remote diagnostics, alerting, and data granularity — how easily a fault or underperformance is caught before it costs units.
- Service Network & Support
- Authorised service reach in India, spare availability, and replacement turnaround — a great inverter with no local support is a bad buy.
- Value for Money
- Price for the rated capacity and feature set, including realistic warranty extension cost over the plant life.
Batteries & Storage
Storage graded on usable capacity, cycle life, safety chemistry, round-trip efficiency, and value.
- Usable Capacity & Depth of Discharge
- Usable versus nameplate kWh and recommended depth of discharge — what the buyer can actually cycle daily without shortening life.
- Cycle Life & Warranty
- Rated cycles, calendar and throughput warranty, and end-of-warranty capacity retention — the real cost per cycle over the life.
- Safety & Chemistry
- Cell chemistry (LFP vs NMC vs lead-acid), thermal behaviour, BMS quality, and suitability for Indian ambient temperatures.
- Round-Trip Efficiency
- Energy returned versus energy stored — the quiet loss that decides how much of your solar actually reaches the evening load.
- Value for Money
- Price per usable kWh across the warranted cycle life, against the backup and self-consumption benefit delivered.
Our Neutrality Pledge
No manufacturer can pay for a score, a ranking, or a place on this page. There are no affiliate links and no sponsored reviews. This is core to what Harit Urja Mission is. If we ever introduce a commercial relationship that could affect a review, we will disclose it on the review itself — never quietly.