06 October 2026
Most solar buyers in India hear "25 year warranty" and stop asking questions. That phrase hides two separate promises with different lengths, different coverage and very different odds of ever paying out. A panel can lose a third of its output and still be perfectly within warranty. It can also be excluded from cover for reasons that have nothing to do with the panel itself.
This guide explains what a solar panel warranty actually covers in India, how product and performance cover differ, what the degradation numbers on a datasheet mean in practice, what voids a claim, and what a buyer should verify before signing a purchase order.
A solar panel warranty in India is two separate promises. The product warranty, usually 12 years, covers defects in material and workmanship. The performance warranty, usually 25 to 30 years, guarantees only that output stays above a declining percentage of the original rating.
Typical 2026 terms: n-type TOPCon glass-to-glass modules guarantee about 1.0% loss in year one and 0.40% a year after, ending near 87% at year 30. Mono PERC modules typically allow 2.0% in year one and 0.50 to 0.55% a year, ending near 83%. Compare those two numbers rather than the headline number of years, because the slope decides how much electricity you actually own in year 20.
| Warranty | Who gives it | Typical term in India | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product or workmanship | Module manufacturer | 10 to 15 years, commonly 12 | Defects in material and workmanship in the panel itself |
| Performance or power output | Module manufacturer | 25 to 30 years | That output stays above a guaranteed percentage each year |
| Installation workmanship | The installer or EPC | 1 to 5 years, not standardised | Mounting, cabling, earthing, waterproofing and labour |
The third one matters more than buyers expect. Manufacturer warranty statements routinely exclude on-site labour, removal, reinstallation and transport. Waaree's statement, for example, excludes any cost associated with on-site labour, installation, removal, reinstallation and shipping. So on a successful module claim, the manufacturer may send a replacement panel while you pay the crew who takes the faulty one off the roof and puts the new one up.
A product warranty covers defects in material or workmanship. The better statements define that against international standards rather than leaving it vague. Waaree ties covered defects to IEC 61215-1 Clause 8 and, for visual defects, IEC 61730-2 Clause 10.2. If a warranty document does not define "defect" at all, that is worth asking about.
Typical Indian terms are 12 years. Some entry-level series carry only 10. The remedy is normally repair, replacement, or a refund at the manufacturer's discretion, and refunds are often depreciated. Waaree's statement reduces the refund by 5% of the original purchase price for each year of use.
This is the 25 or 30 year promise, and it only guarantees a floor on output measured at standard test conditions. Two numbers define it: the first-year degradation allowance and the annual rate thereafter.
| Module type | Term | Year 1 loss | Annual loss after | Guaranteed at end |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n-type TOPCon, glass-to-glass (Waaree Elite, Adani Elan Shine G2G) | 30 years | 1.0% | 0.40% | About 87.4% |
| TOPCon with transparent backsheet (Adani G2TB) | 30 years | 2.0% | 0.45% | Lower than glass-to-glass |
| Mono PERC bifacial, glass-to-glass (Vikram Paradea) | 30 years | 2.0% | 0.50% | About 83.5% |
| Mono PERC, glass to backsheet (Waaree Arka, Ahnay) | 27 years | 2.0% | 0.55% | About 83.7% |
| Older full-cell Mono PERC lines | 25 years | 3.0% | 0.70% | About 80.2% |
Two things stand out. First, the common claim that TOPCon gets 30 years and PERC gets 25 is not reliable. Several PERC modules carry 30 year terms. What actually separates them is the slope: 0.40% a year for TOPCon against 0.50 to 0.55% for PERC, plus a smaller first-year step.
Second, construction matters as much as cell type. Adani gives the same TOPCon cells a worse curve when they sit behind a transparent backsheet instead of glass. Glass-to-glass construction is what earns the best terms, which is one reason it dominates utility-scale supply. Our guide to glass-to-glass bifacial solar panels covers the construction difference.
On a 1 MW plant, the difference between 0.40% and 0.55% a year compounds to several percent of lifetime generation. That is the real financial content of a warranty table.
Exclusion clauses are long and most are reasonable. The ones that catch Indian buyers out, taken from published manufacturer statements:
Electroluminescence imaging is widely used in practice to prove microcracks, but manufacturer documents rarely specify it as accepted evidence. If EL evidence matters to you, agree the protocol in the supply contract rather than assuming it.
A 30 year warranty is a 30 year unsecured promise from a company. If the manufacturer closes, the warranty becomes a claim in a liquidation queue.
Internationally, some manufacturers buy third-party warranty insurance, for instance from Munich Re, where cover can run 25 years, extend to 30 for glass-to-glass modules, and transfer to the registered buyer if the manufacturer becomes insolvent. We found no evidence that Indian brands currently carry this kind of insurance, so in India the practical test is simpler: look at the manufacturer's balance sheet, capacity and how long it has been operating, because that is what the warranty rests on.
This is also why ALMM listing and BIS certification are not the same as warranty strength. Certification proves the model passed tests. The warranty is a commercial promise from the company that made it.
If you are still comparing module types, our buyer's guide to the best solar modules in India sets out the technology choices, and the TOPCon bifacial guide explains where the degradation differences come from.
A solar panel warranty is two promises, not one. The product warranty, usually 12 years, covers defects in the panel. The performance warranty, usually 25 to 30 years, only guarantees that output stays above a declining floor. The useful comparison between modules is not the number of years but the first-year loss, the annual degradation rate and the guaranteed output at the end of the term.
Then check the things that decide whether a claim ever succeeds: readable serial numbers, correct certifications for the site, documented commissioning, an installer warranty covering labour, and a manufacturer solid enough to still be there in year 20.
The product warranty, typically 12 years in India, covers defects in material and workmanship in the panel itself. The performance warranty, typically 25 to 30 years, guarantees only that power output stays above a declining percentage of the original rating. A panel can be performing below expectation yet still be within its performance warranty.
Most Indian manufacturers offer a 12 year product warranty and a 25 or 30 year performance warranty. Entry-level series sometimes carry 10 years on product. Terms vary by series within the same brand, so check the warranty document for the exact model you are buying.
Common exclusions are an altered or illegible serial number, glass breakage from an external cause such as hail or impact, repair by anyone not approved by the manufacturer, installation outside the module specification including coastal sites without salt mist certification, improper wiring, transit damage not reported on delivery, and modules not fully paid for.
Usually not. Manufacturer warranties generally cover only self-originating glass breakage, so damage from an external impact such as hail, falling branches or site accidents is excluded. That risk belongs with project or property insurance rather than the module warranty.
Raise the claim with the manufacturer inside the warranty term and promptly after discovering the defect. Provide the invoice, warranty certificate, module serial numbers, commissioning report, site photographs and generation data. The manufacturer then evaluates, usually with its own or a nominated third-party lab, and settles by repair, replacement or a depreciated refund at its discretion.
Modern crystalline modules are warranted for 25 to 30 years of performance and generally keep producing beyond that at reduced output. A TOPCon module degrading at 0.40% a year still delivers about 87% of its original rating after 30 years. Heat, soiling and poor installation shorten real-world life more than cell technology does.
Yes, if the claim falls inside the relevant term. A defect in materials or workmanship is covered only while the product warranty runs, typically 12 years. An output shortfall is covered under the performance warranty, which usually runs 25 to 30 years. Claims raised after a term expires are refused, even by a day.
Usually yes, since the warranty attaches to the modules rather than the buyer, but terms vary by manufacturer and some require written notification of the transfer. Check the warranty document for the exact series before a property or asset sale, and pass on the invoice, serial numbers and commissioning report.
Generally the degradation terms are better. TOPCon modules commonly guarantee 1.0% first-year loss and 0.40% a year after, against 2.0% and 0.50 to 0.55% for Mono PERC. The term length is not a reliable differentiator, since several PERC modules also carry 30 year performance warranties. Glass-to-glass construction tends to earn better terms than a transparent backsheet.
Credence Solar publishes full datasheets and warranty terms for every module, from the Quasar Mono PERC range to the Quasar N 745 Wp TOPCon bifacial. Download them from our download page, or ask our team to walk through the terms for your project on our contact page, on +91 90330 72969 or at info@credencesolar.com.
