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Thin-film

Series 7 TR1

525–550 W · CdTe thin-film

First SolarReleased 2019

73/ 100

Very good

Global

15+ Yrs Field-ProvenPVEL Top PerformerGlass-GlassMade in USA

The verdict. In our Thin-film class, First Solar Series 7 TR1 leads on performance & degradation.

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The assessment

How it scores, by category

Architecture & Design73
Efficiency & Yield74
Durability (verified)68
Performance & Degradation78
Guarantee & Backbone74
Sustainability73

Our reading

Its strongest scoring dimension is performance & degradation (78).

The data

Power
550W
Efficiency
19.7%
Cell
Thin-film
Temp coeff
-0.32%/°C

Performance guarantee: 30-year linear output

550 Wrated490W at yr 30
859095100Guaranteed floor 89.0%Product 12yr89.3%0yr5yr10yr15yr20yr25yr30yr
Projected outputGuaranteed floor: 89.0% at yr 30Product warranty ends yr 12

Wattage figure based on the sourced rated power (550 W) applied to the guaranteed floor; modular/format differences aside, this is the same rated-power spec shown above.

Modelled effective output, year by year

476W441W

Year 1 to year 25, at 30°C and 1000 W/m². Rated 550 W at STC.

How this is modelled

Compounds this panel’s own published first-year (2%) and annual (0.3%/yr) degradation figures against its 550 W rated (STC) output, then derates for the ambient and irradiance selected. Output is scaled roughly linearly with irradiance (1000W/m² against the 1000 W/m² STC reference). This is the dominant real-world effect at low light, whether from cloud, shading or soiling. Output is then further derated for heat, from this panel’s own NOCT (45°C) and temperature coefficient (-0.32%/°C), giving an estimated cell temperature of 61°C at that ambient and irradiance. A datasheet-derived estimate, not a field measurement or a warranty guarantee: it does not account for this panel’s own low-light efficiency response (a separate, less-consistently-published spec), or for wind and system design. See NOCT and temperature coefficient in the glossary.

Control panel

30°C
1000 W/m²
Year1510152025
Watts476 W471 W463 W456 W449 W441 W
% of rated86.6%85.6%84.2%82.9%81.6%80.3%
Before you buy

Two things to check

Local positionUse a market view to check local availability, approvals and warranty scope.

Ask the installer: Will the quote name the exact Series 7 TR1 model and wattage, and who covers labour if the module warranty is used?

Verification & sources

Market context

Global benchmark. This scorecard is benchmarked globally. A global score does not imply local availability, certification, warranty coverage, or installer compatibility.

Benchmark anchor. The score is anchored to the highest published rating in this exact published US series. Scored model: FS-7550A-TR1 · checked 2026-07-16. Evidence.

Sources & references · checked 2026-07-16

Moderate evidence coverage

8 of 23 scored criteria link directly to a published source.

Values marked estimated, derived, or not found remain visible on the audit sheet and do not carry the same evidential weight as a linked source. Coverage measures direct links, not an independent guarantee that a claim is correct.

Help strengthen this record

These are published evidence gaps, not private submissions. A source is reviewed under the same methodology whether it comes from a reader, installer or manufacturer.

View the open evidence register

Evidence timeline

Recorded verification events for this scorecard. These are evidence checks, not historical score snapshots.

  1. Core scorecard evidence checked
  2. Series benchmark source checked
  3. US market evidence checked
  4. AU market evidence checked

Scored by Solar Analytica Research

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