Trina Solar has been building panels since 1997, longer than almost anyone in the industry, and today employs around 50,000 people with operations in more than 180 countries. For Australian roofs Trina offers one focused family, the Vertex S+: six N type i-TOPCon models, every one of them dual glass, every one with a 25 year product warranty and a 30 year power warranty.
Dual glass matters more than it sounds. A sheet of 1.6mm glass on the back of the panel instead of a plastic backsheet protects the cells from moisture and wear, which is why Trina backs the whole family for 30 years of performance. Trina pitches the range as “Power + Aesthetics for Australian Rooftops”, and the low voltage NEG9RH.28 as “Designed for Australian Homes”.
Choose Trina when you want a big, long established manufacturer and the flexibility to match the panel to the roof. Six models cover full black looks, a bifacial Clear Black, larger formats to 515 W for open roofs, and a clever low voltage version that lets more panels fit on a string, which can simplify the electrical design on bigger homes. All six share the same warranty position: 25 years product, 30 years power, 87.4 percent guaranteed at year 30.
Trina is often the value sweet spot of our range too, giving you current N type dual glass technology from a 28 year old maker without paying for headline efficiency you may not need.
The trade offs
Where the other brands answer back
On peak efficiency, AIKO’s NEOSTAR is ahead, up to 25.0 percent against Trina’s best of 23.7 percent, and AIKO’s -0.26 temperature coefficient edges Trina’s -0.29 in the heat. On hardware cover, Phono’s Australian Quasar and Helios ranges carry a 30 year residential product warranty against Trina’s 25. Trina’s answer is breadth, track record and price. If your roof is straightforward and your priority is dependable value from a name that has been around since before solar was fashionable, it is very hard to argue with.
Verified specifications
Vertex S+ family, all six models
All models are N type i-TOPCon dual glass with a 25 year product warranty, a 30 year power warranty, a temperature coefficient of -0.29 percent per degree, degradation of 1 percent in the first year then 0.4 percent a year, and 87.4 percent of rated output guaranteed at year 30. Figures below are from Trina’s Australian datasheets.
Model
Style
Power range
Module efficiency
Cells
Size and weight
NEG9R.25
Full Black
425 W to 450 W
21.3% to 22.5%
144
1762 x 1134 mm, 21.0 kg
NEG9R.28
Black frame
425 W to 460 W
21.3% to 23.0%
144
1762 x 1134 mm, 21.0 kg
NEG9RH.28
Black frame, low voltage
440 W to 475 W
22.0% to 23.7%
96
1762 x 1134 mm, 21.0 kg
NEG18RC.27
Clear Black, bifacial
490 W to 515 W
22.0% to 23.2%
108
1961 x 1134 mm, 23.5 kg
NEG18R.25
Full Black, large format
490 W to 515 W
22.0% to 23.2%
108
1961 x 1134 mm, 23.5 kg
NEG18R.28 / .20
Black or silver frame, large format
475 W to 510 W
21.4% to 22.9%
108
1961 x 1134 mm, 23.5 kg
Specifications per manufacturer datasheets, July 2026. Subject to change.
The back of a conventional panel is a polymer sheet, and moisture working through it over the years is a common cause of degradation. Vertex S+ uses 1.6mm heat strengthened glass on both faces, sealing the cells between two panes. It adds almost no weight, the whole 144 cell module is 21 kg, and it is a big part of why the family carries a 30 year power warranty.
What is the low voltage model for?
The NEG9RH.28 runs a 96 cell layout with a much lower operating voltage per panel, so more panels can sit on one string within inverter limits. On larger roofs that can mean simpler wiring, fewer strings and better use of the inverter. It is a design tool, and we will tell you if your roof benefits from it.
Which Vertex S+ model would you put on a typical home?
For most street facing roofs the full black NEG9R.25 or the black frame NEG9R.28 are the go to picks. Open rear roofs with space to spare often suit the larger NEG18R models, and the bifacial Clear Black earns its place over light coloured surfaces. The right answer comes out of the site visit, call us on 0420 141 078 and we will take a look.
Is a 28 year old manufacturer really an advantage?
A performance warranty is only as good as the company behind it in year 25. Nothing is certain, but Trina has been making panels since 1997 and was the first PV and energy storage company listed on the STAR Market. Of our three brands it has the longest manufacturing history, and that is worth something when the warranty runs to 2056.
Free quote, no pressure
Price a Trina system for your roof
Six models, one right answer for your roof. We will find it and quote it fixed.
Tell us what you are after and we will come back to you within one business day with real numbers for your property. Prefer to talk? Call 0420 141 078.
