❌ Red Flags (Walk Away)

❌ "Tier 1 Mono" without specifying N-Type or TOPCon

❌ Efficiency ratings below 22%

❌ Product warranty under 12 years

❌ Performance warranty guarantees < 84% at Year 25

❌ Temp coefficient worse than -0.32%/°C

❌ No mention of bifaciality percentage

❌ Vague "industry standard" degradation rates

❌ Refusal to provide country-of-origin certificates

❌ Pressure to "sign now before prices go up"

❌ No Safe Harbor documentation timeline

✅ Green Flags (Good Signs)

✅ Explicitly states "N-Type TOPCon" technology

✅ Efficiency ratings 23% or higher

✅ 30-year linear performance warranty

✅ Guarantees 87%+ output at Year 30

✅ Temp coefficient -0.29%/°C or better

✅ Bifaciality rating 80%+ (for bifacial models)

✅ Degradation documented at 0.4%/year or less

✅ Provides full bill of materials (BOM)

✅ Offers Safe Harbor guidance/docs

✅ References recent TOPCon installations

5 Critical Questions to Ask Your Installer:

"Is this N-Type or P-Type silicon?"

"What is the LID (Light Induced Degradation) % in Year 1?"

"Can you provide the PAN file for this specific model?"

"What is the remedy if performance falls below the curve?"

"How many 600W TOPCon systems have you installed recently?"

The Solar RFP "Red Flags" Checklist