Mission Solar Panel

Mission Solar Panels Are Made in the USA

Mission Solar Energy is a solar panel manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. Since releasing their first panel design in 2014, Mission Solar has become San Antonio’s fourth-largest manufacturing firm while proudly providing over 400 green jobs for Texas.

Mission Solar modules are exempt from the Section 201 import tariffs imposed on foreign made components. Additionally, American made Mission Solar is compliant with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as well as the Buy American Act.

Mission Solar adheres to the highest manufacturing standards - even the raw materials used in their production lines undergo intense inspection upon arrival, ensuring the cells are free of damage. After the initial inspection upon arrival, each cell and module are progressively inspected throughout the assembly process.

Mission Solar panels are examined by a third-party testing facility to verify the panels’ performance across a variety of Texas weather conditions.

In fact, Mission Solar products meet such lofty standards that they exceed residential solar specs and meeting ratings for both commercial and utility applications.

Mission Solar panels by the numbers

Mission Solar Energy offers a variety of solar panels perfectly suited for completely off grid systems, as well as more common grid-tied systems.

Mission has a wide variety of panels, all featuring p-type monocrystalline solar cells.

We will provide information on several Mission Solar panel models, but first we will focus on the MSE PERC 66 Black 385W and the MSE PERC 72 SX6W 415W, as they are the models you are most likely to encounter in the Texas residential solar market.

MSE PERC 66 Black

The MSE PERC 66 Black module has a power max output of 385 W.

These all-black monocrystalline modules create a very modern, sleek, uniform looking solar display on the roof. In independent third-party testing, all PERC 66 models test at or above their reported electrical output. Some panels produced as much as 3% over their reported rating. The report indicates some of the 385-watt panels tested near or at 396W production potential level. This is especially encouraging not only for overall electricity production, but also when figuring future rates of degradation.

The MSE PERC 66 also features a very respectable rate of degradation, guaranteed not to exceed 2% during the first year and 0.58% annually from years two to 30 with 84.08% capacity guaranteed in year 25.

*The MSE PERC 66 is also available in a White module with a white back sheet. While this model also received high marks in all categories, several reviews said the panels looked dated and less aesthetically pleasing to the eye compared to the much sleeker MSE PERC 66 Black module.

MSE PERC 72 SX6W 415W Modules

The larger Mission MSE PERC 72 SX6W 415W module was once thought of as a hefty panel primarily used in larger commercial and utility applications. However, this 415W powerhouse is now being put into action on residential rooftops across Texas.

PERC technology offers more energy generation compared to traditional solar panels. In PERC, a “passivation layer” is attached to the back of the cell, allowing light to be better captured in the cell. These reflective properties encourage light redispersed by the passivation layer to be absorbed elsewhere in the cell

The Mission MSE PERC 72 SX6W 415W reports a degradation guaranteed not to exceed 2% in year one and 0.58% annually from years two to 30 with 84.08% capacity guaranteed in year 25.

Mission Solar Efficiency

Mission Solar module’s efficiency ratings range between 18% and 19.53% putting them on the higher end of average solar panel efficiency. Their achievement is largely due to the 6 bus bars on their mono-PERC cells, which allow more electrons to flow through each solar cell.

Mission Solar Power Tolerance Rating

Power tolerance refers to the amount of electricity it will produce either above or below its rated power capacity at Standard Test Conditions (STC). The smaller the power tolerance deviation or range, the more accurate the rated power capacity is.

Mission Solar modules have a power tolerance of -0/+3%.

This means Mission Solar panels will, at the very minimum, operate at their rated capacity, However, these panels have exceeded, by as much as 3%, of its rated capacity. For example, a Mission Solar panel rated at 385 W will be able to operate anywhere from 385 W to 396 W (or 3% higher than 385) under STC.

With a -0% tolerance rating, the MSE PERC 66 Black 385W panel operates at, or above 385 W. These performance scores, coupled with Mission’s high manufacturing standards, equate to real world performance under Texas' most extreme operating conditions.

Mission Solar Temperature Coefficient

Solar panels perform best at 77°F (25°C). Obviously, Texas temperatures will far exceed 77°F for long portions of the year. A solar panel’s temperature coefficient is a measurement indicating how well a specific model of solar panel will perform outside of ideal operating conditions.

Knowing a panel’s temperature coefficient and the temperature of the panel will allow you to predict your panel’s performance during the dog days of summer.

Temperature coefficients are calculated in Celsius.

With each degree above 25°C (77°F) a given solar panel’s electric output will be diminished by its temperature coefficient.

Using the above methodology, both the MSE PERC 66 and MSE PERC 72 panels have a temperature coefficient of -0.37%/°C. Hence, when this panel’s temperature increases by one degree, from 25°C to 26°C (77° F to 79° F), expect a 0.37% reduction in potential electric output.

When it's July in Texas and temperatures have climbed to 95°F (35°C) expect electric output to decrease by 3.7%. When the hottest hours of summer days drive the mercury into the triple digits – say, 113°F, the Mission Solar MSE PERC 66 and MSE PERC 72 will decrease by approximately 7.4%.

Mission Solar Performance Testing

PTC is an acronym for "PV USA Test Conditions". This term was coined at the PV USA test site at the University of Davis, California. The PTC rating is conducted in conditions more likely to resemble real life rooftop conditions.

Come hail or high water

Mission Solar panels (made in Texas) are the #1 ranked solar panel, scoring higher PTC scores than every other solar panel made in the U.S.A. Come hail or high water, in real world testing Mission Solar panels overall performed better than the rest of the tier 1 class. In 2014 Mission Solar was the new kid on the solar block, now in 2023 Mission solar must be considered among the best on the market.