Used and refurbished solar panels, tested and graded, for sale in Chile

Ecobaterías sells used and refurbished solar panels in Chile: every module goes through visual inspection, an insulation test, electroluminescence (EL) imaging and an I-V curve, and ships with its measured power, its grade (P1, P2 or P3) and a test report. They carry a 1-year seller’s warranty and are quoted by power and quantity, with a reply within 48 business hours. We also refurbish panels removed from your plant or rooftop and return them graded.

What is a refurbished solar panel?

A refurbished solar panel is a used module that was tested, repaired if needed and retested before being sold with a declared grade. The grade comes from measured power, not nameplate power. The module keeps its original brand, model and nameplate: it is sold as used, not as new.

At Ecobaterías we call this work refurbishment (refacción). Chile’s Extended Producer Responsibility law (Ley REP, Law No. 20,920) calls it preparation for reuse: checking, cleaning or repairing a discarded product so it can be used again without any other processing (art. 3 No. 18). It counts as valorization (recovery), just like recycling (art. 3 No. 30). Every term is defined in the glossary.

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Source: Law 20,920, art. 3, Library of the National Congress of Chile · 2026-09-26

Are you buying panels or do you have panels to refurbish?

The service has two routes: buy modules that are already tested, or send us yours to refurbish. Our other battery and panel services are listed under all services.

How do we grade panels by measured power?

We measure the power of every module with an I-V curve under a solar simulator, using a calibrated reference module, and correct it to standard test conditions (STC: 1,000 W/m² and 25 °C). The I-V curve is the relationship between the module’s current and voltage; it gives maximum power (Pmax), open-circuit voltage (Voc), short-circuit current (Isc) and fill factor. Measured Pmax, as a percentage of nameplate power, sets the grade.

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Source: Ecobaterías test protocol, measured under a solar simulator with a calibrated reference · in-house grading, not a standard · 2026-09-26

Why the cutoff at 70%? The European CIRCUSOL project proposed treating a module as functional when it keeps at least 70% of its rated power, and IEA-PVPS notes that the value is partly arbitrary until a standard exists (report T13-37:2026). Within each grade we sort modules into 5 W power bands, so a given string gets similar modules: the SEC’s RGR No. 02/2024 technical instruction limits mixing modules with different characteristics in one installation and requires the mix to be justified in the drawings or the project report.

What does each module’s data sheet include?

Every module we sell carries a label with its measured power, attached next to the original nameplate without covering it, and a test report with this data:

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Sources: IEC 61215-2:2021 (preview) · wet insulation threshold · IEC TS 60904-13:2018 · IEC 60891:2021 · 2026-09-26

Dry testing alone is not enough. In a 2026 study of 37 modules from utility-scale plants, 8.1% failed the dry insulation test and 21.6% failed the wet one (Sustainability journal, 18(3):1212). That is why every repaired module goes through the wet leakage test again, as IEA-PVPS recommends for every repair except cable and connector replacement.

This is the same data that the US R2v3 standard (Appendix G) requires certified sellers to disclose: measured power at STC, the percentage of design power and every repair made. The draft IEC PAS 63525, the IEC’s first document on module reuse (not yet published), also calls for an additional reuse label that does not cover the original one. We cite both as references for our method: they are not Ecobaterías certifications.

If you need modules tested at your plant without buying or selling them, see solar panel testing.

What are refurbished panels used for?

They suit projects that need known, documented power. These are the usual uses and the grade we suggest for each:

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Sources: SEC, ITG RIC No. 9.1/2021 · SEC, RGR No. 02/2024 · 2026-09-26

Modules with broken or cracked glass are neither sold nor repaired: RGR No. 02/2024 bans installing modules that show breaks or cracks.

Can used panels be connected to the grid in Chile?

The SEC authorizes photovoltaic modules by brand and model, based on IEC 61215 and IEC 61730 certificates issued for the new product by accredited bodies (Exempt Resolution No. 32,427 of 2020; RGR No. 02/2024, §8). There is no authorization route for used or refurbished modules as such.

That is why every module we sell keeps its brand, model and original nameplate, and the report includes that data so the installer can check whether the model is authorized. The installation declared to the SEC is defined by the licensed electrical installer. We recommend checking with the SEC before connecting used modules to the grid.

Off-grid use is not free of requirements: ITG RIC No. 9.1 asks for the same certificates and model authorization. RGR No. 02/2024 also requires each module to have a visible, indelible nameplate (Voc, Vmp, Isc, Imp, Pmax and maximum system voltage), bypass diodes and IP65 protection. We check that the nameplate is legible and that the diodes work; your installer verifies the rest.

According to Chile’s Ministry of Energy, the country lacks technical standards and methods to assess the degradation, safety and performance of second-life panels, and its Circular Economy Roadmap for Energy 2026–2030 plans for the SEC and the Ministry of the Environment to address those gaps in 2026–2027.

Sources: SEC Exempt Resolution No. 32,427/2020 · RGR No. 02/2024 · ITG RIC No. 9.1/2021 · Ministry of Energy, Roadmap 2026–2030 · 2026-09-26

How much power does a solar panel lose over the years?

The most cited reference is a median degradation of 0.5% per year, calculated by NREL from about 2,000 measurements (Jordan and Kurtz). At that rate, a 10-year-old module would keep about 95% of its nameplate power (simple calculation). In practice modules differ widely: that is why we measure each one.

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Sources: NREL, Photovoltaic Degradation Rates · pv magazine, 2026-08-19 · pv magazine, 2026-03-31 · 2026-09-26

How are refurbished panels quoted and bought?

1. Tell us what you needTotal power or number of modules, use (grid-connected or off-grid), delivery region and timing.
2. We propose batchesAvailable batches of a single model, by grade and power band, with the test data sheet of every module.
3. Written quotePrice, warranty, lead time and shipping terms. Before the sale we state in writing that these are used or reconditioned products (Chile’s Consumer Protection Law, Law No. 19,496, art. 14).
4. ShippingUndamaged modules travel as general freight, in their packaging and with nothing stacked on top.
5. DeliveryYou receive every module with its label, the test report and the written warranty.

The price depends on measured power and grade, model and technology, quantity and delivery location. We do not publish a price list because it changes with every batch: the price is confirmed in the quote. Request your quote.

How to receive and store the modules

• Lift each module with two people, holding it by the short side and never by the junction box.
• Store the modules packed, in a dry, flat place, protected from rain and sun, with nothing stacked on top.
• A module produces voltage under any light. It only stops when covered with an opaque material: cover it before handling its cables.

Source: JinkoSolar, unpacking and storage instructions · JinkoSolar, installation manual · 2026-09-26

Do you have decommissioned panels? This is how we refurbish them

If your plant is repowering, you are replacing rooftop modules or you keep modules as spares, we refurbish them and return them tested. For whole-plant projects see solar plant repowering; if you would rather not keep the modules, see reuse of decommissioned panels.

1. Intake and registrationWe record brand, model, serial number, nameplate data and the reason for removal. Disused or damaged modules are handled as hazardous waste unless declassified: we coordinate pickup with licensed hazardous-waste transport.
2. Visual inspectionUnder at least 1,000 lux we check the glass, backsheet (rear sheet), frame, junction box, burn marks and delamination. A module with broken or cracked glass goes straight to recycling.
3. Electrical testingDry insulation test, bypass diode testing, an electroluminescence image and an I-V curve under a solar simulator, corrected to standard test conditions.
4. RepairWe replace the junction box, bypass diodes, connectors or cables, and the frame when needed. These are mature repairs (TRL 9, the highest technology readiness level) according to IEA-PVPS.
5. RetestEvery repaired module goes through the wet leakage test and the I-V curve again before it is graded.
6. Grading and labelWe assign grade P1, P2 or P3 and the 5 W power band, attach the measured-power label next to the original nameplate without covering it, and issue the report. Whatever does not qualify is recycled with a valorization certificate.

A 6-minute test per module, not counting repairs; 50–100 modules per day. This is laboratory capacity, not a committed lead time: the lead time for each batch is confirmed in the quote.

Pickup: according to Chile’s Ministry of Energy, a disused or damaged panel is handled as hazardous waste unless it is declassified under Supreme Decree (DS) 148. We coordinate pickup with licensed hazardous-waste transport, and the batch travels with the declaration document the waste generator issues in SIDREP, Chile’s national hazardous-waste declaration and tracking system (DS 148, art. 81). Undamaged panels that go back into service travel as general freight. The details are in collection and transport of batteries and panels.

Sources: Ministry of Energy, Roadmap 2026–2030 · DS 148/2003, Library of the National Congress of Chile · 2026-09-26

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Sources: IEA-PVPS T13-37:2026 · Stäubli, connector cross-mating · SEC, RGR No. 02/2024 · 2026-09-26

In modules repaired for a diode failure, power ended up between 93% and almost 100% of nameplate (IEA-PVPS T13-37:2026): that is why they are graded again after repair. Each repair is covered in detail under solar panel repair.

Which panels do we accept and which do we not?

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Sources: Ecobaterías test protocol (in-house criteria) · SEC, RGR No. 02/2024 (breaks or cracks) · IEC 61215-2:2021, preview (visual inspection) · 2026-09-26

Whatever does not enter this line follows the solar panel recycling route, with a valorization certificate for your Law 20,920 report.

What warranty and documents do you get?

Refurbished modules come with a 1-year seller’s warranty, issued in writing with the batch.

Before the sale we state in writing that these are used or reconditioned products, as required by Law 19,496 (art. 14). If you buy as a consumer, the 6-month legal warranty also applies (Law 19,496, art. 21, as amended by Law 21,398). In business-to-business sales the contract governs.

Sources: Law 19,496, Library of the National Congress of Chile · Law 21,398 · 2026-09-26

Regulatory framework

• Law 20,920: preparation for reuse (art. 3 No. 18) counts as valorization (art. 3 No. 30), just like recycling.
• Supreme Decree (DS) 22/2025: published on 2026-05-07, with collection and valorization targets enforceable from May 2028; for photovoltaic panels, 10% in the third year (2030) and 50% from the tenth (2037).
• Law 19,496: written notice of a used or reconditioned product (art. 14) and a 6-month legal warranty for consumers (art. 21).
• SEC: module authorization by brand and model (Exempt Resolution No. 32,427/2020), module requirements and the ban on breaks or cracks (RGR No. 02/2024), and off-grid installations (ITG RIC No. 9.1).
• DS 148/2003: according to the Ministry of Energy, a disused or damaged panel is handled as hazardous waste unless declassified.
• IEC 61215, IEC 61730, IEC TS 60904-13 and IEC 60891: reference standards for the test method, not certifications we hold.

Source: DS 22/2025, Official Gazette, 2026-05-07 · 2026-09-26

Frequently asked questions

Is it worth buying used solar panels?

It is worth it when you know how much power they deliver today. An untested used panel can have microcracks or insulation faults you cannot see. Ecobaterías sells refurbished panels with measured power, an electroluminescence image and an insulation test for every module, and with a 1-year seller’s warranty. To connect them to the grid, the model must be authorized by the SEC; we recommend checking with the SEC before connecting.

How much is a used solar panel worth?

It depends on the measured power and grade, the model, the quantity and the delivery location. Ecobaterías does not publish a price list because prices change with every batch: we quote by power and quantity, and the price is confirmed in the quote. We reply within 48 business hours.

How much power does a solar panel lose over the years?

According to NREL, the median degradation of photovoltaic modules is 0.5% per year, with wide differences between modules. In Brazil, 23-year-old polycrystalline modules kept 87–88% of their nameplate power. That is why Ecobaterías measures every module under a solar simulator and sells it by measured power, not nameplate power.

What warranty does a refurbished panel have?

Ecobaterías refurbished panels come with a 1-year seller’s warranty, issued in writing. Before the sale we state in writing that they are used or reconditioned products (Chile’s Consumer Protection Law No. 19,496, art. 14). If you buy as a consumer, the 6-month legal warranty also applies; in business-to-business sales the contract governs.

Where can I sell used solar panels?

If you have a batch removed from a plant or a rooftop, Ecobaterías tests it module by module and decides which modules are reused and which are recycled. See how it works in reuse of decommissioned solar panels. If you would rather keep the modules, we refurbish them and return them with a label and a report.

Can used panels be used as a roof or carport?

Yes, mounted on a carport, shed or pergola structure designed for their weight and for local wind: a current 2.28 × 1.13 m module weighs about 32 kg. A qualified professional must design the structure. If the modules are connected to an electrical installation, SEC requirements apply, off-grid systems included.

Can I connect used panels to the grid in Chile (SEC declaration)?

The SEC authorizes modules by brand and model, based on IEC 61215 and IEC 61730 certificates for the new product, and has no authorization route for used or refurbished modules. Every module we sell keeps its brand, model and nameplate. The installation declared to the SEC is defined by the licensed electrical installer; we recommend checking with the SEC before connecting to the grid.

What is a refurbished solar panel?

It is a used module that was tested, repaired if needed and retested before being sold with a declared grade. At Ecobaterías the grade comes from the power measured under a solar simulator: P1 (85% or more of nameplate), P2 (80–85%) or P3 (70–80%). The module keeps its original brand, model and nameplate.

More answers about batteries and panels in the FAQ.

Sources

Updated September 26, 2026 · Reviewed by the Ecobaterías technical team