As homeowners turn to renewable energy alternatives, many are looking for the perfect solar panel. Here’s a guide for what to look for and where to start.
The tech review site CNET recently compiled a list of this year’s best residential solar panels based on aspects like price, efficiency, warranty, and aesthetics. From Maxeon to Jinko Solar, Panasonic, and Qcells, here’s a closer look at some of the highest-rated solar panels and what makes each a shining option for your home.
What To Look for in a Solar Panel
Before you choose your perfect solar panel, it’s important to understand what typically needs to be factored into the decision. While the significance of each of these aspects will vary by preference, they’ll all largely impact the product you end up with.
Efficiency
Efficiency is a significant selling point of solar panels, as higher-efficiency models will generate more sunlight, requiring a smaller array to meet a home’s energy needs and resulting in maximized savings off a monthly energy bill. A solar panel’s efficiency is recorded as a percent out of 100, with the highest efficiency units on the market hovering around the 23% mark.
“If something is 20% efficient, that means that 20% of the energy in that sunlight reaching the solar panel gets turned into moving electrons,” Daniel Ciolkosz, professor of agricultural and biological engineering at Pennsylvania State University, told CNET.
While high efficiency is a crucial feature of a solar project, most solar panels lose efficiency over time, and a lower efficiency won’t make or break a home solar system like a shoddy installation or low solar irradiance may.
“It’s just one part of the equation,” said Ciolkosz. “The bigger question for the end user is the economics and how it’s paying off.” Many homeowners consider price and aesthetics before factoring in efficiency.
Price
While the average national cost of solar systems ranges between $2 to $4 per watt, the price of a solar array is subjective and will vary depending on the size and location of your project, the cost of installation, and the type of panel you choose.
When purchasing solar panels, it’s vital to consider how long it will take for your panels to pay for themselves with monthly energy bill savings, bearing in mind that homeowners can claim 30% of the project’s total costs on their federal tax returns and many states have their own incentives.
Warranty
Solar panels are built to last, and most providers offer product and performance warranties to ensure that the panels work as intended 20 to 25 years down the line. While as little as 0.05% of solar panels fail each year, a strong warranty is a solid indication of a good quality product, as it illustrates a manufacturer’s faith in its extended performance and lack of defects.
The industry standard for a warranty is at least 10 years, with the most reputable companies offering 25-year product and performance guarantees.
Aesthetics
While it’s easy to embrace the energy savings associated with a solar array, the aesthetics of solar panels have played a major role in their public perception. While aesthetics are highly subjective, many homeowners look for panels that will blend into their home’s facade, with most opting for monocrystalline models with black frames and black backsheets, characterized by their uniform appearance and black color.
Highest Rated Residential Models
Maxeon
With the Maxeon 7 boasting an efficiency of 24.1%, the company offers some of the most efficient panels on the market, with a product and performance warranty guaranteeing 88.3% output after 40 years. As an offshoot of SunPower, Maxeon panels are typified by a sleek all-black appearance that seamlessly blends into most roofs. Maxeon is among the more expensive solar panels, with systems exceeding $3 per watt but ensures outstanding quality.
Jinko Solar
Known as the ideal budget panel, Jinko Solar offers several modules with efficiencies of over 22%. Systems containing Jinko modules have an average price per watt of $2.60. The company provides a competitive product and performance warranty guaranteeing 83.1% output after 30 years. Jinko Solar’s products have been recognized for their aesthetic appeal, offering a variety of residential monocrystalline all-black units. Jinko Solar has taken a unique approach to industry sustainability, recently unveiling its Tiger Neo Green panels produced in factories certified zero carbon.
Panasonic
As a pioneer of the solar industry, Panasonic remains a top choice, offering modules up to 22.2% efficiency, with a high-rated product and performance warranty guaranteeing 92% output after 25 years. With its signature black series modules in various styles and voltages, the company has ideal options for every roof and preference. However, with per-watt prices ranging from $2.61 to $3.45 for systems containing Panasonic panels, these panels can be quite expensive depending on the project and location.
sQcell
Considering Qcells are the most widely installed solar panels in the United States, the company is clearly doing something right. While the efficiency of Qcells’ modules is on the lower end at around 21%, it shines with its prices, which can yield systems as low as $2.32 per watt. The firm offers a standard product and performance warranty, guaranteeing 86% output after 25 years. Qcells offers several all-black units, which are popular among consumers, including its best-selling Q Tron panels.
Deciding on Your Solar Panel
If you’re still pondering whether to transition to solar energy, the incentives have never been higher, and the options have never been stronger. With some of 2024’s highest-rated residential solar panels, you can’t go wrong with any of these decisions — your choice will ultimately come down to the type of product you prefer.
While these products each stack up similarly in terms of aesthetics, Maxeon clearly leads with its superb efficiency and warranty. If you’re on a budget but can’t sacrifice efficiency, Jinko Solar is the perfect option, but if budget is your end-all, Qcells certainly gets the job done, as shown by its leading installations.
Regardless of the panel you choose, each of these options has been vetted by CNET, along with the thousands of satisfied homeowners beaming from their electrical savings and energy independence.
