At CNET, we've reviewed many of the best solar panels on the market. The brands Maxeon and REC currently top our list of the best ones. Both brands offer highly efficient solar panels and come with strong production guarantees over 25 years. Maxeon panels are available from SunPower and its subsidiaries, and REC panels are available from multiple major solar installation companies.
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If you're interested in going solar to reduce your energy bill, green up your electricity consumption or even go off-grid, you may not need the best solar panels. I've spent hours reading solar panel spec sheets and devising a scoring methodology that measures what matters most to solar customers (more on that below).
While there are differences among solar panels, experts have told me that finding the best installer is likely more important than getting the very best equipment. The best solar panels for you are the ones that fit your energy goals and budget.
Can solar panels save you money?
Interested in understanding the impact solar can have on your home? Enter some basic information below, and we’ll instantly provide a free estimate of your energy savings.
Given recent price volatility and inflation, some people are adopting solar panels to secure predictable energy prices for the next two decades and more. While solar panels cost a lot upfront, they can lock in energy savings for years.
Despite signs of a slowdown in some areas, namely California, solar panel installation is booming nationwide. A record number of solar panel systems were installed in the third quarter of 2023. Solar panel growth is expected to remain strong, thanks to 30% tax incentives for solar and other renewable energy technologies. On the other hand, with interest rates high, financing a solar installation is more expensive. Higher interest rates make leasing solar panels more attractive, though buying outright is likely to save you more money over time.
These trends and changes are occurring within the context of a warming planet, driven by the burning of fossil fuels. Climate scientists say we need to reduce warming emissions rapidly to avoid the worst effects of climate change, and sustainability is another common motivator for some homeowners to install solar.
9.7
SCORE
How we score solar panels, products, and services.Hands-on testing of solar equipment and companies is difficult. We examine technical specifications, talk with companies and consider customer reviews to find the best product available.
Read our methodology pageMaxeon panels have one of the longest track records in the residential solar market and some of the highest performance as well. While you likely don't need the best solar panels to meet your energy goals, if you get Maxeon panels, you're getting panels that lead or match the leader in most categories we evaluate.
Efficiency
10 / 10
Warranty
9 / 10
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10 / 10
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Product detailsMaxeon spun off as a business from SunPower in 2020, but its panels are still largely installed by SunPower and its subsidiary, Blue Raven. Maxeon also co-leads the field for solar panel efficiency (Its high mark for efficiency, at 22.8%, is a big part of the reason it scores highly overall.) Maxeon's panels range in size from 360 to 440 watts and have temperature coefficients of -0.29% or -0.34%, according to their published specifications. Many Maxeon panels have production warranties that guarantee 92% of their rated output after 25 years, another high mark for the industry.
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9.7
SCORE
How we score solar panels, products, and services.Hands-on testing of solar equipment and companies is difficult. We examine technical specifications, talk with companies and consider customer reviews to find the best product available.
Read our methodology pageREC panels are neck and neck with our other leading solar panel. While REC's most efficient panel doesn't quite match Maxeon's, it falls short by just .5%.
REC's lowest temperature coefficient beats Maxeon's, but by just .05%. Quibbling over these differences isn't worth it in most cases, and the best panel for you might be the one that's available, affordable and able to meet your needs.
Efficiency
10 / 10
Warranty
9 / 10
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10 / 10
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Product detailsSolar panels from REC have maximum efficiency ratings from 20.3% to 22.3% and a temperature coefficient of -0.34%, though one model, the REC Alpha Pure, checks in at -0.24%. After 25 years, REC guarantees its panels will be producing 86% or 92% of their rated power, depending on the model.
Even REC's panels that aren't all black are mostly black, offering the sleeker look some people appreciate. It ties SunPower Maxeon for our best overall solar panel.
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9.4
SCORE
How we score solar panels, products, and services.Hands-on testing of solar equipment and companies is difficult. We examine technical specifications, talk with companies and consider customer reviews to find the best product available.
Read our methodology pagePanasonic panels fall short of the two leaders in only the size category of our scoring methodology. It's one of the categories we weight the lowest, since it seems less likely to materially impact their performance. They go toe-to-toe in performance categories like efficiency and temperature coefficient and have really strong warranties. Besides the obligatory disclaimer that you (likely) don't need the best performing panels available, Panasonic models are at the top of the field.
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10 / 10
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9 / 10
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Product detailsPanasonic solar panels come in sizes up to 410 watts and have efficiency ratings up to 22.2%. All of Panasonic's solar panels come with a 25-year production warranty that says the panels won't fall below 92% of their rated capacity. That mark matches REC and SunPower, but beats every other panel we looked at. Panasonic panels have a temperature coefficient of -0.26%, although one model comes in at -0.34%. Panasonic does offer panels that come with an all-black look. Installers of Panasonic solar panels can be found around the US.
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9.2
SCORE
How we score solar panels, products, and services.Hands-on testing of solar equipment and companies is difficult. We examine technical specifications, talk with companies and consider customer reviews to find the best product available.
Read our methodology pageCanadian Solar makes one of the most efficient solar panels on the market. While its suite of panels doesn't quite match the leaders here in terms of performance and warranty, they're not much behind. If your installer offers Canadian Solar panels, you're getting quality panels.
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10 / 10
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8 / 10
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Product detailsCanadian Solar ties Maxeon for the most efficient solar panels out there. Its HiHero model has a maximum efficiency rating of 22.8%. We ranked Canadian Solar's high-performing panels just a bit below the two above, mostly because it guarantees slightly lower levels of production after 25 years in its production warranties -- about 85% to 89%. This is still pretty high for the industry. Canadian Solar's temperature coefficients top out at -0.26%.
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8.8
SCORE
How we score solar panels, products, and services.Hands-on testing of solar equipment and companies is difficult. We examine technical specifications, talk with companies and consider customer reviews to find the best product available.
Read our methodology pageZNShine looks like it might be the leading edge of longer solar warranties. While some manufacturers guarantee higher production from their panels at 25 years, most of those companies don't stretch the additional 5 years. If its the start of a trend, its one we welcome.
Efficiency
7 / 10
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10 / 10
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Product detailsSome of ZNShine's panels come with a 30-year production warranty, five years more than the industry standard. While some companies offer an option for 30 years, ZNShine and a few other companies are starting to make 30 years standard. Some of the company's models come with a warranty that guarantees 82.5% of their rated warranty after 30 years (that's about 85% after 25 years). ZNShine panels also have high efficiency ratings (most come in over 21%) and temperature coefficients clustered around -0.35%. It offers mostly black panels, but no all-black versions as of yet.
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7.6
SCORE
How we score solar panels, products, and services.Hands-on testing of solar equipment and companies is difficult. We examine technical specifications, talk with companies and consider customer reviews to find the best product available.
Read our methodology pageQcells panels dominate the residential solar market in the United States and offer strong performance at a decent price, as evidenced by SunPower turning to Qcells when it wanted to start offering more affordable installations. While Qcells panels perform well, their popularity is proof of the fact that you don't need the absolute highest performance from your panels to make solar work for you.
Efficiency
7 / 10
Warranty
8 / 10
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit China Half-Cell Solar Panel.
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Product detailsQcells panels are the most widely installed panels in residential solar arrays in the United States. Over 33% of all residential panels installed are manufactured by Qcells. Qcells' panels have efficiencies nearing 21% and temperature coefficients of -0.34%. They come with 25-year production warranties guaranteeing their performance won't fall below 86% of their rated capacity. SunPower recently started installing Qcells panels as a cheaper alternative to its premium Maxeon models. Qcells panels are also manufactured in Georgia, with more factories being built nearby.
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JA Solar: Solar panels from JA Solar max out at 21.5% efficiency and have warranties guaranteeing nearly 90% of their rated production after 25 years. (JA Solar's warranties are actually 30 years long, guaranteeing 87% at that time.) They also have a temperature coefficient of -0.35%
Jinko Solar: Jinko's solar panels have high efficiency ratings, with at least three in the group topping out over 22%. Their 25-year production warranty lags behind many of the others on this list; it's set at 83.1%. Jinko does make all-black solar panels. Jinko has an American factory in Jacksonville, Florida, which was raided by federal authorities in an apparent probe, about which few details are known.
Trina Solar: Trina's solar panels line are comparable to the other panels on this list, landing near the Qcells' specs. Trina efficiencies peak a bit higher, near 22%, and the panels come in slightly larger sizes. Trina panels come with a 25-year guarantee of nearly 85%. Some models are all black.
Longi Solar: Longi's solar panels have great efficiency ratings of 21.3% and 25-year production guarantee set at nearly 85%, right in line with industry standards. Their temperature coefficients are also in the normal range at -0.34%.
Talesun Solar: Solar panels from Talesun have peak efficiencies at 21% or slightly above. They are also guaranteed to operate at 84.8% of their rated production after 25 years, again a fairly standard number.
Silfab: Panels from Silfab have efficiency ratings between 20% and 21.5%. They're guaranteed to produce above 85% after 25 years, according to the warranty posted by Silfab. All the panels we looked at from Silfab had an all-black look. Silfab also manufactures panels in the US, with factories in northwest Washington.
In evaluating solar panels for this list, we looked at the residential offerings from solar panel manufacturers and judged them as a whole. In general, if one company has a model that stands out in one area, like efficiency, its entire suite of panels will be more efficient. While some Maxeon solar panels will have lower efficiency ratings than offerings from other companies, as a whole they'll be more efficient than others. The table below shows maximum values for the group of residential solar panels, not necessarily a specific model.
Company Max efficiency ratingTemperature coefficientLength of production warrantyGuaranteed production at 25 yearsAll-black model?Canadian Solar 22.80%-0.28%25 years88.85%YesHanwha Q Cells 20.90%-0.34%25 years86%YesJA Solar 21.50%-0.35%30 years (87%)89.60%NoJinko 22.27%-0.29%25 years83.10%YesLongi 21.30%-0.34%25 years84.80%NoMaxeon 22.80%-0.29%25 years92%YesPanasonic 22.20%-0.24%25 years92%YesREC 22.30%0%25 years92%YesSilfab 21.40%-0.36%25 years85.10%YesTalesun Solar 21.30%-0.35%25 years84.80%YesTrina 21.80%-0.34%25 years84.80%YesZNShine Solar 21.55%-0.35%30 years (82.5%)85.40%NoData accurate as of June 16, 2023.
If you're shopping for solar panels, you should look for the solar panels, batteries and installer that best fit your needs. Those might not be the panels that come out on top of our list or those of any other publications. We left price out of our scoring methodology because it's hard to find reliable numbers, but it's likely to be a consideration for you.
Experts have told CNET that you shouldn't get too starry-eyed about a solar panel's specifications, like efficiency. You should instead aim for a solar array that meets your energy needs in an affordable and reliable way.
"The bigger question for the end user is the economics and how it's paying off," Daniel Ciolkosz, professor of agricultural and biological engineering at Pennsylvania State University, told CNET in April. You'll want to find a solar installer you can trust, too, just like you would find a contractor for any home improvement project. A poor installation could be a bigger drain on electricity production than a slightly lower efficiency rating or slightly weaker 25-year production guarantee.
The cost of installing solar panels at home varies depending on your specific context. While national averages pin the cost somewhere between $3 and $4 per watt, your actual cost can be higher or lower depending on how many solar panels you need installed, local permitting costs, the price of labor in your area and more.
The estimates below don't arrive at the same answer. In general, smaller systems have a lower overall cost but have a higher cost per watt. Prices rose over the last year, but at a slower rate than inflation, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory said.
Factors that might increase the cost of your specific solar installation include the complexity of your roof and additional equipment you have installed, such as solar batteries or electric vehicle chargers. Factors that lower the cost of solar include the federal solar tax credit and incentives from your state.
The best way to get an accurate idea of solar costs in your area is to get multiple quotes from reputable solar companies. Just as important as the cost of going solar is the solar payback period, how long it will take for your solar panels to save as much money as they cost. You can roughly calculate your solar payback period with just your solar costs and estimated monthly savings.
The solar panels installed by solar companies are capable of meeting most energy goals. If you want to get into the nitty-gritty details of solar panels, here are some to start with.
Almost all residential solar panels are monocrystalline models (named for the silicon their solar cells are made from), according to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. They typically produce more electricity and offer a better return on investment than polycrystalline or thin-film solar panels, their less common counterparts.
Solar panel efficiency is simply the amount of energy in sunlight that a solar panel turns into electricity. That means a solar panel with a 20% efficiency is leaving 80% of the sun's energy on the table. But modern solar panels have been getting more so over the years. In 2007, only about 17% of solar panels were 19% or more efficient. In 2022, more than 97% exceeded that mark, according to the Berkeley Lab.
Efficiency also comes into play elsewhere in a solar panel system. Both solar inverters and batteries are rated for their efficiency as well.
Solar panels get less efficient as temperatures rise. Temperature coefficient measures the amount solar panel efficiency changes for every degree Celsius over 25 (77 degrees Fahrenheit). A temperature coefficient of -0.34% means the solar panel will lose that much production each degree Celsius the temp rises.
A solar panel's size is measured in watts. That means that, under ideal conditions over the course of an hour, a 400-watt solar panel will produce 400 watt-hours of electricity.
Conditions are rarely ideal in the real world, however. A passing cloud, a thin layer of dust on the panels, wildfire smoke -- anything that comes between a solar panel and the sun is going to eat away at its production. But the higher the wattage rating, the more power the panel will produce.
Even if you find a solar panel that makes your heart sing, it's probably smarter to focus on finding a reputable solar installer you trust. Solar panels are just one part of the system and, on the chance something goes wrong, you want to know you'll be getting quality service for many years to come.
The best thing you can do to set yourself up for solar shopping success is to get multiple quotes from reputable installers. Unless you're an expert in your local solar market, you won't be able to judge the quality of a proposal except comparisons against one another. Casting a wide net, along with educating yourself about your local solar policies and incentives, is your best defense against a dishonest salesperson. (This isn't to suggest that scammy solar sales tactics are widespread.) Even the best solar companies might not always be the best fit. If you have neighbors who have solar panels, ask about their experience with their installer.
Make sure you understand your energy usage, whether or not you have net metering available to you and the ins and outs of available incentives like the solar tax credit.
The Department of Energy recommends working with a solar installer licensed or certified by a reputable third party. The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners runs a database of installers it has certified. Ask installers about their company's certifications.
The solar panels on this list are some of the most widely installed solar panels in residential solar applications in the United States. If you're collecting and comparing quotes for a solar installation at home, you're likely to come across one of these brands. Luckily, we did the legwork for you and compiled specification data from the most popular solar panel brands to compare against each other.
If your preferred panel, or those you're quoted, aren't on this list, you can find their specs the same way I did. Most solar panel manufacturers make their products' specifications and warranties readily available online on their websites. It's just a matter of finding where on the website it's listed.
The five best solar panels listed at the top of this article came out on top after all the solar panels we looked at were put through our scoring methodology.
We scored the panels on their efficiency (25% of the final score), maximum wattage available (15%), temperature coefficient (15%), production warranty level (25%) and production warranty length (15%). The final 5% of the score comes from whether or not the company offers an all-black option, which has a more attractive look to some people.
Here's how the scoring breaks down.
Score component 5/54/53/52/51/5Efficiency >22%21-21.9%20-20.9%19-19.9%<19%Max. wattage 420W+410W400W390W380WTemp. coefficient 0 to -0.29%-0.3% to -0.34%-0.35% to -0.39%-0.4% to -0.44%-0.45% and belowProduction warranty level >90%85-89.9%80-84.9%75%-79.9%<75%Production warranty length 30 years25 yearsNANANAAll-black model YesNoWhat are the best residential solar panels?
Maxeon and REC solar panels came out on top of our rankings, but the best solar panel is the panel that best fits your needs. The solar panels on our list aren't interchangeable, but there are likely multiple acceptable options when it comes to meeting your energy needs.
What are the most efficient solar panels?
The most efficient residential solar panels available are made by Maxeon for SunPower and Canadian Solar. Both have models that are 22.8% efficient.
What is the highest-rated solar panel company?
CNET's highest-rated solar panels fall to SunPower Maxeon and REC. When it comes to solar panel installers, CNET's top spot goes to ADT Solar.
How long do solar panels last?
A typical solar panel warranty guarantees a certain level of production (typically around 85% to 92% of its original production) after 25 years. But solar panels often deteriorate at slower rates and should continue producing after that point. Some manufacturers are starting to extend their standard warranties to 30 years.
What's the best solar panel warranty?
Solar panel warranties typically guarantee a certain level of production after a number of years. For example, Maxeon solar panels are guaranteed to produce 92% after 25 years. If a Maxeon panel is rated to produce 400 watts under ideal conditions when it leaves the factory, it should produce at least 368 watts (400 watts x .92) under those same conditions after 25 years.
Measured by guaranteed production after 25 years, the best solar panel warranties come from Maxeon (SunPower), Panasonic and REC.
Some solar companies are starting to offer 30-year warranties (though they might have a lower 25-year guarantee than the companies above). Measured by length, the best warranties come from JA Solar and ZNShine Solar
What type of solar panel is best?
The best solar panel is the one that best fits your needs and budget, but monocrystalline solar panels are the most common type of solar panel on the market. Nearly all residential solar panels were monocrystalline models, according to a Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory report.
The name refers to the way the solar cells that make up the panel are constructed: From a single silicon crystal instead of several. The most efficient solar panels commercially available are monocrystalline solar panels, including every panel on this list.
How many solar panels do I need to power my house?
That depends on your energy usage, your home's energy efficiency, the amount of sun you get, the direction your roof faces and more. There's no one-size-fits-all answer.
With a bit of research and math, you can get an estimate of how many solar panels you need. You can use that rough idea when you're choosing a quote. A solar installer's knowledge of your local climate and energy policies may also be able to help you refine your estimate.
The most efficient residential solar panel is the Maxeon 7, which unseated older Maxeon and Canadian Solar panels. Maxeon has led the industry in solar panel efficiency for some time and its newest offering had its record-setting efficiency mark confirmed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Its 24.9% efficiency in the lab translates to about 24.1% in rooftop settings. There's one catch for American solar shoppers: It won't be available outside of Europe until later this year.
While nearly 25% is an eye-catching number, experts have told us that fixating on efficiency isn't always the way to go. You'll want to consider the whole output of a solar panel system and its total cost, not just the specs of an individual panel. And you may not want to wait for better or cheaper options, although solar tech keeps improving and installation costs are trending down. Still, if you have limited space -- such as a small roof or a lot of shading -- highly efficient panels could make sense. Here are those that perform the best.
Solar panels may all seem basically the same, but they're different in at least a few ways. One of those ways, efficiency rating, measures how much of the sun's energy a panel's solar cells turn into usable electricity. More efficient solar panels will generate more electricity than less efficient ones given the same amount of sunlight.
Can solar panels save you money?
Interested in understanding the impact solar can have on your home? Enter some basic information below, and we’ll instantly provide a free estimate of your energy savings.
"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.
Choosing the best solar panels for your home is a game of balancing solar panel cost, function (like efficiency) and perhaps even aesthetics. Your choice is also limited by what your chosen solar installer actually offers.
I've been writing about solar for CNET for the last two years, during which time I've read dozens of spec sheets and talked to numerous industry experts about what matters for home installations. While ranking panels by their efficiency rating is a relatively straightforward task, I've also created the scoring methodologies for and ranked the best solar companies and best solar panels for CNET.
This list ranks the most efficient solar panels as identified by our mid-April 2024 survey of the specifications solar companies have publicly available. We'll tell you which panels get top marks for turning sunlight into the most energy, and we'll explain how much solar panel efficiency actually matters.
Maxeon's newest residential panel is also its most efficient. It beats its nearest competitors by one full percentage point. It also has a temperature coefficient of -0.27%, which means it won't slow down as much as others as temperatures rise. Maxeon also extends one of the strongest production guarantees, saying that its panels will still produce at 92% capacity after 25 years.
See at SunPower Maxeon
Canadian Solar's 470-watt model of its HiKu6 panel is the largest panel by watts on this list. (As models of the same panel series get larger, they get more efficient.) The HiKu6's temperature coefficient of -0.29% and its 25-year guarantee of 89.4% of its production both come up just short of Maxeon's best marks.
See at Canadian Solar
Maxeon has sold its panels in the United States through SunPower and its subsidiary Blue Raven, though it could start selling through more installers after an exclusive relationship ended in March. The Maxeon 6's efficiency mark matches what used to be the top mark. Its temperature coefficient and production warranty match those of the Maxeon 7.
See at Maxeon
At -0.24%, REC's Alpha Pure panel has the best temperature coefficient. It will lose less production at higher temperatures than other panels. Larger versions of specific solar panels are more efficient than smaller ones, and this is one of the largest panels on our list. It's guaranteed to produce at 92% of its original capacity after 25 years.
See at REC Group
Qcells has been the most widely installed residential solar panel brand in the United States. This is their most efficient residential panel to date. It has a temperature coefficient of -0.3% and a 25-year production guarantee of 90.58%.
See at QcellsDetermining the highest solar panel efficiency is a pretty simple matter of tracking down manufacturer-provided data sheets and locating the efficiency numbers. Those numbers today are higher than in the not-too-distant past and keep creeping upward.
According to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Tracking the Sun report, 2021 was the first year more than half the residential solar panels installed in the US had efficiency ratings above 20%. Ten years ago only 0.6% of those installed reached that mark.
If you're looking for the most efficient solar panel for your roof, here's how the most widely used brands on the market stack up.
Data collected in April 2024.
It depends on the solar panel. The most efficient solar panel on our list tops 24%, meaning they convert more than 24% of the available energy from sunlight into usable electricity. Not all solar panels hit that figure, and the ones you buy might fall below it. Be sure to examine not just efficiency, but the whole expected output of your solar panel system for the price.
These are just the most efficient residential solar panels. Experimental technology and panels designed for commercial and utility-scale applications can be even more efficient.
The numbers listed above are obtained under controlled conditions in laboratory tests. In the real world, plenty of factors might cause you to receive less energy than a panel's efficiency rating would suggest.
Sunlight: If the skies are hazy or cloudy, less sunlight will reach your panels and they'll produce less electricity than expected.
Solar panel angle: Solar panels will work facing in most directions, but there's an optimal angle and placement for your panels that depends largely on where you live.
Other electrical components: Power doesn't flow straight from the panels into your toaster. Some will be lost along the way through the inverter and other electrical devices.
Temperature: Another factor affecting solar panels' efficiency is their temperature. As solar panels get hot, they start to produce less energy, though not at the same rate. A solar panel's temperature coefficient measures how much worse its production gets for every degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) it gets above 25C (77F).
Solar panels are installed at an angle to capture more of the sun's energy.
For example, at 26C (79F) a REC Alpha Pure would produce 0.24% less energy than at 25 degrees. At 29C (84F), it would lose just shy of 1% of its production.
There are three main types of solar panels, and each converts sunlight into power at a different rate. Here's a look at the three types:
All things being equal, it would make sense to choose a higher-efficiency solar panel over one with a lower rating. High-efficiency solar panels typically cost more than lower-rated ones, so making the best choice becomes a matter of balancing your financial goals with what your preferred installer offers and other considerations like brand and aesthetics.
"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."
Is there a case where efficiency might be a worthwhile consideration?
"If you have one of those tiny homes on HGTV," said Tom Beresnyak, a Pennsylvania State University extension educator.
If you're limited by available space for solar panels, you might want to squeeze out as much solar energy as possible from that space, although if your state allows it, a community solar subscription still might be a better choice financially, Beresnyak said.
No, but the panels listed here aren't the most efficient solar panels ever made -- just commercially available ones marketed for homes.
Research into solar cells (the energy-producing components that make up solar panels) has produced much higher efficiencies in the lab. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory tracks the highest efficiencies achieved in standardized lab conditions. The highest-ever solar cell efficiency was 47.6%, recorded in June 2022.
Because there's no one-size-fits-all solar solution, there's no one-size-fits-all advice for choosing a solar company. The best approach is to get quotes from multiple installers before deciding. Choose the company that has offered you the best fit for your needs, you trust to do the work and has answered all your questions.
You should understand your energy usage before going solar and decide whether your goals are to completely replace that energy, save as much money as possible or achieve something else. From there, it's a matter of measuring competing quotes against your goals.
The Department of Energy recommends that you choose an installer with credentials from a respected third party, like the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners, which operates an online directory of certified installers that you can filter by state and certification.
Installers should definitely assess your roof condition because removing panels at a later date to replace a roof will be an additional cost. They should also be able to transparently answer questions about the system's design and why they're making their specific proposal.
"The installer can make a huge difference because the angle and the mount [are important for] maximizing what you have at that location -- a skilled installer is still going to be the real key in your long term production," Beresnyak said.
Read more: See our picks for the best portable solar panels and solar generators.
The panels on this list were chosen because they're some of the most commonly installed panels and are likely to appear on quotes for solar installations. If you're quoted for panels that don't appear on this list, you can check their efficiency rating and other specifications in the same way I did. Here's how.
Solar panel manufacturers publish data sheets for solar panels, which detail their dimensions, performance metrics and internal chemistry. If your solar company doesn't provide you with them, you can access them by clicking on the company name in the table above. (Many of the links lead to PDFs.) From there, it's a simple matter of comparing statistics.
Most of the solar panels installed today are made of either monocrystalline or polycrystalline cells. Monocrystalline solar panels are more efficient than their polycrystalline counterparts, although they're a bit more expensive. They make up nearly 100% of residential panels installed today. All the solar panels listed above use monocrystalline cells.
A third type of solar panel, thin-film solar panels, are less efficient than mono- and polycrystalline panels.
At the moment, the most efficient solar panels available on the residential market are made by Maxeon. Other companies are catching up, and technology continues to improve.
In general, yes. While specific pricing information for solar panels isn't readily available, higher-performance panels are typically more expensive. SunPower, which installs the most efficient panels, also started installing Qcells panels (the most frequently installed panels) to offer a more affordable option.
That means the panel is converting 20% of the energy from the sunlight that hits it into electricity. Of residential solar panels currently available, 20% would rank favorably. The most efficient solar panels on the market are more than 22% efficient.
In the residential market, the most efficient solar panels come from Maxeon and are 24.1% efficient. Larger, utility-scale solar panels can be more efficient than residential panels and technology still in research phases has almost doubled that efficiency.
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