Best Residential Solar Panels

When it comes to solar panels, there are multiple options on the market, including different brands, models, or types. As a homeowner, it can be difficult to determine which solar panels are best for you and your home. 

Blue Raven Solar’s team of experts are dedicated to recommending the most efficient and suitable solar panels for your needs. For example, our experience has shown tier-1, black, monocrystalline panels consistently provide the best combination of cost-effectiveness and optimal energy generation for rooftop installations.

However, because every home is different, our experts work closely with you to assess your specific requirements and make sure your solar panel solution will maximize your energy savings and return on investment.

Here are some features to consider when you’re researching the best solar panels for your home.

What are the Different Types of Solar Panels Available?

There are three main types of solar panels typically installed throughout the industry: 

1. Monocrystalline
2. Polycrystalline
3. Thin Film

Each solar panel type has its own advantages and disadvantages, and some are naturally better suited for residential properties.

Monocrystalline Solar Panels

This type of solar panel is made from crystalline silicon. They are the most common solar panels installed on homes.They are space-efficient, meaning they can produce higher amounts of energy from a smaller surface area. These solar panels usually have a manufacturer’s warranty of 25-35 years but newer models can last 40 years or more, although they may lose some efficiency over time. 

Pros of Monocrystalline Solar Panels for Residential Homes:

• Energy efficient
• Take up less space
• Well-researched
• Lifespan of up to 40 years

Cons of Monocrystalline Solar Panels for Residential Homes:

• Expensive

Polycrystalline Solar Panels

These solar panels work similarly to monocrystalline panels, but they are larger and less expensive. They are made of multiple silicon crystals melted together, which gives them a blue-ish hue and decreases their efficiency. This type of solar panels are usually used for large solar installations like commercial locations or in solar farms as they need to cover a large surface area to produce energy. Polycrystalline panels usually work well for 25-35 years. 

Pros of Polycrystalline Solar Panels for Residential Homes:

• Less Expensive
• Lifespan of 25-35 years

Cons of Polycrystalline Solar Panels for Residential Homes:

• Less efficient
• Need a large surface area to produce enough energy
• Typically only used for commercial installations

Thin Film Solar Panels

Thin film solar panels work differently from monocrystalline and polycrystalline panels. They are made of one of several different light-absorbing materials—cadmium telluride, amorphous silicon, copper indium gallium selenide, and gallium arsenide—which are stacked into multi-layer configurations atop a substrate such as glass, metal, or plastic. Currently, this type of solar panels is the least energy efficient, but they have potential to become a great option as technology advances. Thin film panels have the shortest lifespan of any type of solar panel, usually lasting 10-20 years. 

Pros of Thin Film Solar Panels for Residential Homes:

• New technology with potential to evolve and improve

Cons of Thin Film Solar Panels for Residential Homes:

• Less efficient and durable than monocrystalline or polycrystalline solar panels
• Not always available in every area
• Most expensive
• Technology is still being refined
• Short lifespan

Of all these solar panel types, monocrystalline panels are the best option for residential solar panels due to their size, efficiency, and price.

What is the Best Solar Panel Brand?

If you have researched residential solar panels, you will know there are hundreds of brands, both stateside and internationally. The best brand for you and your home will depend on your budget, lifestyle, energy needs, brand availability within your area, and more. Consistently ranked top brands to consider include REC, Silfab Solar, SEG, QCells, and Jinko Solar. 

For an in-depth analysis of the best residential solar panels, Solar Review’s Top 10 List is a great place to start with the pros and cons of each brand along with customer reviews. 

It’s important to verify the solar panel installer you choose uses a high-quality solar panel brand so you can trust you’ll have solar panels with high efficiency, durability, a long lifespan, and a good warranty.

What is the Best Residential Solar Panel Size?

When considering solar panels for your home, you will find there are various sizes available to suit different energy needs and roof configurations. Most monocrystalline panels are 5.4 feet by 3.25 feet and weigh about 50 pounds. Depending on your roof and energy needs, solar companies can install as many or as few as needed. In the case of solar panels, size often refers to wattage. 

To determine the wattage (and therefore the size), it’s helpful to know solar panel names are followed by numbers, which indicate the wattage. For example, if the solar panel name is followed by 250, the panel would produce 250 watts of electricity per hour in perfect solar conditions. 

Monocrystalline solar panels typically range from producing 170 to 405 watts. 

• Systems with panels under 170 watts will require a larger number of solar panels to be installed on your roof and thus a larger roof.
• Systems with panels above 405 watts is generally more expensive and not as cost-effective for residential homeowners.

Recently, larger solar panel brands are trending toward larger wattage solar panels because it means homeowners will need fewer solar panels installed to offset their entire energy bill. At Blue Raven Solar, we offer a range of solar panel sizes including 315, 320, 325, 330, 335, 400, and 405-watt panels to provide homeowners with several options for the most energy output at the lowest cost available. Our team of solar experts will help you determine which type and size of solar panels are right for your customized system. 

Which Solar Panels are Most Efficient?

High efficiency is an important quality to consider in solar panels as it means more sunlight is converted into electricity. Unfortunately, solar panels do not perform at 100% efficiency. This is due to factors like weather, shade, and energy loss, which occurs because the sun does not always emit the same wavelengths of light and the semiconductors in solar panels can only absorb a certain range of photon wavelengths. 

Scientists theorize the highest possible solar panel efficiency would be 33.7%, a standard no brand has reached and would require perfect conditions. Most solar panels on the market range from 15% to 20% efficiency. While 20% efficiency may sound like a low number, converting 20% of the light absorbed into energy is typically high enough to reduce or nearly eliminate power bills (though you’ll still have a small utility grid connection fee). 

While high-efficiency panels are desirable, sometimes choosing a slightly less efficient rooftop solar panel can save you a considerable amount while still providing enough power for your home. At Blue Raven Solar, we provide our customers with high-quality monocrystalline solar panels with plenty of efficiency (18-20%) and wattage (315-405W).

What is the Best Solar Panel Warranty?

All solar panels are susceptible to wear and tear, physical defects, and installation errors. It’s wise to have a warranty when possible to help pay for maintenance and repairs. Most high-quality solar panel brands offer manufacturer warranties, and most large solar installers provide workmanship warranties. 

At Blue Raven Solar, we care about customer satisfaction and give all our customers solar panel, workmanship, and production warranties:

• 25-Year Product Warranty: All our solar panels come with a 25-year product warranty.
• 10-Year Workmanship Warranty: Each homeowner who partners with Blue Raven Solar will have a 10-year workmanship warranty. This allows our customers to receive free repairs on any installation or workmanship errors for the first decade with their solar system.
• Energy Production Guarantee: We build your solar system to produce a certain amount of solar power. If your system consistently underperforms, we cover the costs of adding panels or pay you for the shortfall.

We are on a mission to make solar accessible, affordable, and easy, which is why we do our best to separate ourselves from our competition and provide the best customer service in the industry.

What is the Best Solar Panel Overall?

Rather than recommending one type of solar panel for everyone, it’s important to find the best option suited to your home and needs. At Blue Raven Solar, we’ve considered size, efficiency, warranty, and price to find the best options for our customers. 

We currently install tier-1, black, monocrystalline panels with several different wattage sizes, performing at roughly 18-20% efficiency. These are some of the best solar panels available, and they’re our top choice as they can save you thousands of dollars on your energy bill over the lifespan of the solar panel system. 

If you have more questions about the best residential solar panels, please contact us! Request a free quote and our experts will help you determine if solar is right for you and start your rooftop solar installation.