Best Solar Panels of June 2023 - CNET

Best Solar Panels of June 2023 - CNET

Choosing the best solar panel can be difficult. CNET did the legwork for you. Here's how we ranked them and where to find them.

Solar panels from SunPower Maxeon and REC top CNET's list of best solar panels for 2023. They both scored highly for their top notch efficiencies, offering large residential panels and strong guarantees for their panels' production over a 25-year span. These panels are widely available and offer top-of-the-line performance, but if you're going solar, you can almost certainly meet your goals, even without buying the best panels on the market.

Against the backdrop of the price volatility of the last year or so, some people are adopting solar panels to lock in predictable energy prices for the next two decades and more. While solar panels cost a lot up front, they can lock in energy savings for years to come.

Solar panel installation is booming. In 2022 residential solar installations increased by 40% compared to 2021. This trend is likely to continue, thanks to recently increased tax incentives for solar and other renewable energy technologies.

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That's all 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 reason some homeowners are installing solar.

Maxeon 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 -.29% or -.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. If the look of solar panels is something you have strong feelings about, Maxeon does make some models that have the all-black look that some people find more pleasing.

Solar panels from REC have maximum efficiency ratings from 20.3% to 22.3% and a temperature coefficient of -.34%, though one model, the REC Alpha Pure, checks in at -.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.

REC panels are one of the options offered by Palmetto and other companies.

Panasonic 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. ( Solar panels do get less efficient over time, but it's generally not enough to be a problem.) That mark matches REC and SunPower, but beats every other panel we looked at.

Panasonic panels have a temperature coefficient of -.26%, although one model comes in at -.34%. Panasonic does offer panels that come with an all-black look. Installers of Panasonic solar panels can be found around the US.

Canadian 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 -.26%.

You can get all-black Canadian Solar panels from ADT Solar and others.

ZNShine panels scored high enough to squeeze into our top five, in part because some of its 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. Of those companies, ZNShine's panels come out on top.

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). While its efficiency trends down at a pretty standard rate, it'll be interesting to see if other companies start stretching their warranties to 30 years as well.

ZNShine panels also have high efficiency ratings (most come in over 21%) and temperature coefficients clustered around -.35%. It offers mostly black panels, but no all-black versions as of yet.

Qcells didn't score in the top six, but we're including it here because its 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 -.34%. They come with 25 -year production warranties guaranteeing their performance won't fall below 86% of their rated capacity.

It's another data point in favor of choosing the quote that works best for you and covers your needs, even if the panels don't have the absolute highest efficiency or highest guaranteed production. 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. Qcells panels are installed by ADT Solar, Momentum Solar, Palmetto Solar, SunPower, Tesla, Trinity Solar and more.

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 -.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 -.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 rating Temperature coefficient Length of production warranty Guaranteed production at 25 years All-black model? Canadian Solar 22.80% -0.28% 25 years 88.85% Yes Hanwha Q Cells 20.90% -0.34% 25 years 86% Yes JA Solar 21.50% -0.35% 30 years (87%) 89.60% No Jinko 22.27% -0.29% 25 years 83.10% Yes Longi 21.30% -0.34% 25 years 84.80% No Panasonic 22.20% -0.26% 25 years 92% Yes REC 22.30% -0.24% 25 years 92% Yes Silfab 21.40% -0.36% 25 years 85.10% Yes SunPower 22.80% -0.29% 25 years 92% Yes Talesun Solar 21.30% -0.35% 25 years 84.80% Yes Trina 21.80% -0.34% 25 years 84.80% Yes ZNShine Solar 21.55% -0.35% 30 years (82.5%) 85.40% No

Data accurate as of June 16, 2023.

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 5/5 4/5 3/5 2/5 1/5 Efficiency >22% 21-21.9% 20-20.9% 19-19.9% <19% Max. wattage 420w+ 410w 400w 390w 380w Temp. coefficient 0 to -.29% -.3% to -.34% -.35% to -.39% -.4% to -.44% -.45% and below Production warranty level >90% 85-89.9% 80-84.9% 75%-79.9% <75% Production warranty length 30 years 25 years NA All-black model Yes No

If you're shopping for solar panels and looking for the best fit for your energy needs, you should look for just that: 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 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. For most people, getting a solar array that meets their energy needs in an affordable and reliable way is top of mind.

"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 reduce the energy your panels produce far more than a couple of percentage points in efficiency or a slightly higher guaranteed performance after 25 years.

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 panel efficiencies have been on a steady rise for years. In 2007, nearly 95% of solar panels installed were less than 16% efficient. In 2021, the same proportion was over 19% efficient.

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 -.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.

But, conditions are rarely ideal in the real world. 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.

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.) 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.

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.

The most efficient residential solar panels available are made by Maxeon for SunPower and Canadian Solar. Both have models that are 22.8% efficient.