Ranking the
Best Solar Panels Top PV Modules Compared

Inevitably, everyone looking to go solar asks the same question: What’s the best solar panel? And equally as inevitable, the answer is always: it depends. This is true to the point that if a contractor tells you he only sells one type of solar panel because it’s “the best,” you might want to consider finding a new contractor.

Every rooftop, every family’s energy use, and every aesthetic sensibility is different – so the best solar panels for your neighbor’s home may not be the best for yours.

50 Best Solar Panels Ranked

While it’s impossible to label one solar panel “the best” for every situation, we’ve evaluated panels from a variety of manufacturers to pick our favorites at various power levels. The chart is interactive, so you can sort by the factors that are most important to you.

Improving Upon the Best Solar Panels

It seems like every few months another PV manufacturer is announcing that it has raised the bar in solar panel or solar cell efficiency. In early 2016, SunPower said it has achieved a panel that converts 22.8 percent of the sunshine that reaches it into electricity. Then, just weeks later, Panasonic announced a solar panel efficiency record of 23.8 percent.

While manufacturers work hard for bragging rights to the best solar panel, the government too is working to further a renewable energy future. Learn about how the National Renewable Energy Laboratory is creating new technologies, testing new ideas and helping find the best solar panels to power your home:

Should You Wait to Buy Solar Panels?

With so many industry researchers working hard to create better, more efficient solar panels, you’re probably wondering if it makes sense to invest in current technology or wait for “the big solar tech breakthrough.” Are the best solar panels today still going to be the best tomorrow?

While a lot of attention is given to new efficiency records and reports of solar energy “approaching grid parity,” the truth is that those spotlight-grabbing headlines don’t reveal the less exciting part of the story. The fact is we are still working with the same PV technology that we have been for years.

Whether your solar panels are 22 percent efficient or 22.8 percent efficient, you’re likely still better off going solar now. Why? Every year you don’t use the power of the sun rather than electricity from the grid is a year you’re still paying the utility company for all your energy. While the costs of installing solar panels are dropping on every front, the longer you wait the more utility bill savings you’re missing out on.

Another thing to consider is the 30 percent federal incentive tax credit (ITC). That’s thousands of dollars coming back to you if you go solar now, but only until 2019. The ITC and many other rebates are being cut back or eliminated altogether as the solar industry grows stronger. Will the savings from another 0.02 percent of efficiency in your solar panels add up to getting $4,000 or $5,000 taken off your tax bill? Doubtful.

How Can You Take Advantage of the ITC?