Solar panels are a great way to reduce your energy bills and your carbon footprint. They have become a popular investment, with nearly 12,000 solar panels installed in UK homes each month. A solar system produces clean electricity and could reduce your energy bills by up to £1,190 per year, helping to offset the initial cost of solar panels. Once your initial investment has been paid off, your solar panels will produce completely free electricity year-round. Thanks to their popularity, solar panels can also increase the value of your home.
What factors make the best solar panels?
The best solar panels are made from monocrystalline cells, which are produced from pure silicon and yield better efficiency than polycrystalline cells, which are usually cheaper. They should have a high-efficiency rating; the average on the market is around 20%, so anything over this is considered good. The solar panel’s power output should also have a high power wattage (above 420W) and its annual degradation needs to be low in order to retain a good level of optimal power throughout its 25-year lifespan. On top of this, solar panels that factor in technology designed to combat low-light conditions, shade and adverse weather are the best type of panels to ensure your system is working at maximum efficiency.
The best solar panels should:
- Reduce your bills
- Have an average payback period of seven years
- Have a warranty of at least 12 years
- Increase the value of your home
How did we write this article?
We’ve compared more than 90 solar panels from 13 best-in-class solar manufacturers. Each panel has been rated and compared on power outputs, efficiency ratings, degradation rates, warranties and price. We’ve also considered the manufacturer’s reputation and credibility, taking into account ethical and sustainable practices.
- 90 solar panels reviewed
- 300 customer reviews read
- 50 hours comparing products
- 13 manufacturers compared
What are the best solar panels in the UK right now?
While writing this guide, our researchers chose five different panels based on five unique use cases to allow you to choose a panel that matches your own circumstances, whether that be a partially shaded roof or low energy consumption. Here’s what we found:
- Best overall: Project Solar Evo Super Max 455W
- Best power output: JA Solar JAM72S30
- Best efficiency rating: SunPower Maxeon 6
- Most durable: Jinko Tiger Neo 420W
- Best for shaded homes: Suntech Ultra V Mini 405W
Best overall solar panels: Project Solar UK Evo Super Max 455W
Key stats
- Efficiency: 21.01%
- Power output: 455W
- Degradation: Not specified
- Price: On enquiry
- Warranty: Lifetime
- Weight: 21.8kg
Project Solar’s Evo Super Max 455 is its newest solar panel, offering its highest efficiency rating to date. The Evo Super Max 455 combines a high power output and efficiency with one of the best warranties on the market.
The monocrystalline panel is manufactured with Passivated Emitter and Rear Contact (PERC) cell technology. The additional passivation layer increases energy conversion efficiency and can deliver 6-12% more usable energy than conventional solar panels.
The Evo Super Max 455 is eco-friendly, being made with no fluorine and very low lead materials, making their manufacture and subsequent disposal safer for the environment. The smart-ready panel can easily be integrated into a smart solar system (smart systems use inverters and smart meters to monitor energy production with real-time data). The panel has an efficiency of 21.01% and retains optimum performance even in low-light conditions – ideal for cloudy days or the winter season.
The Evo Super Max 455 panel is well suited for all-sized homes and is effective in low-light conditions, which is why it’s our best overall solar panel.
Read our full Project Solar solar panels review.
Best power output: JA Solar JAM72S30 Mono PERC Half-Cell 555W
Key stats
- Efficiency: 21.5%
- Power output: 555W
- Degradation: 0.55% annual degradation over 25 years
- Price: £146.57
- Warranty: 12-year product warranty and 25-year power output warranty
- Weight: 27.3kg
JA Solar’s JAM72S30 solar panel has an output of 555W, which is one of the highest on the market and the highest output of our reviewed panels. The panel’s PERC cells and gapless ribbon technology offer a higher power output and a high panel efficiency. For those concerned with the appearance of solar panels, the JAM72S30’s gapless module has a sleek, streamlined appearance.
The panel’s half-cell technology creates less shading and has a lower resistance loss contributing to the panel’s high efficiency of 21.5%. This panel would be best suited for households with high energy consumption. Its high power output paired with an above-average panel efficiency should be able to generate enough power for a larger household.
The panel has a degradation of 0.55% per year over its 25-year lifespan, which is better than some panels that degrade 2% in their first year.
Read our full JA Solar solar panels review.
Best efficiency rating: SunPower Maxeon 6 AC 440W
Key stats
- Efficiency: Up to 22.8%
- Power output: 440W
- Degradation: 98% warrantied output for one year, then a minimum of 0.25% degradation annually after that
- Price: On enquiry
- Warranty: 25 years standard product and power warranty, 40 years with registration
- Weight: 21.8kg
SunPower’s Maxeon 6 AC has an outstanding panel efficiency of up to 22.8%, making it one of the most efficient panels on the market to date. The panel is designed to enhance power output even in low-light and adverse weather conditions.
Its crack-resistant cells and reinforced connections protect the panel against corrosion, increasing its reliability and longevity. The Maxeon 6 AC panels have the ability to work independently – unlike conventional solar systems, which are interconnected and only perform as well as the weakest panel in the chain – with each panel’s microinverter reducing the impact of shade. This improves the overall system power by up to 50% over conventional arrays, which is achieved using less surface area to generate the same energy output.
The panel degrades at just 0.25% annually over its 25-year lifespan; this is a lot less than most other panels. The Maxeon 6 AC would be well-suited for a house with limited roof space. Thanks to its high power output and efficiency, you could install fewer panels and still meet your energy consumption needs.
Most durable solar panel: Jinko Tiger Neo 420W N-Type 54 Cell
Key stats
- Efficiency: 21.51%
- Power output: 420W
- Degradation: 0.40% annual degradation over 30 years
- Price: £260.17
- Warranty: 25-year product warranty and 30-year linear power warranty
- Weight: 22kg
Jinko Solar’s Tiger Neo 420W panel delivers high performance and reliability. The N-Type module has been designed with Jinko’s proprietary Hot 2.0 technology, which makes them more reliable and less susceptible to damage from high heat.
The Tiger Neo 420W N-Type 54 Cell is ideal for homes that might endure adverse weather conditions. The panel’s enhanced mechanical load means it can withstand high wind (2,400 pascals) and heavy snow (5,400 pascals).
The panels have Super Multi BusBar (SMBB) technology that increases reliability and boosts efficiency up to 21.51%. SMBB is designed to improve light trapping and current collection, which plays an important role in the panel’s high power output of 420W.
Jinko Solar’s panel comes with a generous 25-year product warranty and 30-year linear power warranty, which is better than the market average of 12 years. It also has a relatively low degradation of just 0.40% annually, meaning at the end of its lifespan it will still retain 87.4% of its peak efficiency.
Read our full Jinko Solar solar panels review.
Best for shaded homes: Suntech Ultra V Mini 405Wp
Key stats
- Efficiency: 20.7%
- Power output: 405W
- Degradation: 2% in the first year, then 0.55% annually
- Price: From £170
- Warranty: 12-year product warranty and 25-year linear power warranty
- Weight: 21kg
The Suntech Ultra V Mini 405Wp is specifically designed to work in low-light conditions. The modules are made up of up to 182mm of silicon wafers optimised to increase power generation. The cell layout of the Suntech Ultra Mini reduces the internal resistance of the solar cell – resulting in a higher power output. The module also has a smaller distance between the cell connectors, which reduces the loss of solar energy through micro-cracks and increases the panel’s reliability.
The Ultra V Mini 405Wp has excellent weak light performance and would suit homes that suffer from high shade or have minimal daylight hours. They also work well in cloudy or hazy conditions and operate at lower temperatures, meaning they can withstand heavy wind and snow loads.
The Suntech Ultra V Mini matches the market average with its 12-year product warranty, but its degradation is on the higher side. In the first year, the panel degrades by 2%, then 0.55% annually, which is the fastest degrading panel of those reviewed in this article.
The best solar panels in the UK compared
Throughout our research, we compared solar panels for efficiency, power output, degradation, price and warranties.
| Solar panel | Maximum efficiency | Power output | Degradation | Price | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project Solar UK Evo Super Max 455W | 21.01% | 455W | Not specified | POA | Lifetime |
| JA Solar JAM72S30 Mono PERC Half-Cell 555W | 21.5% | 555W | 0.55% annually | £146.57 | 12-year product warranty and 25-year power output warranty |
| SunPower Maxeon 6 AC | 22.8% | 440W | 2% in first year, then 0.25%annually | POA | 25 years standard product and performance, 40 years with registration |
| Jinko Tiger Neo 420W N-Type 54 Cell | 21.51% | 420W | 0.40% annually | £260.17 | 25-year product warranty and 30-year linear power warranty |
| Suntech Ultra V Mini 405Wp | 20.7% | 405W | 2% in first year, then 0.55% annually | £170 | 12-year product warranty and 25-year linear power warranty |
What makes the best solar panel?
With solar panels, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all scenario, but there are certain factors that define the best solar panels. The best solar panels for your home will depend on your house size, energy consumption and location of your house.
Most modern solar panels come integrated with technology that is designed to combat low-light conditions as well as high shade. This is especially useful if you live in areas such as Scotland that suffer from low-light conditions year-round. Some homes may also find they are partially shaded by trees or surrounding buildings, so should consider solar panels designed specifically for low-light conditions.
Panels with a high power output are beneficial for most homes, but particularly useful if you are planning to install a solar battery and not rely on National Grid energy. The higher your panel’s power output, the more solar energy you’ll be able to generate per panel. If you’re looking to earn money back through Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) payments, installing solar panels with a high power output can help you maximise how much energy you can export.
Choosing the right solar panels for your home should not be a quick decision, and it’s best to shop around. Comparing solar installers and manufacturers for quotes, value for money, panel efficiency and product warranties is a great place to start. In order to make sure you install the correct solar array for your home, you should have worked out your energy consumption prior to choosing; this way you can be sure your system will be powerful enough to power your home. You may also want to consider installing a solar battery if you would like to rely solely on solar energy – installing a storage battery at the same time as your solar system will save on labour costs.
Power output
Your solar panel’s output is how much energy you can expect your panel to generate. Typically, when you look at a solar panel’s datasheet, it will show you the maximum power point (pmax) – the maximum power output the panel can reach in unshaded, sunny conditions.
The higher your panel’s power output, the better. Panels with a high power output will enable your solar array to generate more solar energy. Most panel manufacturers will share both the Standard Test Conditions (STC) and the Nominal Operating Cell Temperature (NOCT) in their datasheets. The NOCT reflects a more realistic representation of what the solar panel’s output will be in real life, taking into account temperature fluctuation, time of day and weather conditions.
Efficiency
All solar panels are given efficiency ratings. A solar panel’s efficiency is a measurement of the panel’s ability to convert sunlight into usable energy. Most solar panels have an efficiency of between 18 and 20% – with the latter being the average. If a panel has 20% efficiency, this means that of the sunlight that shines onto the panel, it can convert 20% into solar energy. Generally speaking, any solar panel with over 20% efficiency is good – some of the newer panels on the market now come with 22% or higher efficiency.
Efficiency alone doesn’t determine how much solar energy the panel will generate. Your roof’s pitch also plays an important role here, and so does the location of your house and the size of your system. Ideally, your solar array should have maximum exposure to sunlight, otherwise you might want to consider ones that work well in low light and shaded conditions to mitigate this.
Warranties and degradation
Solar panels have an average lifespan of 25 to 30 years – but can last for much longer. Regardless of the manufacturer, all solar panels naturally degrade over time, and this decreases the panel’s efficiency too.
Solar manufacturers will usually disclose the degradation of the solar panel. Usually, a panel degrades the most in its first year. Some solar panels may degrade up to 2% in the first year, though this is the higher end of the spectrum. The best solar panels will degrade around 0.55% annually, meaning they will retain more than 80% of their nominal power when they reach the end of their average lifespan.
Since solar panels have an average lifespan of 25 years, it makes sense that their warranties cover this too. However, the average warranty tends to sit at around 12 years. The best warranties will cover 25 years of product and performance warranty – the best on the market is Project Solar’s lifetime guarantee.
Credentials and sustainability
Brand credibility and customer service are things to consider when investing in solar panels. Ideally, your solar installer has good customer reviews from websites such as Trustpilot, good ethics and manufactures in a sustainable way. Panels that are thoughtfully manufactured will generally use low/no lead or fluorine in production, as this makes them less toxic to the environment. Solar panels should include certifications from industry bodies such as TrustMark and the Solar Trade Association (STA).
In order for you to receive SEG payments and export solar energy back to the National Grid, your panels must be installed by a Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) installer. It’s also important that you’re able to connect your panels to a smart meter and solar monitoring app – your installer should be able to help with this. Your meter will shed light on how much solar energy your panels are generating and how much grid energy you’re using.
Why choose the best solar panels?
Finding the best solar panels should focus on your home’s individual circumstances. You’ll need to know how much electricity you’d like your solar array to generate versus your current energy consumption. It’s important to also take into account your home’s location, roof pitch and angle. The angle of your roof will contribute to how much solar energy your panels generate – the ideal roof pitch for solar is between 30 and 35 degrees, with a due south-facing roof.
Considering the environment around your home, such as trees that may produce shade and if you live somewhere that faces adverse weather conditions, might mean you choose panels that are designed to mitigate those circumstances. If you want to export solar energy back to the National Grid, you should factor this into your decision, and you might want to consider installing solar battery storage to maximise your SEG earning potential.
Frequently asked questions about the best solar panels
Solar panels work by absorbing sunlight through photovoltaic cells generating direct current (DC) electricity, then converting this into usable alternating current (AC). AC energy then flows through the home and can then be used to power appliances such as ovens and washing machines.
The time it takes for solar panels to pay back has significantly decreased in recent years. On average, it takes around seven years for your initial investment to pay back. The cost of solar is continuing to decrease thanks to more UK households installing solar panels. The lower the cost of your system, the fewer years it will take to pay back and for you to reap the full money-saving benefits.
How many solar panels you need to install will largely depend on your house size and energy consumption. The average three-bedroom house could install a 4kW solar array consisting of around 10 solar panels and generate enough solar energy to power the entire household.
Yes, solar panels are worth it in the UK. If you are concerned about adverse weather conditions or that your roof is too shaded, most newer solar panels are designed to work well in low-light conditions. Many of the leading solar manufacturers’ products can generate the same power output or more in low-light conditions, which is ideal for cloudy weather and the winter months.
Rachel Sadler is a seasoned journalist and content creator with a multi-year track record in both print and digital media.
Rachel is an expert in renewable energy, particularly solar panel solutions for UK households. She investigates the most effective solar panels for domestic use, emphasising cost savings and the potential for households to produce their own electricity. Her interests extend to home insulation, specifically the role of windows in enhancing energy efficiency, aesthetic appeal, and cost reduction. She delves into the best materials for durability, maintenance, and affordability, crafting informative guides and articles.
