Solar panels are built to work in all climates, but in some cases, rooftops may not be suitable for solar systems due to age or tree cover. If there are trees near your home that create excessive shade on your roof, rooftop panels may not be the most ideal option. The size, shape, and slope of your roof are also important factors to consider. Typically, solar panels perform best on south-facing roofs with a slope between 15 and 40 degrees, though other roofs may be suitable too. You should also consider the age of your roof and how long until it will need replacement.
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If a solar professional determines that your roof is not suitable for solar, or you don&#;t own your home, you can still benefit from solar energy. Community solar allows multiple people to benefit from a single, shared solar array that can be installed on- or off-site. Costs associated with purchasing and installing a solar energy system are divided among all of the participants, who are able to buy into the shared system at a level that best fits their budget. Learn more about community solar.
Those interested in community solar can take advantage of a tool from SETO awardee EnergySage. The company's Community Solar Marketplace aggregates the many available options in one place and standardizes project information, allowing interested consumers to easily locate and compare multiple community solar projects in their area.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) developed a tool called PVWatts for this purpose. It estimates the energy production and cost of energy of grid-connected PV energy systems for any address in the world. It allows homeowners, small building owners, installers, and manufacturers to easily develop estimates of the performance of potential PV installations, and can even compare solar&#;s cost to utility bills. These tools are great for getting started, but make sure to work with a solar installer for a custom estimate of how much power your solar energy system is likely to generate.
For its analyses, NREL uses an average system size of 7.15 kilowatts direct-current with a 3-11 kilowatt range. According to SETO awardee EnergySage, that&#;s enough power to meet all the energy needs for an average home in Austin, Texas.
There are a number of mapping services that have been developed by SETO awardees that will help you determine if your roof is suitable for solar and can even provide you with quotes from pre-screened solar providers in your area. In addition to those resources, an internet search can help you find local companies that install solar panels. Because you will likely have many options to choose from, it&#;s important to thoroughly read reviews of solar companies to make sure you are selecting the best fit for you and your home.
Solar co-ops and Solarize campaigns can also help you start the process of going solar. These programs work by allowing groups of homeowners to work together to collectively negotiate rates, select an installer, and create additional community interest in solar through a limited-time offer to join the campaign. Ultimately, as the number of residents who participate in the program increase, the cost of the installations will decrease.
The best way to install solar is through a qualified professional who holds a certification to do so and works with high-quality solar panels. The industry-standard certification is awarded through the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP).
Most people going solar have a positive experience. But like other fast-growing industries, the rampant expansion of solar energy has opened the door to a small subset of bad actors.
Our Smart Shopping Tips for Solar outlines a few ways to identify red flags as you go solar:
On August 7, , the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a consumer advisory to help you identify potential consumer solar scams and file complaints about suspicious behavior. Before you sign any documentation with a solar company, carefully review these educational materials:
No one should feel they are being taken advantage of while pursuing clean energy. If you have lost money to a clean energy scam involving fraud, discrimination, or other unfair, deceptive, or abusive practices, federal and state agencies can help.
Net metering is an arrangement between solar energy system owners and utilities in which the system owners are compensated for any solar power generation that is exported to the electricity grid. The name derives from the s, when the electric meter simply ran backwards when power was being exported, but it is rarely that simple today. Whether or not your solar system qualifies for net metering payments depends on policies and practices in your state and electric utility. Your local electric utility would be a good place to source information on net metering in your service area. When researching net metering policies and practices in your service area, there are some basic questions to consider, such as availability in your service area, eligible system size and customer type, rates, and design of bill credits.
Storage refers to energy storage, most often in the form of batteries. Installing energy storage with a solar system can help utilize the power generated when it&#;s needed most, regardless of whether it&#;s sunny outside at the time. Storage allows you to save that energy and use it later in the day, like when you turn the heat on at night or run the dishwasher after dinner or even when the power goes out. Ask your solar installer if they offer battery storage options and learn more about storing solar energy.
The amount of money you can save with solar depends upon how much electricity you consume, the size of your solar energy system, if you choose to buy or lease your system, and how much power it is able to generate given the direction your roof faces and how much sunlight hits it. Your savings also depend on the electricity rates set by your utility and how much the utility will compensate you for the excess solar energy you send back to the grid. Check the National Utility Rate Database to see current electricity rates in your area.
In some cities around the country, solar is already cost competitive with the electricity sold by your local utility. The cost of going solar has dropped every year since , a trend researchers expect to continue. Not only are the prices of panels dropping, so are the costs associated with installation, such as permitting and inspection&#;also known as &#;soft costs.&#; All of SETO's funding programs are working toward improving the affordability of solar and making it easier for consumers to choose solar.
It should also be noted that energy efficiency upgrades complement solar energy economically. By using Energy Star appliances and other products in your home, you&#;ll need less solar energy to power your home.
Consumers have different financial options to select from when deciding to go solar. In general, a purchased solar system can be installed at a lower total cost than system installed using a solar loan, lease, or power purchase agreement (PPA).
If you prefer to buy your solar energy system, solar loans can lower the up-front costs of the system. In most cases, monthly loan payments are smaller than a typical energy bill, which will help you save money from the start. Solar loans function the same way as home improvement loans, and some jurisdictions will offer subsidized solar energy loans with below-market interest rates, making solar even more affordable. New homeowners can add solar as part of their mortgage with loans available through the Federal Housing Administration and Fannie Mae, which allow borrowers to include financing for home improvements in the home&#;s purchase price. Buying a solar energy system makes you eligible for the Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. In December , Congress passed an extension of the ITC, which provides a 26% tax credit for systems installed in -, and 22% for systems installed in . The tax credit expires starting in unless Congress renews it. Learn more about the ITC.
Solar leases and PPAs allow consumers to host solar energy systems that are owned by solar companies and purchase back the electricity generated. Consumers enter into agreements that allow them to have lower electricity bills without monthly loan payments. In many cases, that means putting no money down to go solar. Solar leases entail fixed monthly payments that are calculated using the estimated amount of electricity the system will produce. With a solar PPA, consumers agree to purchase the power generated by the system at a set price per kilowatt-hour of electricity produced. With both of these options, though, you are not entitled to tax benefits since you don&#;t own the solar energy system.
Navigating the landscape of solar financing can be difficult. The Clean Energy States Alliance released a guide to help homeowners understand their options, explaining the advantages and disadvantages of each. Download the guide.
DOE created the Homeowner's Guide to the Federal Tax Credit for Solar Photovoltaics to provide an overview of the federal investment tax credit for those interested in residential solar photovoltaics, or PV. It does not constitute professional tax advice or other professional financial guidance. And it should not be used as the only source of information when making purchasing decisions, investment decisions, or tax decisions, or when executing other binding agreements.
DSIRE is the most comprehensive source of information on incentives and policies that support renewable energy in the United States. It is operated by the N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center at N.C. State University and was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. By entering your zip code, DSIRE provides you with a comprehensive list of financial incentives and regulatory policies that apply to your home. Additionally, an experienced local installer should be able to assist you in claiming any state and local incentives, as well as the ITC.
If you want to learn more about state and federal solar policies regarding incentives and tax breaks, the Solar Power in Your Community guidebook (PDF) has a section&#;Appendix A on page 87&#;that explains it in detail.
Buying a solar energy system will likely increase your home&#;s value. A recent study found that solar panels are viewed as upgrades, just like a renovated kitchen or a finished basement, and home buyers across the country have been willing to pay a premium of about $15,000 for a home with an average-sized solar array. Additionally, there is evidence homes with solar panels sell faster than those without. In , California homes with energy efficient features and PV were found to sell faster than homes that consume more energy. Keep in mind, these studies focused on homeowner-owned solar arrays.
When it comes to third-party owned (TPO) systems, data shows that while they add some complexity to the real estate transaction, the overall impacts in terms of sales price, time on market, agreement transfers, and customer satisfaction are mostly neutral. In some cases, TPO systems can even add value.
The PV Value® tool is helpful for both home sellers and homebuyers. It calculates the energy production value for a PV system and is compliant with Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice and has been endorsed by the Appraisal Institute for the income approach method. Make sure your appraiser uses this tool to get the most accurate estimate of your PV system&#;s value.
In most cases, yes, you can install solar panels on your home if it is governed by an HOA, though you will likely have to submit a request. Many states and territories have enacted solar access laws, which prevent HOAs from prohibiting or unreasonably restricting solar installations. Solar access laws vary by state, so if you&#;re planning to install solar and have an HOA, it&#;s important to know the laws that apply to you. Learn more about HOAs and solar energy.
Yes! Building-integrated photovoltaics, or BIPV, allows homeowners to alter the appearance of their solar panels so they match their surroundings. SETO has funded projects that commercialized technology enabling homeowners to add a graphical layer to their solar panels so they blend in with the roof. Learn more about BIPV.
There are two primary technologies that can harness the sun&#;s power and turn it into electricity. The first is the one you&#;re likely most familiar with &#; photovoltaics, or PV. These are the panels you&#;ve seen on rooftops or in fields. When the sun shines onto a solar panel, photons from the sunlight are absorbed by the cells in the panel, which creates an electric field across the layers and causes electricity to flow. Learn more about how PV works.
The second technology is concentrating solar power, or CSP. It is used primarily in very large power plants and is not appropriate for residential use. This technology uses mirrors to reflect and concentrate sunlight onto receivers that collect solar energy and convert it to heat, which can then be used to produce electricity. Learn more about how CSP works.
Absolutely! All solar panels meet international inspection and testing standards, and a qualified installer will install them to meet local building, fire, and electrical codes. Also, your solar energy system will undergo a thorough inspection from a certified electrician as part of the installation process.
A working PV panel has a strong encapsulant that prevents chemicals from leaching, similar to how defroster elements are sealed in a car windshield. Occasionally, a solar panel may break due to weather or other events. According to the International Energy Agency Photovoltaic Power Systems Technology Collaboration Program, any lead and cadmium exposure from broken solar panels in residential, commercial, and utility-scale systems would be below the acceptable limit set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for soil, air, and groundwater.
Using solar power instead of conventional forms of energy reduces the amount of carbon and other pollutants that are emitted into the environment. Reducing the amount of carbon in our atmosphere translates into less pollution and cleaner air and water.
Residential Consumer Guide to Solar Power &#; In an effort to make going solar as effortless and streamlined as possible, the Solar Energy Industries Association developed this guide to inform potential solar customers about the financing options available, contracting terms to be aware of, and other useful tips.
A Homeowner&#;s Guide to Solar Financing: Leases, Loans and PPAs &#; This guide from the Clean Energy States Alliance helps homeowners navigate the complex landscape of residential solar system financing. It describes three popular residential solar financing choices and explains the advantages and disadvantages of each, as well as how they compare to a direct cash purchase.
Solar PV Project Financing: Regulatory and Legislative Challenges for Third-Party PPA System Owners&#; Third-party owned solar arrays allow a developer to build and own a PV system on a customer&#;s property and sell the power back to the customer. While this can eliminate many of the up-front costs of going solar, third-party electricity sales face regulatory and legislative challenges in some states and jurisdictions. This report details the challenges and explains alternatives.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: Encouraging Solar Development through Community Association Policies and Processes &#; This guide, written for association boards of directors and architectural review committees, discusses the advantages of solar energy and examines the elements of state solar rights provisions designed to protect homeowner access to these benefits. It then presents a number of recommendations associations can use to help bring solar to their communities.
Selling into the Sun: Price Premium Analysis of a Multi-State Dataset of Solar Homes &#; This report from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory finds that home buyers are consistently willing to pay premiums of approximately $15,000 for homes that have solar across various states, housing and PV markets, and home types.
SEIA Residential Lease Disclosure Form &#; This form for solar energy leasing companies will help consumers better understand the terms and costs of their solar leases. The form is also designed to help consumers choose among competitive providers.
Residential Solar-Adopter Income and Demographic Trends &#; This report from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory finds that while solar adoption skews toward high-income households, low- and moderate-income households are also adopting, and that the rooftop solar market is becoming more equitable over time.
Learn more about the solar office's accomplishments.
One of the biggest barriers to getting solar panels is the high upfront cost. As of , the average cost of home solar installations is between $18,000 and $23,000.
Cutting corners can save you money, but you don't want to sacrifice quality when it comes to an investment like solar. We've compiled a list of reliable, low-cost solar panels that produce great results to provide the best of both worlds. Our top picks for cheap solar panels are:
Brand
Model
Average cost per watt
LONGi
Hi-MO5 LR8-48HPB
$2.40
Canadian Solar
HiKu 6 CS6R-400
$2.60
Qcells
Q.PEAK DUO ML-G10+
$2.63
JA Solar
JAM54S30/MR
$2.80
Trina Solar
TSM-DE09C.05
$2.80
Find out how much solar panels will cost for your specific homeOur experts reviewed solar panels from reliable brands to find which ones have the best value. Keep in mind, cheap doesn&#;t always mean good! There may be cheaper modules out there, but the quality would likely be low.
For more information, please visit what is a solar cell.
Why we chose them: LONGi solar panels are not only the cheapest solar panels on this list at $2.40 per watt, but they also hold their value. LONGi&#;s solar panels are built with PERC technology, which allows for high efficiency ratings.
These high-quality panels are backed by a 12-year product and 25-year performance warranty that guarantees its panels will retain at least 84.8% of their output by the end of the term.
There are other panels out there with better warranty coverage. However, LONGi panels still check off all the boxes for being a reliable brand at a great value. LONGi solar panels are the best option for cheap solar panels that still produce great results.
Why we chose them: Canadian Solar is a highly admired brand by SolarReviews. As one of the top five solar manufacturers in the world, there&#;s a good chance the installer you work with will recommend these panels. This brand offers several high-efficiency models that come at a great value.
Most models from Canadian Solar have a standard 12-year product warranty and a 25-year performance warranty, with a degradation rate of 0.55% per year. Warranty coverage for this manufacturer falls within industry standards, but other brands are out there with better coverage.
Why we chose them: Qcells is an extremely reliable solar panel brand. With all that Qcells has to offer, it landed the #1 spot on our best solar panels of list.
Qcells warranty offers a 25-year product and 25-year performance warranty, promising the panels will operate at 86% of total output by the end of the warranty period, with a 0.5% degradation rate.
As for affordability, Qcells residential panels cost roughly $2.63 per watt, which is below the national average for solar panels. Qcells has a great reputation among installers and homeowners alike, so you can trust that you&#;re getting quality solar panels without breaking the bank.
Why we chose them: JA Solar is a Chinese manufacturer with several global offices, including one in San Jose, California. Like others on this list, JA panels offer half-cut cells and PERC technology to boost efficiency.
JA Solar&#;s warranty offers a 12-year product replacement warranty and a 30-year performance warrant, guaranteeing no less than 82.5% at the end of the 30-year period.
JA panels are also one of the pricier options on this list, costing an average of $2.80 per watt. Despite this, they still come in under the average cost of solar, and JA has proven to be a fan-favorite on the SolarReviews website, with no ratings under four stars!
Why we chose them: This China-based manufacturer is a well-established solar panel brand offering cutting-edge technology. Trina Solar provides a 25-year product and performance warranty. The performance warranty promises at least 84.8% output after the 25-year warranty period.
While we&#;d like to see Trina Solar get its ratings up and higher efficiency rates &#; the excellent warranty coverage makes up for it. This brand averages $2.80 per watt installed, which is below the national average of $3.03 per watt, so you&#;re still seeing a great value.
The table below outlines how much you can expect to pay for the average 6 kilowatt (kW) installation when using each of these brands.
Solar panel brand
Cost per watt
Installation cost (6 kW)*
LONGi
$2.40
$14,400
Canadian Solar
$2.60
$15,600
Qcells
$2.63
$15,780
JA Solar
$2.80
$16,800
Trina Solar
$2.80
$16,800
*before incentives
It&#;s important to note that everyone&#;s installation cost will vary. Factors such as location, how many solar panels you install, and what installation company you use will impact the total price.
Through incentives, rebates, and other unconventional methods &#; there&#;s a few ways you can save some money on a solar panel installation.
Right now, the best incentive for going solar is the 30% federal solar tax credit, which equals 30% of installation costs and reduces what you owe in federal income taxes by thousands of dollars.
The average solar installation costs around $20,000, meaning you&#;ll receive a tax credit of $6,000.
Different states, municipalities, or utility companies may offer incentives for going solar that can help reduce the solar installation cost. This can come as a tax credit, an upfront rebate, or a performance-based incentive.
Local incentives are also available to those who install battery storage with their solar installation, and low-income solar programs to help qualifying households go solar.
You can install solar panels yourself to cut installation costs by purchasing a DIY solar panel kit. Saving money is always a plus, but we do not recommend DIY installations for rooftop solar.
Installing solar panels yourself is risky for most homeowners unless you have experience with construction and electrical work.
Also, some utility companies may not even allow you to interconnect your solar system to the grid unless installed by a professional installer &#; meaning you&#;ll lose out on net metering or other available utility incentives.
Installing panels yourself also risks voiding the solar panel or roofing warranty. So, you&#;ll save a bit of money on installation but risk a poorly installed solar system that may not be covered under any warranties. Take our advice and hire a professional to avoid any headaches.
You can find cheap solar panels from private sellers online that can save you hundreds on materials. If you want to utilize solar technology, used solar panels can be a solid option for small-scale projects.
We do not recommend purchasing used solar panels on a rooftop home solar installation. Instead, consider looking into refurbished solar panels because they have been restored to an acceptable working condition. If you want the best results for residential solar, consult a professional who uses reliable solar panel brands (like the ones in this article!).
Net metering is the utility billing practice of recording the excess energy generated by a solar panel system and applying that excess energy on the customer&#;s bill as a credit towards energy drawn from the grid.
In other words, if your solar system generates more energy than your home consumes, you can sell that excess energy to your utility provider instead of letting it go to waste. In turn, you save additional money on your electricity bills through these credits.
Net metering policies differ depending on where you live and your utility. To learn more about the net metering benefits you can take advantage of, visit your local utility&#;s website.
Comparing solar quotes is a great way to educate yourself and help save money on your solar installation.
We recommend obtaining at least three solar quotes from local installers to compare the best price for your budget. Looking at fewer solar quotes could mean paying more for a service that another company could charge less for!
Use this solar calculator to compare solar panel quotes and save thousandsIf you cannot entirely pay for your solar system out of pocket, you have the option to finance your project through a solar loan, lease, or power-purchase agreement (PPA).
Solar loan: Loans are a great way to pay for a solar installation in monthly payments rather than in one lump sum, while also saving money on your electric bills. However, financing through a loan will make your solar installation more expensive with interest rates and dealer fees.
Solar lease/PPA: Through leases and PPAs, you can install solar panels for $0 down. The solar company owns your panels for a contracted period of time, meaning the company is entitled to any incentives and rebates. By choosing these options, your savings will be less than if you were to own the solar panels directly.
Our solar experts analyzed top solar brands to find the brands that offer the best price without sacrificing quality or reliability.
We looked at four scoring criteria: Value, Module quality, warranty, and company financial performance.
Value (15 points): We looked at the average wholesale selling price of the panels in container volumes landed in the United States. The lower the wholesale price, the higher they scored.
Module quality (10 points): We considered each module&#;s specifications, including efficiency, temperature coefficient, and bonus points if the modules were listed on the PVEL scorecard. The better each panel performs, the higher the score.
Warranty (5 points): We looked at the product and performance warranties to ensure the panels recommended come protected and built to last. Panels scored higher if they had a product warranty greater than 15 years. For performance, the lower the degradation rate, the higher the score.
Company financial performance (5 points): To be sure that the manufactures we recommend are also in good standing, we reviewed the financial performance of each company. Points were awarded for revenue, revenue growth, and a positive net profit margin. A bonus point was also given to publicly traded companies, and companies with financial statements available.Cheap solar panel FAQ
Cheap solar panels can be good quality, if you seek out the right brand. When it comes to performance and overall quality, there are plenty of solar panels out there that come at a lower price than the national average but still perform well.
If you plan on choosing a full-service installer for your solar system, you might find that sometimes the only difference between the &#;cheap&#; option and the &#;industry standard&#; option is only about a 5% to 10% price increase.
If you aren&#;t sure about solar panels for your specific home, put your information into our solar calculator to learn more about solar costs and savings to make an informed decision.
Curious about buying low-cost solar panels and beginning your solar journey? Here are some frequently asked questions you might want to know.