Best Solar Panels 2015: Roof Panels for Homes
How much you save by using solar panels depends on your local weather — they’re a better deal in sunny Denver than dreary Seattle — and how much electricity costs in your area. Our sister site, Top Ten Reviews, conducts in-depth reviews of solar panel technology. Here are their top three recommendations for this green technology.
#1 Kyocera KD315GX-LPB
The Kyocera KD315GX-LPB solar panel gets top marks for its high solar efficiency, which is the amount of energy converted from sunlight per unit of surface area in the panel. At 16 percent, this solar panel is not the most efficient on the market, but it ranks high. (Silicon-based solar cells like this one usually operate at an efficiency of 18 percent or lower, according to the University of Pennsylvania.) The Kyocera KD315GX-LPB panels are also durable and come with a complete five-year warranty. The company guarantees that the panels’ power output will remain at 80 percent of the minimum power promised by manufacturers for at least 20 years.