Choosing the Right Solar Panels for Your Home
RK Solar has over 10 years of experience installing rooftop solar panels in Sydney and in major parts of New South Wales. We would like to recommend solar panel brands that we strongly believe are the best in the market.
Quality solar systems require highly efficient and durable solar panels. The best solar panels are able to endure tough weather conditions (at least 25 years of hot Australian sun and heavy rain) and continue to perform. Solar panel manufacturers should also have a strong Australian presence and a local team who are ready to provide support to customers.
Based on our experience, we recommend these four solar panel brands:
TrinaSolar, LG Solar, Q-Cells and REC Solar.
From reliability, performance, durability and to quality support, these brands check all the boxes. As CEC approved solar installers, we have always had a positive experience with these solar panel brands and so have our customers in Sydney.
Solar Panel Brands We Recommend
What makes a quality solar panel?
In the following section, we highlight the top characteristics to look-out for when selecting a brand of solar panels for your home. The best solar panels have a very definite set of characteristics.
High performance
1. Low temperature coefficient range (This refers to the degree the solar panels performance degrades outside optimum temperature)
2. High conversion efficiency (The rate the solar panels convert solar energy into power)
3. Positive power tolerance (This refers to the relationship between the listed maximum watt output and what your solar panel is actually capable of. We recommend Panel Level Optimisation (PLO) or MPLE Module Level Power Electronics systems (MPLE) for this reason. Take advantage of this extra power with Enphase micro inverters and SolarEdge DC optimisers.)
4. Low annual performance degradation (This refers to the degree the solar panel performance falls after each year in operation. This should be less than 0.5%. )
5. High performance in low-light conditions (There are on average about 100 days a year without rain or cloud cover. The best solar panels perform pretty well across all sorts of weather.)
Long life
Solar panels that are durable and have low annual performance degradation, means you save more for longer. How is longevity of solar panels determined? Solar panels are tested in accelerated aging chambers to assess how their efficiency changes over time. Longevity and strength of efficiency varies massively amongst brands, from a 0.3% to 0.5% yearly reduction in the top qualitysolar panels, to 0.7% or more in lower quality solar panels. In real terms, this means at 20 years of operation, an LG or Q-Cells panel will be at 85% to 87% of its initial efficiency, while other panels would be at 80%. Lower output means less electricity.
Strong Warranties
Good value
The solar panels brands we recommend provide the best balance between performance and price. You may be able to find cheaper brands out there, but remember that “cheap solar panels” does not equate to quality solar panels.
CEC certification
Ensure that your solar panel manufacturer and modules are CEC approved. The Clean Energy Council has an extensive list of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules that are approved for installation under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES). These modules have sufficient evidence that they meet the safety standards to be used within Australia.
Why deos this matter? It is because your solar system cannot be eligible for STCs without the solar panels:
a) being on the list
b) your panels having verified serial numbers.
Each solar panels in your installation is validated through the Solar Panel Validation scheme.
Want to get the perfect solar system for your home? Talk to us and find out which system is right for you.
Contact Us
Head Office
Unit 21/6 Gladstone Rd, Castle Hill NSW 2154
Victoria Office
34 Chartwell Drive, Wantirna Victoria 3152
Phone Inquiry
1800 338 809
Email Us
info@rksolar.net
Contact Us
Head Office
Unit 21/6 Gladstone Rd, Castle Hill NSW 2154
Victoria Office
34 Chartwell Drive, Wantirna Victoria 3152
Phone Inquiry
1800 338 809
Email Us
info@rksolar.net