What are the best solar panels for your home?

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Solar technology has been in design for decades, and has been recently working its way into becoming more efficient and geared easier for the home. Solar panels have been used for bigger businesses and such for years, and now, solar has worked its way into helping out homeowners. The trick with getting a good solar panel for the home is being able to understand the trade-off in technology you need. Not only do you want an efficient and inexpensive panel, but you also want your panel to be easy to install, durable, and be able to produce power and store it through the night. So, what are the best solar panels for your home? And how do you know a good solar panel when you see one? Solar Panels and how they Work The basis of solar panels is the photovoltaic cell, the design that creates the usage of solar energy. A photovoltaic cell can absorb sunlight and convert it into electrical energy; combining a group of photovoltaic cells of different chemical make-ups and a decent amount of power from a battery or system yields you a solar module, which, in turn, makes panels, arrays, and shingles. Solar panels typically get about 20% sunlight-to-energy conversions rating, and usually use a battery or two, not only to power the panel, but to store up energy to use throughout the night or in other periods where there is less sunlight. How are Solar Panels Made? Solar panels are primarily made of silicon, but newer designs of solar shingles (a variation that is supposed to improve on solar panels) use CIGS cells, a combination of materials that was developed in 2007. There are three types of silicon panels: mono-crystalline, poly-crystalline, and thin-film. Mono and poly crystalline both are different types of more expensive panels that are respectively a tradeoff in efficiency and price and durable, while thin-film is far cheaper but also less efficient. Most thin-film cells rate at under 15% in silicon. However, thin-film (which is, as the name implies, far more lightweight and durable) combined with CIGS cells makes a solar roof shingle with the same efficiency level as silicon solar panels. Dow Powerhouse is currently marketing this new shingle. What are the Best Solar Panels for your Home? The trick to having a good solar panel in your home is knowing which panel is most suitable for which home. There are higher rated solar panels by various design companies that are good examples, but the size of your home is a big factor in which panel to get. Solar roof shingles are also a good option, as they compete with solar panels as an energy provider for the home. However, looking at companies such as SunPower, Westinghouse Solar, and Kyocera for their higher rated silicon panels is one of the best ways to find panels that will have the qualities you want. Lastly, make sure you find a good company to install your solar panel(s). Companies such as Cazeault Solar in eastern Massachusetts are a good example of solar installers that have heavy experience in roofing and get solar installed in your home fast and at a low cost. Solar Panels that are Best for the Home When you ask what are the best solar panels for your home, you’ll get quite a few different answers. Many will point you towards the more inexpensive product, or the more durable, or the more efficient. Being able to recognize that there are factors in solar panels and getting the trade-off that works for you is vital in getting the most bang for your buck. After all, your solar panel system is what you use to get energy into your home, and there is a process to installing it; you want to make sure you get the best product for you.