The Best Solar Panels and how to Find Them

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Oftentimes, you may be looking for a good product to buy, but you’re having trouble figuring out if something being sold is a bargain or a rip off. After all, you want to get your money’s worth, but you don’t want to buy a faulty or inefficient product. Solar technologies and other devices used to help produce power are no exception; if it means getting a good cut on your utility bill, it’s definitely worth the investment into a solid product. Knowing which panels are the best solar panels is extremely helpful in getting the right panel onto your home at the lowest price and at the fastest installation time possible. How Solar Panels Work Solar panels are an arrangement of photovoltaic cells in series to absorb sunlight. Photovoltaic cells are cells with the ability to convert sunlight into electrical energy immediately for use or storage in a battery. A solar panel has a conversion rating based on chemical make-up, size, battery power, and number of cells. A solar panel does need a battery (and sometimes an inverter), and usually is recommended with a solar tracker, which points the panel in such a way that it exposes the most sunlight. No matter what solar panel you use, you want a good system, which is why it is recommended that you use a battery that stores a good amount of solar energy for the evening, as obviously you won’t get much energy absorbed throughout the night. What Solar Panels are Made Of Solar panels have been primarily made out of silicon, which normally rates at about 20% of available sunlight converted into energy. However, there is a rivaling design called CIGS, or copper, indium, gallium, and selenide. CIGS cells were developed by the U.S. Department of Energy in 2007, and are primarily focused into solar roof shingles, particularly in Dow Powerhouse’s new shingles, as they get the same conversion rating as 20% with thin-film panels. Thin-film is one of three types of solar panels sold, and, typically, the silicon thin-film panels (although lightweight and durable) did not have as high efficiency rating as the rest of the solar panel types. The other two types of solar panels are mono-crystalline and poly-crystalline. The two are a trade-off; mono-crystalline are higher grade and more efficient (and expensive) and last longer, while poly-crystalline is inexpensive but less efficient. What are the Best Solar Panels? When getting the best solar panels, the key is looking at the right manufacturers, the right installers, and the right types. As labeled above, your options including silicon in mono- and poly-crystalline, as well as silicon thin-film panels and shingles and CIGS cells products, which include Dow’s new solar shingle. These all combine the variations of durability, efficiency rating, price, and installation time into account. However, looking at the best panels, made by companies such as SunForce, InstaPark, SunPower, Kyocera, and Sharp, is a good idea, as these companies all win awards and honorable mentions for making some of the best panels out there. Make sure you look at installers as well; if you’re getting shingles, you can probably use a roofing company; however, it is highly recommended to get a company that specializes in solar installation with roofing experience. A good example of this type of company is Cazeault Solar, who has doubled in solar installation and roofing for decades on Cape Cod. The Best Solar Panels for Your Home As you can see, getting the best solar panels for your home is quite the process, and is not just limited to picking one product and installing it. You need to make sure you get the type of product you want in the right category as far as efficiency versus price and durability, and you need to make sure you get the right installation team. After all, it’s your home, and you want to make sure your solar panel is doing the job right. Having the best solar panels can help you easily cut costs and save energy. Get an Immediate Quote Today for Your Solar Roof Shingle or Solar Panel Installation from Cazeault Solar Get a solar panel quote today!