The Most Cost Effective Solar Panels 2023
Dazzled by choice? Budget feeling the heat? Here’s the solar panels highest rated for efficiency.
Best investment
Aiko Black Hole Series
With a 23.8% score from evaluators TÜV SÜD, Aiko Solar’s new ‘Black Hole’ leads the most cost-effective solar panels 2023. All-back contact (ABC) cells absorb light on both sides, providing up to 24% more power[1].
Aiko combines Chinese manufacturing with European engineering. Its Dutch ‘SolarLab’ replaced silver parts with copper, generating similar energy with enhanced sustainability. Subsidiary Solar-Grids will distribute Black Hole in the US.
The panel’s already won a Red Dot Design Award[2]. It comes with a cost, though – ask installers for details.
For smaller homes
SunPower Maxeon 6 450W
Maxeon was the world’s first 400 watt-plus panel. Its 22.8% efficiency rating topped charts for years. Founded by a Stamford professor in 1985, the company’s now controlled by French giant TotalEnergies[2].
It’s great for modest spaces, producing a third more energy than similar-sized 310 watt panels. The Maxeon looks slick too, making Architect’s Digest magazine’s list of most cost-effective solar panels 2023 for homes.
Highly dependable
Canadian Solar HiHero High Efficiency Heterojunction
HiHero HJT boasts 22.8% efficiency too. That’s not only how it glimmers. Manufacturer Canadian Solar commits to ecological values too. The panel’s built to last outdoors in variable weather. Its 25-year warranty including workmanship shines against rivals’ 12.
HiHero’s temperature coefficient of minus 0.26 means it generates more power in warmer weather. Always impressed by a competitive edge, wealth magazine Forbes declared HiHero its most cost-effective solar panel 2023.
In brief: Aiko’s Black Hole will draw in higher budgets. Cautious consumers may prefer Canadian Solar’s sturdy HiHero. Regular domestic buyers should opt for SunPower’s Maxeon.
[1]CES 2023 Innovation Award Product winner. Consumer Electronics Show (CES) Web site. https://www.ces.tech/innovation-awards/honorees/2023/best-of/j/jackery-lighttent-air.aspx. Accessed June 5, 2023.
[2] Reviewed. USA Today Web site. https://reviewed.usatoday.com/smarthome/best-right-now/best-solar-panels. Accessed June 5, 2023.
[3] Sarah Witman. (2021 July 8.) The Best Portable Solar Battery Charger. New York, NY. The New York Times, Electronics, Batteries and Charging. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-portable-solar-battery-pack/
