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] Ngwe Zin, Andrew Blakers, Evan Franklin, Qiang Huang. Laser-Assisted Shunt Removal on High-Efficiency Silicon Solar Cells. (September 2012). Frankfurt Germany: Conference paper for 27th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258499238_Laser-Assisted_Shunt_Removal_on_High-Efficiency_Silicon_Solar_Cells
[2] Aiko Solar. (2023 May 16). Aiko Solar launches All Back Contact module in Europe. London UK: PV Tech/Photovoltaics International, Manufacturing. Retrieved from https://www.pv-tech.org/aiko-solar-launches-all-back-contact-module-in-europe/
[3] Laua Kolodny. (2011 June 15.) It’s Official! Oil And Gas Giant Total Now Owns $1.3 Billion Controlling Stake In SunPower. New York, NY. Tech Crunch, Climate. Retrieved from https://techcrunch.com/2011/06/15/total-sunpower-controlling-stake/
