Cheap Solar Panels: Are They Worth It?

✔ Cheap solar panels are often only less efficient than premium ones

✔ They often degrade faster than premium solar panels

✔ Solar panels only make up 20% of the total cost of a residential solar PV system

It’s no secret that solar power is getting more and more affordable, with the cost of solar panels falling by over 82% since 2010, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

But the cheapest deal is not necessarily the best one when it comes to solar panels. If you choose to save money at the start, you may end up with some very expensive issues further down the line.

We’ll explain why the best solar panels are worth the extra cost in this article, and tell you which factors to consider when choosing a solar panel.

If you’re ready to start comparing solar panel quotes, just fill in this short form. We’ll pass your details onto professional solar panel installers, who will get back to you with their best prices.

Should you get cheap solar panels?

It’s best to avoid getting cheaper solar panels, if possible. Although you might be paying less in the short term, you’ll pay more in the long term by having to replace them sooner.

That's because cheap solar panels typically don't generate as much electricity as more expensive, better quality ones, so you might break even on them later.

They also lose efficiency quicker over time than high quality solar panels, and they're more likely to give you multiple maintenance issues during the time they spend on your roof. Basically, things made cheaply aren’t built to last.

Of course, you are unlikely to buy your solar panels directly through wholesale sellers – this option is usually for large-scale projects, such as solar farms. But we can give you an idea of how much you should be paying.

The price of a 3.5 kilowatt peak (kWp) solar PV system – suitable for the average three-bedroom house –should be around £7,860. This figure includes the cost of the inverter and installation. So if you’re paying significantly less than £7,860 for a 3.5 kWp system, something’s probably amiss.

But price isn't everything, and it's important to look at common quality indicators when assessing a solar panel.

Key quality indicators

The key quality indicators to focus on for solar panels are ‘efficiency’ and ‘linear output warranty,' (also referred to as ‘performance warranty').

Solar panel ‘efficiency’ refers to the percentage of sunlight that a panel can convert into electricity. The more efficient a solar panel, the better it will be at powering your home.

The best solar panels are at least 20% efficient, and can be up to 23% efficient, so aim for solar panels that are close to these levels of efficiency. Cheap solar panels, on the other hand, typically have an efficiency rating of 16% at best.

‘Linear output warranty’ refers to a solar panel’s minimum lifespan. The majority of solar panels come with a 25-year linear output warranty, which guarantees that the solar panel will be operating at a particular percentage of its original output after 25 years. The higher the percentage, the better the quality of the solar panel.

For context, a good quality solar panel should be guaranteed to operate at at least 85% of its original efficiency after 25 years. Top tier solar panels retain over 90% efficiency in that same time frame, whereas lower-end solar panels only retain 80%, at best, of their efficiency after 25 years.

Why should you buy premium solar panels?

You’re usually better off buying premium solar panels because they’ll last longer than cheap ones. They also don’t actually cost much more than cheaper options, relative to the total cost of installing a domestic solar system.

We’ll give you a detailed breakdown of the three key reasons you should be opting for the best solar panels on the market in the following sections.

1. Monocrystalline silicon

Silicon is the most commonly used material in solar panel production, and monocrystalline silicon is the best kind. Firstly, monocrystalline solar panels are much more efficient than their polycrystalline counterparts, which is hugely important. As we’ve already mentioned, efficiency is the factor of all factors when it comes to assessing the quality of a solar panel.

For example, a solar panel with 20% efficiency can do twice as much with the sunlight it receives as a solar panel with 10% efficiency. If you’ve got limited roof space or a lot of shade going on, high-efficiency solar panels are absolutely essential.

Generally speaking, polycrystalline solar panels achieve efficiencies of 13-16.5%, while monocrystalline solar panels can break into the dizzying heights of over 22%. The most impressive module on the market at the moment is AIKO's 72-cell N-Type ABC White Hole Series, with an efficiency of 24%.

To find out more, take a look at the most efficient solar panels.

2. Longer lifespan

Although most linear output warranties expire after 25 years, that doesn’t mean solar PV systems shouldn’t keep going beyond this point. Good solar panels should last as long as 30-40 years, while the lower quality alternatives don’t tend to make it so far.

Cheap solar panels are cheap for a reason; they don’t cost much to make. For example, budget manufacturers will tend to use a fairly basic type of glue, which can put their panels at risk of delamination. This is when the bond between the glass and the plastic of a solar panel starts to deteriorate, and the two layers slowly separate, making space for moisture to come in. Ultimately, this leads to corrosion and system failure.

Similarly, low-quality solar panels are also not very resistant to extremes of weather, so baking heat, heavy hail, and hard frosts are likely to cause micro-cracks on the surface of the panel. Every micro-crack is a blow to your solar PV system’s overall efficiency, and your dreams of a solar-powered home.

3. Sensible economics

Since the price of solar panels has fallen in the past 10 years, they have gradually shifted from being a significant chunk of the overall cost of a solar PV system, to a fairly small fraction. Although the associated costs of installation (e.g. labour, scaffolding, inverter, metre etc.) are also dropping, they aren’t coming down nearly as fast as the cost of solar panels.

In short, well over 50% of the price of a solar PV system is based on the large fixed cost of installation. In contrast, solar panels can sometimes account for no more than 20% of the overall cost, as reported by Arstechnica in 2018.

If you were to purchase 8 x 305W top-quality solar panels wholesale, it would set you back roughly £1,600. However, as we stated earlier, you wouldn’t be buying them wholesale unless you’re kickstarting a large-scale solar farm. You’d go to a professional installer such as E.On, who charges around £4,123 for an installation of 8 x 305W solar panels.

Given the current breakdown of solar costs, you can see that the type of solar panel you buy won’t make a huge difference to the overall price. You’ll be paying several thousand for installation, irrespective of what type of panel you buy. According to researchers at MIT, as well as various solar power companies, it makes economic sense to go for top-quality solar panels in order to get the most value out of the installation cost.

Next steps

So there you have it, everything you need to know about cheap solar panels.

Just remember, cheap doesn't necessarily mean you'll get the best deal, it's always best to look at efficiency and performance warranties first.

Now that you know all this, the next step is to find out how much it will cost you to install solar panels at home – and we can help. Simply pop your details here, and our qualified installers will be in touch.

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