The Best Solar Panels Have the Best Value

Solar Panel pic(*Calculator at bottom)

Want to know how to choose the best solar panels? It’s not too difficult: simply find out which ones give you the most electricity for the cheapest price. Let’s call this ‘solar value’. The lowest price per kwh can help you find the best solar panels.

Well, how do you figure out which panels give you the most electricity? Do I need to know which panels are the ‘most efficient’? Nope – actually you don’t. Efficiency is not the same as output. Efficiency is output per area. If you’re strictly looking for the solar panels with the best value, then you only need to care about the output. Let your installer worry about the area.

How to Calculate Solar Output Like the Pro’s

So, you’ve got a few quotes from solar installers and want to know which solar power system will give you more energy / output / electricity. Let me teach you how to calculate solar output like the pro’s. This way you can double-check their quotes to know you’re getting a good deal.

  1. Get your quotes ready
  2. Visit the CSI online calculator
  3. Plug in the data
  4. Calculate!

Step 1: Grab your solar quotes and look for the specific solar module name and how many solar modules will be installed. Make sure you know the exact panel. Circle the panels and how many. Ex. 20 x SunPower SPR-200-BLK-U.

Then find the exact solar inverter in the estimate. This might be SMA SunnyBoy, Xantrax, Fronius, or Enphase. Circle this too. Ex. SMA SB4000US (240V).

Solar panel quote example