THE COST AND RATINGS OF SOLAR ELECTRIC PANELS


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HOW MUCH DO SOLAR MODULES COST



Photovoltaic panels (also called modules) account for about 50-60% of the total cost of an installed home solar electric system.

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A typical PV module for residential applications is rated between 50 and 300 watts (peak) and measures about 5.5 feet by 3 feet. Its price is often stated in terms of dollars per watt. Most manufacturers of solar panels sell them to wholesalers or distributors, who then sell to retailers or dealers. Currently, the average retail costs of PV panels in US is about $4.2/watt before any financial incentives or tax credits. However, you may find panels for sale under $2/W. The problem is that various federal, and utility incentives are offered for the complete systems rather than panels. In many cases to take an advantage of the incentives you need to install an approved system and use a certified installer. The modules usually come with 20-25 years of so-called power output warranty that guarantees 80% of the minimal rated power during this period of time.


RATINGS AND REVIEW OF SOLAR PANELS



The table below compares characteristics and retail online prices (when available) of some PV modules from various manufacturers. The prices in this table represent spot prices at the time this review was made and are usually given in pallet quantity (in bulk). Pallet quantity varies by manufacturer and may range from 2 to 60, which makes the comparison difficult. Consumers sometimes are asking about the price per square foot. This is not a very useful criterion since the models with low efficiency may cost less per square foot, but you would need to install more of them to get the desired wattage.

MODEL MANUFAC- TURER PEAK
POWER
(watts)
Voc Isc Vmp Imp Size
mm
WATT per square meter WHT
lbs
Eff. TECHNOLOGY PRICE PER panel in pallet PRICE
PER
WATT in min qty
315 Sunpower SPR-315E- WHT-D 64.6 6.14 54.7 5.76 1559 x1046 193 41 19.3 Monocrystalline - -
HIT Power 215N Sanyo 215 51.6 5.61 42.0 5.13 1580 x798 170 35.3 17.1% Hybrid Amorphous/ Monocrystalline $998

$4.64
34 pcs
YL 280 P-35b Yingli Solar 280 44.6 8.04 35.3 7.65 1970 x990 143.6 57.3 14.4% Poly-crystalline Si - -
GEPVp-205-M GE Energy 205 33 8.2 27.2 7.6 1485 x981 140 39 - Poly-crystalline Si - -
BP SX3190 BP Solar 190 30.7 8.6 24.4 7.96 1680 x837 135 34 - Silicon nitride multi-crystalline $460.97
$2.43
60 pcs
Sharp NT-175UC1 Sharp 175 44.4 5.4 35.4 4.95 1575 x826 134 35.3 - - $556.5 $3.18
REC220AE REC Solar 220 36.3 8.3 28.4 7.8 1665 x991 133.3 48.5 13.3% Multi-crystalline Si $533.97
$2.43
30 pcs
PV-UD180MF5 Mitsubishi 180 30.4 8.03 24.2 7.45 1658 x834 130 37 13.0% Poly-crystalline Si $538.20 $2.99
ES-A-205 Evergreen Solar 205 23.1 12.2 18.7 11.23 1651 x952 104 41 13.1% Poly-crystalline Si $553
$2.70
2 pcs
FS-277 First Solar 75 90.5 1.22 69.9 1.11 1200 x600 75 26.45 - Thin film CdS/CdT - -
EPV-54 EPV Solar 54 60 1.49 45.4 1.19 1321 x711 57.5 32 - Thin film a-Si $106.80 $1.98
36 pcs
Notes: In this table: Voc- open circuit voltage, Isc- short circuit current, Vmp and Imp- voltage and current at maximum power point. For explanation of these and other characteristics of PV modules see our Guide to PV Panels for Homes.

References and additional information:
Solar Panels: the database of models and manufacturers;
The Installed Cost of Photovoltaics in the U.S. from 1998-2008
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©2009 Lazar Rozenblat