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We compared top solar brands to pick the best solar panels in the UK in 2024. We chose SunPower as the best for durability, Project Solar for customer satisfaction, and AIKO as the most efficient.
Our experts have researched a broad range of solar panels on the market to help you decide which option best suits your needs. While looking at different providers, we examined the cost of solar panels, as well as their efficiency, reliability and low-light performance. We also surveyed over 2,000 UK-based solar panel owners to find out how they felt about their choice of brand*; this guide only features solar brands who had a recommendation rate of 90 per cent or higher.
There are plenty of solar panels available on the market, but we determined which brands offered the best PV panels based on durability, performance, customer satisfaction and sustainability.
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| Panel | Overall FMB score (out of 10) | Durability score (out of 10) | Performance score (out of 10) | Customer satisfaction score (out of 10) | Sustainability score (out of 10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SunPower Maxeon 7DC 445W | 8.9 | 9.9 | 8.9 | 6.4 | 10.0 |
| Project Solar Evo Max Super Series 480W | 8.2 | 9.7 | 7.3 | 9.0 | 0.0 |
| AIKO ABC Neostar 3N54 495W | 7.4 | 7.0 | 9.9 | 6.0 | 0.0 |
| Perlight PLM-435 DH8N 450W | 7.4 | 8.4 | 7.8 | 6.8 | 0.0 |
| REC Alpha Pure RX Series 470W | 7.2 | 7.0 | 7.5 | 7.3 | 6.7 |
| Suntech Ultra V Pro Mini 515W | 7.2 | 6.9 | 8.3 | 6.8 | 3.3 |
| Jinko Solar Tiger Neo 72HL4-(V) 605W | 7.1 | 6.6 | 8.6 | 6.6 | 3.3 |
| JA Solar JAM72S30 LR 585W | 6.4 | 5.1 | 7.2 | 7.0 | 6.7 |
To select the solar panels we review, we look for the most efficient panel a provider offers that’s still suitable for residential use. We then score the panels on the following:
All data is correct as of 30 October 2024. Our team regularly updates this list with newly-released, more efficient solar panels from selected manufacturers.
Why is SunPower best for durability?
A low degradation rate (0.25 per cent annually after the first year), alongside long warranties (40 years for both product and performance if you register) means SunPower received the best durability score of the panels we reviewed.
SunPower also claims that its panels are built with crack-resistant cells and reinforced corrections to protect against ‘fatigue and corrosion.’
A size of just 1.8 square metres and a weight of just 20.7kg make the SunPower Maxeon 7DC 445W the smallest and lightest panel on this list – perfect if you need to maximise the roof space you’ve got.
Importantly, SunPower is the only panel provider we reviewed to receive 10 out of 10 for sustainability. This top mark means it recycles panels, uses recycled materials to produce new panels, and does not use lead in its production process.
Why is Project Solar best for customer satisfaction?
We asked over 2,000 solar panel customers to rate how their system had met their expectations in terms of energy production, cost savings, maintenance requirements and ongoing costs*. Project Solar topped three of the four categories, giving it the best customer satisfaction score of the providers we reviewed.
On top of that, the Project Solar Evo Max Super Series 480W comes with a lifetime product and performance warranties – in comparison, the industry average is around 20 years and 30 years respectively. And for homeowners concerned about the aesthetic of their solar panels, the Evo Max Super Series 480W has a sleek ultra-black design.
Project Solar also claims that this solar panel delivers optimal performance in low-light conditions – a concern for many UK homeowners due to the country’s famous lack of sunny weather.
However, a lower than average overall efficiency rating of 22.18 per cent means Project Solar is one of the weakest brands in this area.
Why is AIKO best for efficiency?
There’s a simple reason why the AIKO ABC Neostar 3N54 495W is our most efficient solar panel: it has an efficiency rating of 24.8 per cent, 1.8 percentage points higher than the next best panel. It also performs well in warmer weather thanks to a better-than-average temperature coefficient of -0.26 per cent. In other words, for every 1°C above 25 degrees, the AIKO loses 0.26 per cent in power output.
The Neostar panels now feature partial shading optimisation, so if your roof isn’t always in full daylight – which might be the case if you live in semi-detached housing, or in a city with several buildings around yours – the panels will work harder to maintain their efficiency.
The ABC Neostar 3N54 is also the lightest panel we reviewed, and one of the smallest, giving it table-topping power-to-weight (23.6W per kilogram) and power-to-size (248W per square metre) ratios.
That’s not the only area where the AIKO comes out in front. Our calculations put the ABC Neostar 3N54 at 4.15 per cent degradation after 10 years, better than the SunPower Maxeon 6AC and the REC Alpha Pure RX, both of which sit at 4.25 per cent.
Where AIKO falls down is its customer satisfaction and sustainability scores. At 90.7 per cent, it has the lowest customer satisfaction rating of the providers we feature. And like Project Solar, it fails to meet any of the environmental and ethical requirements we look for in our solar panels.
When we surveyed more than 2,000 solar panel owners, we asked them how their systems had met or exceeded their expectations. We then combined the “met expectations” and “exceeded expectations” responses to get an idea of customer satisfaction for each solar panel brand we review. You can see how each brand performed below:
| Solar panel provider | Energy production | Cost savings | Maintenance requirements | Ongoing costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIKO | 92% | 92% | 87% | 91% |
| JA Solar | 91% | 92% | 92% | 93% |
| Jinko | 92% | 94% | 89% | 91% |
| Perlight | 93% | 91% | 91% | 90% |
| Project Solar | 97% | 95% | 92% | 94% |
| REC | 93% | 93% | 91% | 91% |
| SunPower | 90% | 92% | 92% | 91% |
| Suntech | 91% | 90% | 92% | 94% |
While it doesn’t stand out in any particular field, the Perlight PLM-435 DH8N 450W is a solid solar panel option. The provider offers 30 year warranties for both product and performance, which is above average. At only 2 square metres, it is one of the smaller panels we reviewed. An efficiency rating of 23.0 per cent is nothing to be sniffed at, nor is a first year degradation rate of 1.0 per cent.
However, Perlight is also one of the panels to score 0 for sustainability in our assessment.
Where REC shines is its customer satisfaction. At 92.3 per cent, only Project Solar beats REC, which scored particularly well when we asked solar panel owners about their satisfaction with the brand’s cost savings and energy production.
If you live in the warmer parts of the UK, REC might be the best PV panel for your household. At -0.24 per cent per °C, it has the lowest temperature coefficient of all the panels we’ve reviewed.
You can also increase your product warranty to 25 years, the same length as the labour warranty, if you use a REC certified solar installer who then registers your panels with the provider.
There’s a lot to recommend with Suntech. It has a good efficiency rating of 23.2 per cent, very positive customer satisfaction ratings for maintenance requirements and ongoing costs, and a solid degradation rate.
However, it’s let down by a relatively short product warranty of 15 years, and a lacklustre sustainability rating of 3.3 out of 10. Suntech solar panel owners were also the least satisfied by their cost savings, according to our survey, with 90 per cent of customers saying it met or exceeded their expectations compared to an average satisfaction rating of 92 per cent.
The Jinko Solar Tiger Neo 72HL4’s standout feature is its power output of 605W. That means you’ll likely require fewer panels on your roof in order for your solar panel system to meet your needs. This is especially true when you combine Jinko’s power output with a strong efficiency rating of 23.4 per cent.
While all solar panels are technically a sustainable choice, as they reduce or completely eliminate your household’s reliance on non-renewable energy, some panels remain better for the environment than others. Jinko Solar commits to the RE100 and EP100 initiatives, meaning it pledges to use 100 per cent renewable energy for global operations by 2025, proving the company’s dedication to sustainability.
The downsides to the Jinko Solar Tiger Neo is that it comes with a below-average product warranty of just 12 years, and a larger physical footprint of 2.6 square metres.
A power output of 585W means you’ll need fewer JA Solar panels than competitors’. However, it is also the least efficient panel on our list. It’s also the heaviest panel, and the joint-biggest, so you’ll need to check you’ve got the space and structural integrity required if you want to benefit from JA Solar’s higher power output.
To find the best solar panels to suit your home, you’ll need to first figure out how mThe first step is to consider how much power you need your solar panels to generate. You can look at your latest energy bill to find your household’s average daily energy consumption, which will guide you as to how much solar energy you need. This will vary, but a solar panel generates an average of 2kWh of energy per day.
Once you know the size of the solar panel system you need, ask yourself:
To help you make your decision, we’ve compiled the top five most important factors when it comes to choosing a solar panel provider, according to our survey respondents:
Once you’ve figured out the best solar panels for your needs, you’ll need to think about how to source them and what’s involved in the installation process. We’ve broken down this key information below.
With over 2,000 solar panel providers nationwide, it can be hard to decide on the best one for you. To help you choose, we’ve reviewed several of the best solar installers in the UK.
For each of the companies, we’ve considered factors such as cost, reliability, certifications and accreditations (always choose an installer with Microgeneration Certification Scheme accreditation) and the installation warranty offered. Although a DIY installation is possible, due to risks to the quality of the work as well as to your own health and safety, we would never recommend it.
To secure the best deal on solar panels:
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We conducted extensive research to choose the best solar panels in the UK, guaranteeing high quality and adherence to superior industry standards. We also consulted industry experts, analysed numerous online reviews, our own survey results, and studied the technical specifications of each solar panel.
Below are the most important factors to consider when choosing your system, based on what we at the FMB look for when we carry out our solar panel reviews.
A solar panel’s efficiency describes how well a panel can capture and convert daylight into usable electricity. Domestic panels typically achieve an efficiency of 16 to 20 per cent. All solar panels naturally suffer from some degradation over their lifespan; the degradation rate is usually between 1 and 2 per cent in the first year, and gets lower in subsequent years.
The total cost of a solar panel system − and the amount of money you can save on your electricity bill − varies according to:
Though you should expect to pay a little higher for the best solar panels, opting for panels that will last for several years without waning efficiency means that the return on your investment will be worthwhile. Installing solar panels is a significant cost, but when it comes to deciding on the right panels, the price isn’t necessarily the most important factor. You should also consider the elements we’ve laid out above, including warranties, reliability and power output.
A panel’s power output – measured by its PMax – represents the amount of energy it can supply to your home in optimal conditions. With greater power, you can reduce your reliance on grid-supplied electricity or even eliminate your dependence completely.
Manufacturers offer product warranties that indicate the durability and quality of their panels. This is a critical factor in our evaluations, as it highlights the manufacturer’s confidence in its product and gives the homeowner a sense of security.
Solar panels naturally degrade over time. Typically, there is a 1-2 per cent efficiency loss during the first year, followed by an annual degradation rate of about 0.2-0.7 per cent. A performance warranty guarantees that the panels will perform as expected.
We assessed durability by looking at the degradation a solar panel provider says can be expected in the first year, as well as the degradation rate expected per year following that first year. Through this, we calculate the expected degradation rate after 10 years of solar panel ownership.
As with any purchase, make sure to check the reputation of any company you’re considering. In our research, we combed through several product and company reviews and have only included brands that are known for their reliable products and sound customer service. We then surveyed more than 2,000 solar panel owners to gauge how they feel about their panel provider.
As solar panels are a green, renewable energy source, it makes sense to research manufacturers’ environmental policies and ethics. Not all companies use recycled materials in their production process, though most solar brands have announced initiatives to reduce their carbon footprint during production. Ideally, look out for companies that don’t use lead or fluoride in their solar panel production.
*Survey conducted by the Federation of Master Builders, 2,004 respondents, June 2024.
The field of solar technology is continuously evolving, with numerous advancements aiming to increase panel efficiency and reduce costs. One of the best options on the market now is the SunPower Maxeon 7DC 445W solar panel. This panel represents a significant leap forward in solar energy advancements, incorporating sophisticated engineering to achieve higher energy conversion efficiencies.
In addition to lowering your energy bills, solar panels may add value to your house should you decide to sell it in the future. According to Admiral Money, installing a solar panel system could add up to 25 per cent to the value of your home.
While the process of getting a quote and installing solar panels doesn’t generally differ from installer to installer, the quality of the panels varies across brands. Most panels have different degradation rates, power outputs, efficiencies, temperature coefficients and, of course, costs. These factors will affect your system’s lifespan, so it’s important to thoroughly research brands and read up on solar panel reviews.
