Like so many things in life you get what you pay for.
For solar panels though the obvious difference in price and performance is not so clear. A 475 watt panel from any CEC accredited manufacturer will produce 475 watts at standard operating conditions which is the standard panel manufacturers use to compare apples to apples.
However, the quality of the materials affects how well the panels survive over time and the equipment the panels are manufactured on determines the consistent quality of the product. Finally, the size and overall viability of the company will likely guarantee they will be around in 5 years, 10 years or 25 years to honour any warranty claims.
Many solar panel and inverter manufacturers have disappeared over the past 10 years, so picking one that provides consistent high quality and is going to be able to provide you with support if you ever need it is important.
At Sun Lizard we have personally visited over 30 manufacturers factories and understand the process and the quality control required to create panels that endure the test of time.
We will pick solar panels on their merit and according to your needs. We monitor issues such as how manufacturers comply with ethical sourcing and modern slavery policies, so exclude companies that don’t show they are committed to a better world for everyone.
Let us take the stress out of choosing panels and manufacturers. We can provide you with comparisons if required, but will always choose from the top 5 ethical and responsible manufacturers.
Farmers can benefit by having sheep grazing under the panels, shaded from the sun and rain.
The solar panels in this picture are 700 watts each and are bifacial so they pick up sunlight bounced off the ground to generate more energy than traditional panels. There are 11,000 at this solar farm along with up to 100 sheep.