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Best solar panels for UK homes

When researching the different types of solar panels available for your home, you’ll likely find yourself met with a wealth of information related to polycrystalline and monocrystalline panels, each offering different outputs and yields. If you’re at the start of your solar journey, you’re likely just looking for solar panels which will effectively generate electricity while suiting your budget.

To help you find the right solar panels for you, we’ve put together a guide detailing all the information you need to consider when choosing your solar panels. And then, we’ll give you our top choice for the best solar panel in the UK today, as well as highlighting a few other choices.

What is a solar PV panel?

To help find the right panel for you, it’s best to first explain how solar panels work. PV (photovoltaic) solar cells use the physical properties of silicon to convert light energy into electrical energy. There are two standard types of PV solar panels:

  • Polycrystalline solar panels: These panels contain multiple silicon crystals fused together within the cell. This means they’re typically less effective than other panels.

  • Monocrystalline solar panels: Made from cells that contain a single silicon crystal, these panels are much more effective.

Since most domestic solar setups utilise monocrystalline panels due to their increased output, we’ll be focusing on these.

It’s also worth mentioning that the output from all PV solar panels must be fed into an inverter to convert the generated power from DC to AC power. Inverters are also responsible for diverting electricity to your home, a solar battery, or back to the grid. However, most inverters are compatible with a wide range of solar panels so finding the right solar inverter for your home will depend on other elements of your solar setup.

What is the best solar panel in the UK?

For modern homes, performance, longevity and aesthetics are all vital factors to consider when choosing a solar solution for your home. This is why we’ve selected the DMEGC 450W bifacial solar panel as the best solar panel for homes in the UK.

Starting with the most important element, the DMEGC 450W comes with up to 23.0% efficiency, one of the highest on the market. This ensures higher power output even on smaller roofs with fewer panels. They also utilise bifacial technology to capture energy from the front and rear to boost energy yield which is great for mitigating solar panel shading, regardless of the angle.

Aside from its high performance, the DMEGC 450W is a discreet and sleek solar panel solution. Their all-black design is low profile and beautifully blends into most modern rooftops.

The DMEGC 450W is also designed to stand the test of time - each panel comes with a 30-year linear warranty, ensuring long-term efficiency with less than 0.4% degradation in efficiency each year. They’re also fully certified for UK use, giving you peace of mind that your system will power your home for years to come.

What other solar panels are available?

While the DMEGC 450W is the clear standout in terms of solar panels, here are a few other options available to UK homeowners:

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  • SunPower Maxeon 6 AC: These panels offer long warranties and have an efficiency of 22.8%.

  • AIKO N-Type ABC White Hole Series: While these panels offer high levels of efficiency, their short warranty of 15 years and heavy weight may mean they aren’t suitable for all homes.

  • Jinko Tiger Neo 420W N-Type 54 Cell: With a lower efficiency than other panels at 21.5%, you would need more of these panels to match the output of others.

  • JA Solar JAM72S30 Mono PERC Half-Cell MBB: These are ‘half-cell’ panels which means that they take a single cell and split it in half. While this means that the electrical current has less distance to travel across the cell, their efficiency rating is lower than that of other panels at 21.3%.

What should I consider when choosing solar panels for my home?

When you’re considering solar panels for your home, it’s often a balancing act of accounting for your home’s energy needs while keeping your solar project within budget. This often means that efficiency, roof space, and cost are the main priorities for homeowners when building their solar setup.

However, warranty and durability are both factors which should also be considered to ensure your solar panels continue to power your home for years to come.

If you’re interested in finding out more about the DMEGC 450W and why it’s our choice of solar panel, you can get in touch with the Wickes Solar team and book an appointment with one of our specialists today.