3 Things You Should Know Before You Buy Solar

[@andyfeimsternfei8408]

I installed 133 panels with optimizers, 45kw DC, 4 inverters, 33kw AC, many upgrades to electrical panels. $44k, $29k after tax credit, installed cost including labor (I am an electrical contractor but I paid labor). We started installation in 2018, completed in 2020. We have net metering. Retail rates are $0.11/kwh. Saved $29k at this rate so far. Switched to heat pumps from propane plus 2 EVs. Total savings to date is over $48k. Lastly, we are in a mountain valley with east/west facing roofs. It can be done if you can avoid crazy markups.

[@jackal6902]

Gee that’s decent. You’re lucky to get 0.10/c kw in AUD. Some pay as little as 0.06/c

[@robertcole6237]

best honest person I've heard about solar yet, thank you

[@deti5574]

In Europe / Germany all domestical solar and energy storage systems are tax free and dirt cheap. A typical 450W panel would cost about 60$ with 20-30 years of warranty. A 16,4kWh of LFP storage with 10 years warranty is about 5000$. The average total price of a 10kWp / 10kWh system is app. 15.000$ including all work on AC which has to be done by a licensed electrician and all administrative work.

[@thisisntforsharing]

"Tax free and dirt cheap". That's because your government is subsidizing the cost by printing money for new loans. Anything could be dirt cheap, including the power itself, if your government was willing to print money and pay the cost for all those systems. Batteries & solar panels aren't magically cheaper in Germany - you're misinterprinting the costs because your government is creating inflation where you currently can't see it. Good luck this winter!

[@PjotrII]

What companies in Germany are reliable and affordable?

[@deti5574]

@@PjotrII What exactly do you mean? Installers or suppliers?

[@PjotrII]

@@deti5574 suppliers of panels

[@bobbym6964]

Great video. You hit all the items needed for a system. Batteries can be expensive for the KW you get. You brought up a good point on the condition (age, number of spare slots) of the breaker panel. That's a large hidden cost if the panel is old and needs replaced. Just used my 3KW system in Florida after hurricane Milton, 2 weeks ago. We had no grid power for 6 days. I plugged in my neighbors refrig and freezer to help him out as he had no power backup. Think of others when you size your system. Keep up the great content!!

[@solargoat]

Thanks for the comment and the feedback! That’s awesome to hear that you were able to use your solar panel system and help out the community. Hope everyone is doing good and safe!

[@mitchelloates9406]

One thing you didn't mention - if you have homeowner's insurance, check with the insurance company to see what their position is on solar panel systems, especially roof mounted systems. A few months back, there was a story in the news about a couple in Florida - they had a rather substantial roof mounted system installed - their insurance company threatened to cancel their homeowners insurance policy, because their system exceeded the number of panels and wattage they were willing to insure, based on their house and their geographic location - ie, hurricanes. Said couple had to end up removing and downsizing part of their system, to meet the insurance company's requirements, for maintaining their insurance. Even after meeting the requirements for keeping their insurance, their yearly premiums still nearly doubled, because they had a roof mounted system in an area prone to hurricanes. Further info in the same news story, stated that many insurance companies would flat-out refuse to even insure your house, or cancel your insurance, if you had a roof mounted solar system installed - some just as a blanket policy, others depending on the type of house, roof, and geographic location (ie, frequency of severe weather).

[@MelDormoy]

True. We have a lot of home insurance issues and most do not allow roof mounts anymore.

[@TheLordbal]

Just never install solar on your roof, ground mounting does just as well, and easier to install and maintain/clean (i installed my own and clean em once a week, save a ton) 😚

[@truthalonetriumphs6572]

But, panels on your roof are closer to the sun though

[@scotthall1381]

@@truthalonetriumphs6572 Most don't have enough land to ground mount

[@JR-rp7vr]

@@truthalonetriumphs6572 Ground mounting is most definitely the wisest way. All you need to do is dig some posts and hang them as high as the roof if you really think roof height is better but I highly doubt 10-20 feet difference does absolutely nothing so long as your ground mounting is directed towards sun

[@normyanke2515]

An Honest post. To simplify. Get install cost per watt. Local annual sunhours(lots of public data) Cost of money. Example 10kW installed at $2.50/watt = $25,000. Payback 15 years, annual payments about $2500. Annual sunhours 1000(depends on location) local grid power 12c/kWh therefore annual solar worth $1200. Borrowed money $2500 to save $1200? Adjust for rebates, annual sunhours, cost of money etc. Don't forget warranties, who will be around to support in 10 years, replace inverters, underperforming solar panels, roof leaks. etc. Not all that rosy, don't be fooled by exaggerating sales talk.

[@barrygallant5910]

Great video, lots of valuable information, solar is a long term investment, making sure you have good products and a great quality solar installers, I have a team a red seal electricians and journeyman who install my systems, no monkeys up on the roof. The solar inspectors love me for it. Once they learn the electricians were up on roof installing the panels, it made the inspection go a lot better.

[@vonleyser]

I am doing 18 bi-facial panels on ground rack now, 395 watts each, will try 6 on roof of van ($118.50 each) running into a EG4 6000xp($1399.00), 2 EG4 Lifepower4 batteries ($1199.00 each)& the rest of the miscellaneous, no permit required, self installation. Your price makes it unreasonable for anyone with brain cells. I’ll have less than 10k, will use it on the house 90-95% of the time, unplug and put in my step van to power it while on the road.

[@solargoat]

That install makes a lot of sense. Good luck on the project!

[@darrenorange2982]

I have the best customer service in the world...myself.

[@chulada03]

Power purchase agreements and leases? can't wait for that video... Thanks

[@MWR-lg9qp]

Solar is a fun and useful toy. I have solar on my RV, an outdoor shed, and an outdoor patio and it works well for those applications. The government is so involved in home solar systems and installations, it's just not worth it in my opinion.

[@huntz3215]

1st consideration should be how much Sun you get remembering that Solar is only effective for 6hrs optimum between 11am-5pm. In my case Govt rebate incentive started at 67c/Kw but in 15yrs has dropped to 3c/Kw so no way in hell I'd do it now. Rural properties are the only place it makes sense to do Wind / Solar & Battery as after a storm rural are the lowest priority, but are also the most likely to experience trees down over lines which could take days to restore. Consider how much food you store also as that could be wasted. Wind generator restrictions in suburbs are not practical because of noise but are suitable in the country & run 24/7.

[@dialdude]

Great video. Seems like here in PA the cost is supplemented by fed partial payment, but still, considering MY share, the annual maintenance cost, the continuing state and fed regulation and power companies paying less, and maybe charging me to send them excess power, the ROI is not that great. Also, some insurance companies are looking at liability and more cost. Think I am better to upgrade my insulation, new roof, motion lighting, watch my use, etc. Thanks for making me take a hard look at solar for my future.

[@johnpuccetti6019]

Southern California Edison is killing solar with new NEM3 rates. I have two and a half years left on my NEM 1 then I will move my system off grid. 😊

[@abrahammc2125]

Should have migrated to nem 2... You would have been grandfathered in for 25 more years on a little bit worse plan.

[@terrahillfarm]

Utility companies are wising up and adding flat fees to electric bills that are not based on kWh usage. This means grid tied systems will continue to cost more over time, unless you have a long term contract. With battery costs declining, I was able to DIY an off grid system to run my home for half of what I was quoted for a pro install grid tied system without batteries. Working directly with a good installer like Mr. Goat is a good plan as long as you don’t look to the installer to provide your financing. Pay cash or get the money somewhere else. Reasonable solar financing is almost dead with today’s interest rates and 20-30% loan premiums. Stay away from leases and do not buy anything from door to door solar salesperson, don’t even open the door! 😳👍☀️⚡️🤩

[@bluezcluez315]

Great commentary. Truth and not over-promising is important. Are you NABCEP certified? A licensed electrician?

[@huddunlap3999]

The roofing issue is the sales killer for me.

[@ryanyoder7573]

Call your insurance company and see if they allow bet metering. Mine doesnt and I had to build with no grid export. It took talking to 15 installers to find one that would do the job.

[@marcusjenkins]

Wow, you pay a lot for solar panels in USA. In Europe we pay about €100 for a 550W panel *including* our extortionate 21% sales tax. Also, microinverters aren't so popular over here since a decent brand, 6kW double MPPT string inverter costs around $1200, again, including 21% sales tax. Here we pay around $6000 for a 5kW system including installation and huge quantities of paperwork that are required for the utility company and the local government.

[@Obtuse94]

In what general area of Europe are you pointing out? There are a few people in the comments saying the same thing about solar prices over there. Also, are you saying inverters are not popular over there and aren't used at all?

[@marcusjenkins]

@@Obtuse94 Spain, although I'm sure materials prices are the same throughout Europe. Micro inverters aren't installed much here - they cost more per system kW and are a pain if you need to service them. Obviously if you have some weird scenario with lots of intermittent shading, OK, microinverters or optimisers might make sense. Microinverters are mostly used for balcony installations here (quite popular in Germany for example).

[@robertwhite3503]

​@@Obtuse94 You will need an inverter. The solar panels create DC electricity but your appliances use AC electricity. He was talking about micro-inverters falling in favour of string-inverters. A micro-inverters attaches to a single solar panel. If one panel is not working, perhaps due to fault or shade, the rest are fine. A string-inverter connects all the panels together that feed into a single inverter. I hope I got right because I'm not very experienced.

[@Obtuse94]

@@marcusjenkins these comments actually help a bunch. Thank you both!

[@junkerzn7312]

@@robertwhite3503 Correct, and even with a DC string a panel can go bad and the string will still work just fine. Residential panels have bypass diodes so the bad panel or a shaded panel will just go into bypass. And if shading is even remotely an issue you can install half-cut panels (six sub-strings per panel instead of three). Generally speaking, micro-inverters are only really useful when there are extreme levels of variable shading or the panels in a panel group are all pointing different directions (which is fairly rare). Installers like micro-inverters because they can get per-panel reporting. It makes diagnosing problems easier, but they are significantly more expensive. A string inverter is far cheaper and maintenance on string systems (what little there is) is also far, far cheaper. The string inverter is at ground level, not up on the roof. Either way the solar panels themselves don't need maintenance... failures are pretty rare and the service life is in the 30-40 year range for a high-grade panel. Traditionally DC strings don't need any electronics up on the roof at all, but industry groups have managed to get states to require per-panel Rapid Shutdown Devices on each solar panel on the roof so unfortunately even a string system still needs to have a small RSD on the roof for each panel if built to code. These RSDs might require replacing (roughly similar life-span as a micro-inverter... 25 years), but at least they are far cheaper devices. -Matt

[@CezarTrifoi]

In Australia 460W quality panels cost US$75! Premium racking kits work out to US$16 per panel! Our business installed a Premium 100KW Solar System for US$52K (after credits) The US clients are getting reamed on Solar :(

[@MelDormoy]

We get reamed on everything and junk products 😅 Solar hot water heaters are used so much overseas and very affordable…. Not here though.

[@Active7X7-no5ce]

What is the longest lasting roofing so no uninstall/ reinstall would be necessary? Metal roofing?

[@junkerzn7312]

Yes. The best roof, particularly for solar panel mounting, is a Standing Seam Metal Roof (an 80-year roofing material), with the added bonus that the solar panels can be mounted to the seams without having to compromise the roof at all... no drilling through the roof needed. No lag bolts. No holes at all. Just dimples across the seam. Which is what I just did myself. It is the most DIY-able way to put solar panels on a roof. Basically you get clamps that mount to the standing seam. I bought the best ones I could find, which are called "S-5 Clamps" (various options depending on the type of seam). These go on the standing seams and have to two special torque screws that lock onto the seam, dimpling it into the clamp. But it won't penetrate the seam or cut holes or anything like that... roof integrity is 100% retained. Then depending on the orientation you need, you can either get brackets for the solar panels that screw directly into the S-5 clamps, or you screw rail into the S-5 clamps and then mounting brackets into the rail. -- As an electrical engineer I did all upgrades and the deinstall/reinstall after getting a new roof just this year I DIY'd, and I think DIYing (if your roof is walkable) is really the only way to make a solar system work out. Have the the ground-level electrical done professionally but do all the roof mounting yourself if the roof is your best option for the panels. Its a 2-person job, residential solar panels are big! But once I had all the bits and pieces it only took 6 hours across 2 days to mount 14 large panels (5kWp). The only thing I had to coordinate with the roofers was the through-hole for the conduit into the garage. We did that before they put the new roof on and they did all the proper flashing work around the conduit when they put on the new roof. But there were a lot of niggling little details involved. Getting an electrical box, a punch tool for the EMT holes (its a powder-coated steel box), the EMT conduit, a conduit bender, end pieces, couplers, the 10 AWG solar cabling (red and black), power poles to interconnect cables in the box, torch and soldering iron, MC4 crimp kit, laser level for lining up all the S-5 clamps in a straight line, clips, electrical tape of various colors (separating the strings and avoiding confusion), and so on and so forth. I already had most of the tools needed but for anyone new to DIYing solar it takes a lot of self education. Still, being able to swing a DIY massively reduces the cost. I've got big plans to expand the system next year... another DIY. I want to get 15kWp on the roof. -Matt

[@Active7X7-no5ce]

@ great planning and detail. Thank you very much Matt

[@matthewsocal2540]

Wow. It delights me to see rich people screw themselves. $40k for an 8kW system? You have too much money for your own good. I'm paralyzed. I just finished my 6kW system with 400ah @ 48v of batteries. Did the whole thing myself. Ground mounted everything. No grid ties. All circuits powered through sub panel except kitchen outlets. Just got my first electric bill, since install...$15.42. So, $0.83 per watt complete system. ROI

[@timmathias3576]

No one’s paying 40k cash though there’s government programs that push people to do it for no out of pocket costs. Not to mention If you need a new roof they will include that in your monthly payment

[@samfish6938]

Diy $150 per 420w panels $ 1300 to $1800 for inverter about $3200 for 14kw wall mounted battery I would buy 2 net meetering is useless in California they charge about 55 cents to buy and they give you back 8 cents to export In Europe it costs 6k to 8k for 6 kw system installed here it's 30k, you can't get insurance in Florida if your system is over 11kw

[@samfish6938]

New trump tarrifs may add 50 % cost going forward

[@ShuhDonk]

40k for a 8k system, seems so much to me. I am just finishing up my system but I diy'd most of it. I have 24k watts in panels (60 400 watt (500 watt with bifacial) panels), 3 EG4 6000XP inverters and 130 kWh of diy lifep04 batteries I built. I have about 50-55k total invested, that includes the dedicated building (16 x 12) I built to house all the solar equipment). 17k of that to an electrician that did a TON of work redoing all the electrical in my house and pole barn, multiple transfer switches, running 300' of 200 amp service line in the ground etc. I just can't see the benefit for anyone to spend 40k+ on such a small 8k system.

[@asedcopf]

sounds nuts from here in OZ - its around about $5000 - 7000 USD equivalent for a good quality 6.6kw install that the tradies hardly jumped up and down on, and almost clamped in the correct zones. That is paying outright mind, with no finance etc.

[@HB-yq8gy]

Recently I got a quote in NJ 8K system local good company and quality Rec 460w 18 panels $22,770?

[@rustlebruxz0013]

If you have to deal with an HOA check with them before starting.

[@samfish6938]

In Europe 5kw system is 6k to 8k installed

[@jumb0juice327]

If it can do a 10% roi per year, thats a pretty decent investment. Anything less than that and you have better places to put your money imo

[@airplanenut6242]

It was 8 years ago, but I’m fairly certain I paid a 1% fee to get a mortgage. Maybe it was 1.5% but it was for sure not 10!

[@johndorazio3759]

Junk zero point energy is the future

[@WattsMiner]

Biggest mistake is involving the authorities and attachment to the Grid. Go offgrid or stealth solar

[@JR-rp7vr]

Tax breaks though? Otherwise I'd agree, Tyrannical scum theses days.

[@iracemamartelinhodeourozan272]

Melhor coisa é instalar micro inversor, prefiro hoymiles não corre risco de pegar fogo 🔥. Brazil.

[@sina8221-t1m]

What do you suggest as alternative if you want to be off grid ? Thank you!

[@TheNeurotichi]

Generator. Do you see any irony behind asking what to do to go off grid?...

[@junkerzn7312]

Going completely off-grid is an expensive proposition no matter what you do. Doing it only with solar and batteries requires a huge system compared to on-grid solar + battery systems. So doing it will universally require some combination of a fueled generator, solar, and batteries. The big ticket items are heating, cooking, and hot water... these can be propane-based or electricity-based. Refrigeration is actually the easiest, you just use a normal (electric) fridge (nobody uses propane fridges any more these days). The generator is needed because solar and batteries can't make ends meet 365 days a year. Batteries are needed to reduce fuel consumption by the generator, and solar is needed to further reduce fuel consumption by the generator. Electric appliances have higher up-front costs but lower operating costs because they can be augmented by the solar. Propane-based appliances have lower up-front costs but higher operating costs. The size and the cost of the equipment scales with the size of the home and the creature comforts you want to have. At very small scales going fully electric and just having a small gasoline generator is quite viable. At larger scales you want a propane-fueled generator because propane can be stored in large quanities (500 to 2000 gallon tanks) and is stable in all weather (the tank might have to be partially buried if winters are ultra cold, but that's it). And it gives you more options in an emergency... more flexibility. -Matt

[@subzerosurvival]

Add in, wreck your roof, void your home insurance and maybe burn down your house.... nope, installing solar is definitely not worth it.

[@sub955]

If the solar system ( no battery ) does not pay for itself in 5-8yrs, you really won't save much in 20yrs, as the system will need replacing/upgrading. This doesn't include any costs after the warranty is up( if you can get the solar company to warranty anything ). If you get a battery, you will have power when the power shuts off, no ROI for a battery. Always cash

[@junkerzn7312]

Modern solar panels last 30-40 years. The only thing you would need to replace at the 25-year mark would be micro-inverters / RSD devices. Nothing else on the roof would need to be replaced. Maintenance is piecemeal and cheap spread over the years. I have NEVER called in a warranty. Not ever. Even when I had two panel failures (out of 18 panels in a 20 year period), it was easier to just replace the panels myself. And the rest of the panels are just fine.

[@WavePuntFrl]

Is that the "real price" for solar in the USA ????😳 ( i'm from EU)

[@solargoat]

Yeah, I think that’s pretty accurate. As you know there’s a lot of different factors so pretty generalized.

[@WavePuntFrl]

@@solargoat I think i can realize a comparable setup in the EU for less than half (self install) I didn't know it was só expensive overthere. For example: 1x 450 watt panel in EU is about 50 euro's ( $ 1 = € 0,92)

[@HB-yq8gy]

Does the Solar Goat have panels on his roof?

[@vnguyen9327]

You are the best

[@unholymans]

Ill answer the question for you... DONT INSTALL SOLAR ON YOUR ROOF! EVER!! If you want solar install them on a rack in your yard. If a solar panel short causes a fire then you still have your home!

[@thomasc2394]

Every company ive ever worked with does the part hes charging on for free

[@Sightthrough]

He knows the value of his time and is well aware that with the facts in front of many people they would not move forward. The people who are doing that work for you for free are making commission on their sold systems and may not be giving you the details he is willing to since he doesn't have skin in the game. He doesn't want to be flooded with a bunch of people doing fact finding who aren't going to move forward with an actual system.

[@thomasc2394]

@Sightthrough yes many people do not move forward once they get the facts from the companies I'm referring to that do it for free. They also have contracts that legally hold them responsible if they give the homeowners bad information so they can not just lie to them if they want to stay in business for long. If they lie about production they are financially responsible, if they put it on a roof that is in bad standing they are responsible for any leaks the roof has, and if they lie about the electrical components on your house being sufficient they will not pass local inspection process. Seems like you just want to believe that this guy is doing a service that is unlike others but it's not, it could even be worse if he doesn't have any contracts holding him responsible for his information like these solar companies do. Also u don't have to get solar with them to get the information so you can get it for free and still avoid that commission.

[@j.p.5716]

No one does anything for free.

[@thomasc2394]

@@j.p.5716 you just typed that comment for free

[@thomasc2394]

@j.p.5716 but to actually respond they do it in hopes of getting your business. You can go to Wal-Mart right now, they will have a building with lights on registers bathrooms the shelves will be stocked and you can walk around see what they have to offer and leave without spending a dollar right? So they buy/rent commercial space, have deliveries, stock the deliveries, provide a means of purchase all for free. In the hopes you will come and buy things.

[@SolarTechFL]

I install gridtie solar at $2.25 a watt with a 25-year labor warranty I do my own sales so i dont pay any commission. 99% cash deals Dealer fees are insane ive seen 34% fees 🤣

[@truthalonetriumphs6572]

And if a truck hits you?

[@truthalonetriumphs6572]

Nice sales pitch

[@DarthVader1977]

Always be very skeptical about what a salesperson tells you.

[@darrenorange2982]

Battery is way over priced....microinverters with a battery is not the smartest price wise or efficient way to do this. String the panels go to a main inverter that supports a DC connection for the battery. With 10grand in today you can do nearly 55kwh battery bank.

[@JR-tr1df]

[@bradleymcclintock7771]

Way way way to expensive buying a solar system is like buying a car it's a poor investment. 😢

I’m a contractor n let’s inject some common sense into this.. 1) putting it on ur roof is the dumbest thing u can do for the mere fact that ur roof will need replacing at some point n that cost is huge when u have to dismantle ur entire solar system to do so! 2) add up all ur electric bills x 30 years example $200/mo x 30 years is $72k how much does the system cost not to mention ur still gonna pay the electric company let’s be generous n say $50/mo administration fees plus some electric usage that’s 18k in 30 years. What about maintenance costs will the panels need replacing or upgrading in 30 years? Will the solar panels degrade ur roof faster? At the end of the day after taking account for all these factors u will pay more in the end. Ur just paying ur energy bill all upfront at once instead of in a combined 30 years It’s that simple don’t overthink it! That goes for geothermal systems as well. But u go right ahead n believe the salesman when they try to convince u with…but but but ur electric bill will go from $200/mo to $60/mo 😂🤣😂🤣😂

[@DarthVader1977]

It's amazing how low IQ this statement is. Once every 30 years or so if you need a roof replacement you'll need to take the panels down and then back up. The cost of a complete roof replacement is already huge, adding the solar to the mix once every 30 years is hardly a dealbreaker.

[@MelDormoy]

I appreciate your calculations but it’s not only always about the math. I live in south Florida and after a few hurricanes and our community without power you can see why people want to get on board with solar. Having said that I’d never put it on my roof. Also, with inflation those monthly number for our electric bills can go up real quick.

[@junkerzn7312]

Well, since you are so fond of doing calculations, you missed a few. Add in your gasoline costs and your natural gas costs. Not such a small number any more now is it? I'm saving several thousand dollars a year with my solar system now that I have an EV. More electrification to follow. I would never go back. Nobody ever said solar is free, but you clearly have never costed out actual maintenance or time. Sounds like you don't have solar yourself. I've had solar on my roof for 20 years and none of your assertions are even remotely true. What is certainly true is that you never want to lease or take out a loan to have solar installed. Save up, pay for it, get the discounts. own it. Professional or DIY don't leave any loose ends after installation. You need to own it unencumbered. Too expensive? Then get a smaller system to begin with. Once the electrical is professionally installed a lot of DIY options open up as well. Solar not right for you? Then don't get it. It isn't for everyone. Having solar installed is not really about making money or breaking even anyway. Its about investing in the future (your inheritance, yourself if you decide to downsize later on in life, future generations, the world, whatever floats your boat). It is about having options when disaster strikes. Its about bullet-proofing your future expenses when you grow old. And it is about getting out from under the thumb of big energy companies. -Matt

[@patricklopez2276]

200$ average monthly bill is pretty light and i think youre underestimating your bill lol, put a new roof before installing your panels and ensure the team installing is doing quality work and youre just fine. You did a huge breakdown snd half is bs

[@william6223]

This is secret and controlled information. Please share far and wide: When Carbon is doped with boron and phosphorus, similar to most photovoltaic panels, and one has 2 ~1000 watt systems, when temperature differential is greater than 27° F, 1400 watts/hour is available. A carbon photovoltaic panel is not reduced in efficiency to heat, which is why silicon based photovoltaics should be doped with Barium instead of Boron. Carbon Photovoltaic panels are able to move electrons with the infrared radiation of Our Sun. Anyway it is against their energy policy to have too high of efficiencies and it is a controlled technology, since we are subjects to corporate oligarchs, unfortunately.

[@olmsfam1]

Complexity is the enemy of reliability. the more complicated the technology, the Higher the cost, the more likely to fail unexpectedly, the less likely for mass market adoption. Its simple economics not government conspiracy.

[@junkerzn7312]

Please don't spread nonsense. Which is what this is. There is no cabal or conspiracy hiding some radical free-energy technology from us. Just stupid mundane tariffs making things cost a lot more than they need to inside the U.S. Solar cell construction has to balance a trifecta of cost, durability, and efficiency. While cells exist with significantly higher efficiencies, the requirements for operating them tends to require concentrated sunlight, active cooling, the cost is astronomical, and the durability tends to be on the low-end. 23% is about the best you are going to see for long-lasting residential panels. There are some panels that claim 25% but it gets into marketing foo because initial degradation rates drop them down below 23% within the first year.

[@waynesilva9157]

Solar panels are already antiquated technology.