Subscribe Feed (RSS)Many of us want a solar panel home but need to find cheap solar panels.
Usually the biggest obstacle preventing us installing solar panels is their cost. Yes, we want to help save the planet, we want our children and grandchildren to enjoy the countryside, we
Well the good news is that you can get cheap solar panels for around $3 per watt, half the price of most solar panels available retail. You don’t have to buy dozens of them and many of these are UL certified (see below for the significance of this). Cheap does not have to mean poor quality – far from it. It is just a matter of knowing where to look and above all, being patient!
UL Certification
Before we look at where to buy cheap solar panels for our Solar Energy Homes, let’s have a quick word about the need for solar panels to have UL certification.
If you want to connect your solar panels to the electricity Grid, your solar panels will almost certainly have to be UL certified.
If you want you solar panels to qualify for government rebates and tax incentives, your solar panels MUST have UL certification.
However, UL certification is still not a guarantee that you your panels are approved by your state. You need to find out which panels qualify for rebates where you live. This really is vital – you don’t want to spend $10,000 on solar panels only to find out afterwards that they don’t qualify. Keep in mind that tax grants, rebates etc. can add up to a lot of money.
If on the other hand you want to buy solar panels for an off grid installation (ie they are not going to be connected to the electricity grid) and are not looking to claim the financial incentives on offer, then you don’t have to get UL certified solar panels. But keep in mind that panels get UL certification because they meet a certain standard. As a general rule, I would recommend that you play safe and get UL certified panels, even if you don’t actually have to.
Where to Get Cheap Solar Panels.
Basically, there are 3 options:
* Retail. Some of the best retail deals can be found at Amazon. We found a 120 watt UL certified panel at $358, which works out at $3 per watt. Other retailers were typically charging $5 – $7.30 per watt, so you can see the Amazon deal looks very good. But there are other retailers that do have bargains from time to time, so you need search the Internet carefully.
* Wholesale. Some wholesalers have minimum order quantities as low as 2 panels and will deliver directly to your house. Costs range from around $2 to $5 or more per watt. Wholesale can be VERY attractive if you can find what you are looking for and you should be able to find solar panels at $3 per watt.
* eBay. eBay can be a great place to buy cheap solar panels. Lets look at this in more detail.
Buying Cheap Solar Panels from eBay
Buying from eBay is not the same as buying from a wholesaler or retailer. You have to approach it differently if you want to make sure that you grab a great bargain. (If you are an eBay veteran forgive me if I am teaching Granny to suck eggs). Above all, with eBay you must be PATIENT
Patience is the number 1 rule when looking for solar panels on eBay. My observation is that many suppliers are just plain greedy and are wanting way too much money for their panels. So take a few days to monitor eBay. Take your time to see what becomes available. It can take a from few days to a week or more before some decent solar panels come up for auction with realistic prices. If nothing appears at decent prices, continue to be patient, you will find cheap solar panels in time.
I wish you all the best with your search.
Before buying solar panels or considering making you own, check out this excellent site on solar energy and find out how to get cheap solar panels
Tags: Home Solar Power
