3 Types of Solar Panels (Which Is Right for You?)
By Leonardo David /
Here’s what we’ll go over in this guide:
Each product and or company featured here has been independently selected by the writer. You can learn more about our review methodology here. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
You may be looking into a 6 kilowatt (kW) — aka 6,000 watt (W) solar power system because it fits your budget or available roof space configurations. Installing a solar photovoltaic (PV) system is a great way to create your own renewable energy and save money on monthly utility bills. However, the upfront investment can be high, so you want to make sure that the solar system size you install will be efficient enough for your home.
Whether you’re living in a big city or installing a solar array for an off-grid home, we’re here to help you figure out if a 6 kW solar system will work for your needs.
Nationwide Service
Average cost
Pros
Cons
SunPower designs and installs industry-leading residential solar and storage solutions across all 50 states. With a storied history of innovation dating back to 1985, no other company on this list can match SunPower’s experience and expertise.
SunPower earns its position as the top national installer on our list for a handful of reasons: It installs the most efficient solar technology on the residential market, offers the most expansive service area and backs its installations with a warranty well above the industry standard. All the while, SunPower pioneers sustainability efforts within the industry.
If that weren’t enough, SunPower systems come packaged with products all manufactured in-house by its sister company, Maxeon. This means that your panels, solar cells, inverters, battery and EV chargers are designed to work together and are all covered under the same warranty.
SunPower’s biggest downside? Its high-efficiency panels are considerably more expensive than most of its competitors’ products. However, its powerful panels are workhorses that make up for the initial cost with more backend production (think about this like spending more money for a car that gets more miles per gallon).
EcoWatch Rating |
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Better Business Bureau (BBB) Rating |
Year Founded |
Average Cost ($-$$$$$) |
Solar Services |
Brands of Solar Equipment Offered |
Warranty Coverage |
5 |
A+ |
1985 |
$$$$ |
Solar Panels, Solar Batteries, EV Chargers, System Monitoring |
SunPower Panels |
25-year all-inclusive warranty |
Regional Service
Average cost
Pros
Cons
We like Blue Raven Solar because it understands that, for most homeowners, the cost of solar presents the biggest barrier to entry.
For that reason, Blue Raven Solar developed an innovative solar financing plan that offers in-house, flexible, zero-money-down options. The results speak for themselves, as Blue Raven Solar is now one of the fastest-growing solar companies in the nation and was recently acquired by SunPower. Its BluePower Plus+ plan (exclusive to Blue Raven) mimics the flexible structure of a lease while still providing the greatest benefits of owning your system.
Eligible homeowners enjoy 18 months of solar power before having to pay their first bill. When coupled with the federal solar investment tax credit (ITC), the initial energy savings can offset more than a third of the overall cost of a system before requiring a dollar down.
In contrast, other installers can only offer similar financing through solar leases, PPAs or third-party providers (such as Mosaic or Sunlight). Third-party loan providers can complicate the process, while opting for a loan or PPA will disqualify you from some of solar’s biggest benefits (additional property value, federal solar tax credit and local solar incentives).
EcoWatch Rating |
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Better Business Bureau (BBB) Rating |
Year Founded |
Average Cost ($-$$$$$) |
Solar Services |
Brands of Solar Equipment Offered |
Warranty Coverage |
4.5 |
A+ |
2014 |
$$ |
Solar Panels, System Monitoring |
Trina Solar, Canadian Solar, SolarEdge, Silfab, SunPower |
25-year manufacturer warranty; 10-year workmanship warranty, 2-year production guarantee |
Regional Service
Average cost
Pros
Cons
ADT Solar sets the industry standard for warranty coverage by including a multifaceted guarantee, making it one of the top installers for homeowners who want added peace of mind.
Its warranty coverage includes all of the following for 25 years:
Though in recent years other solar companies have started to offer similar guarantees, ADT Solar has been at it since 2008, performing over 30,000 installations across the country.
EcoWatch Rating |
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Better Business Bureau (BBB) Rating |
Year Founded |
Average Cost ($-$$$$$) |
Solar Services |
Brands of Solar Equipment Offered |
Warranty Coverage |
4 |
A- |
2008 |
$$$ |
Solar Panels, Solar Batteries, EV Chargers, Energy-Efficiency Upgrades |
Silfab, Panasonic and others depending on location |
25-year all-inclusive warranty |
Using our internal solar calculator, we’ve found the average 6 kW solar system costs roughly $15,960, which comes down to $11,810 after applying the federal solar tax credit. This is based on the U.S. average cost of solar of $2.66 per watt.
It’s important to note that the solar tax credit is currently worth 26% of your total installation costs, but it is expected to drop to 22% in 2023, so the sooner you buy your solar panels, the more you’ll save.
The price of a solar system can vary based on a number of factors unique to each household, including your location, if you’re planning a DIY installation with a solar kit or letting a solar installation company handle the job and what brand of equipment you choose. There are also financial incentives and rebates available for renewable energy systems that may reduce the cost.
Here’s a look at 6 kW solar system price tags for the top states for solar energy:
State | Average Cost Per Watt | Average Cost of 6 kW Solar System | Average Cost of 6 kW Solar System After Tax Credit |
California | $2.73 | $16,380 | $12,121 |
Texas | $2.69 | $16,140 | $11,944 |
North Carolina | $2.54 | $15,240 | $11,278 |
Florida | $2.53 | $15,180 | $11,233 |
Arizona | $2.61 | $15,660 | $11,588 |
Nevada | $2.52 | $15,120 | $11,189 |
New Jersey | $2.77 | $16,620 | $12,299 |
Massachusetts | $2.94 | $17,640 | $13,054 |
Georgia | $2.55 | $15,300 | $11,322 |
New York | $2.95 | $17,700 | $13,098 |
This cost estimate includes the installation of your solar PV system and all of the basic equipment that comes with it — solar inverters, panels, racking and mounting equipment, etc. Any additional gadgets, like a combiner box, solar battery storage or charge controller, will likely raise the cost.
On average, a 6 kW system will produce roughly 750 kilowatt-hours (kWhs) of electricity per month, or between 8,000 and 10,000 kWhs a year.
Just like with cost, the amount of energy your solar system produces will vary depending on where you live. That means a 6 kW solar panel system in Miami is going to produce more energy than a 6 kW system in Seattle, despite them being the same size. With that said, solar panels are still worth it in less sunny states, they may just not save you as much money.
A 6 kW system can certainly produce enough energy to power a home. But, once again, it depends where you live and how much energy your household consumes.
The average U.S. homeowner consumes 893 kWh of electricity per month, or 10,716 kWh per year.1 Based on these numbers, a 6 kW system will produce slightly less electricity than is needed to completely power the average U.S. home. However, if you live somewhere like California, where average annual energy consumption is 6,864 kWh, then a 6 kW system should be sufficient.
For more information, check out our guide to determining how many panels you need.
A 6 kW system may or may not eliminate your utility bill, but it should significantly reduce it. Through our market data and research, we’ve found the average U.S. homeowner will save $1,187 per year on electricity expenses, based on the average utility bill of about $120 per month.2
Our estimates are based on the assumption that the homeowner has net metering, which are programs by which homeowners with solar can earn credits from their local utility company for any electricity their panels generate and send to the local power grid. If net metering is available in your area, you will be credited for your surplus energy in one of two ways:
Note: This is just a simplified example — the exact kWh retail price and solar feed-in tariff will depend on your electricity plan.
While the exact length will be unique for each homeowner, we’ve estimated that it will take roughly 10 to 12 years to pay back, or “break even” with, a 6 kW solar panel system.
The basic formula for calculating a payback period for solar panels is to divide the cost of the system, including tax rebates and financial incentives, by the annual amount you’ll save on utility bills. To get our estimate, we divided the average cost of a 6 kW solar system after applying the solar tax credit by the average annual energy savings: 11,810 / $1,187 = 9.95 years.
Again, these are just rough estimates. You can get a more accurate idea of how long it will take to pay off your solar panels by examining your current power bills and getting a professional quote from a solar company.
Homeowners can expect to install about 17 to 24 panels for a 6 kW system, depending on the type of solar panel you choose. When you’re measuring space for a rooftop solar panel kit or a solar array, note that the average solar panel is 65 by 39 inches, or roughly 17.5 square feet.
Monocrystalline or “mono” solar panels are the most efficient and have the highest wattage, followed by polycrystalline and then thin-film. The best solar panels on the market have an output of around 350 W to 400 W each, but the output of less efficient panels can be as low as 250 W.
If you’re looking to buy a 6 kW (6,000 W) system and you’re buying solar panels that have an output of 350 W, you’ll need about 17 panels. Your formula will look like this: 6,000 W / 350 W = 17.1 panels.
Although the cost of solar panels is lower if you choose a lower-efficiency model over a high-efficiency one, remember that the total you pay for your solar energy system may come out to be the same or higher because you’ll have to buy more panels to produce the same amount of energy.
Most solar companies are capable of installing any size system, but you will want to choose the best solar installer in your area for the job. Here are a few factors to look out for when choosing a solar company:
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