There is almost no better investment of your savings: with solar panels you get an excellent return and contribute to a better environment. But what do solar panels cost and what other costs are involved? We discuss this on the basis of the following points:
David van der Burg, director of Zonnefabriek
“We will never be the cheapest. In doing so, we set the bar high when it comes to advice, product selection, installation and service.”
Costs zonnepanelen
Let's start by answering the key question, “What does a solar panel cost?” The prices of solar panels have dropped tremendously in recent years. For a solar panel you now pay an average of €230, - excl VAT. Of course, the exact cost of solar panels varies by brand and type.
What do solar panels cost on average per installation? The average price of a solar panel per Watt peak including inverter and installation is around €1.47. So an installation of 10 solar panels (375 Watt peak) in 2021 will cost on average about €5500,- euro (excl. VAT).
Buying solar panels at the lowest possible price means that you will need more solar panels to achieve the same power output. This means, of course, that there must also be more suitable roof area, but also that more mounting equipment will be needed. It is therefore important to look not only at what solar panels cost, but at the total cost.
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What does a solar panel cost?
Let's start by answering the key question, “What does a solar panel cost?” The prices of solar panels have dropped tremendously in recent years. For a solar panel you now pay an average of €230, - excl VAT. Of course, the exact cost of solar panels varies by brand and type.
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What do solar panels cost on average per installation?
What do solar panels cost on average per installation? The average price of a solar panel per Watt peak including inverter and installation is around €1.47. So an installation of 10 solar panels (375 Watt peak) in 2021 will cost on average about €5500,- euro (excl. VAT).
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Total costs
Buying solar panels at the lowest possible price means that you will need more solar panels to achieve the same power output. This means, of course, that there must also be more suitable roof area, but also that more mounting equipment will be needed. It is therefore important to look not only at what solar panels cost, but at the total cost.
Efficiency
The price of a solar panel is often expressed in Euro per watt-peak (€/Wp). In this way, it becomes clear that solar panels that produce little power, and thus have lower peak power, also cost less than efficient solar panels. For example, solar panels with less than 300 Wp of peak power, will be a lot cheaper than high-efficiency solar panels such as theSunPower panels of 425 Wp. Of course, which efficiency you need depends on how much energy you use. During a personal consultation, we can better assess your situation and determine which solar panel efficiency suits it.
Solar system of Patrick van Gerwen, customer of Zonnefabriek
“Can't afford to buy cheap” has been my motto for years. Rather spend a little more for good service and quality. I came to Zonnefabriek via via and am very satisfied with the result so far. Personal advice on location, good explanation of the products, fine club of installers in permanent employment (no external hired third party). It's all just right. And yes you pay a little more for that: that's what I call quality.”
Inverter and wiring
The total cost of a solar panel installation consists of the cost of the solar panels, the mounting hardware, the inverter(s), any optimizers, and the cabling between the solar panels and the inverter, and between the inverter and the meter box. Furthermore, the labor of the mechanics is also an important component. While the price of the solar panels is an important part of the total cost, the other factors should certainly not be underestimated.
Costs versus yield
The cost of solar panels alone does not say much about the return on investment. After all, the important thing is that the solar panels yield more than they cost, and that over the life of the installation the greatest possible return is achieved on the costs incurred.
The yield depends greatly on the location of the solar panels in relation to the sun, and on the presence of shade. The more the panels face south, at a nice angle to catch most of the sun's rays, the higher the yield will be. And when solar panels can be concentrated on a portion of a roof that is completely shade-free, that is always preferable to panels that sometimes suffer shade from pipes, chimneys or dormers.
Calculate the expected yield on your roof in our yield alculator tool.
Lifespan
The quality of all products used also plays a big role in the cost of solar panels; the longer a product lasts, the higher the final yield. Quality largely determines the cost. It is not enough just to look at the warranty: often manufacturers of inferior products tend to boast very long warranties, while in practice it proves difficult to claim compensation. It is important to read the warranty terms carefully, because one warranty is not like another.
Quality says more about longevity than warranty. Good solar panels have lower degradation, and are more solidly built. Read more about warranties here.
Price fluctuations
The cost of solar panels has dropped significantly in recent years. Competition among all kinds of giant companies from all over the world has led to lower prices. Due to a combination of factors, including increases in container prices and raw materials, the price has been rising again since 2021. This is only expected to increase more in the coming years. So don't wait too long to buy solar panels. Right now, you can still invest in solar panels relatively cheaply.
Advice
To get an idea of the price of a solar panel, we can roughly say that the price per watt peak of just the panel can range from €0.85 to €1.50. In general, the higher the price of solar panels, the higher the quality. Solar panels with a nicer appearance also cost slightly more than standard panels. For a good understanding of the total cost and ultimate return, a consultation at home is necessary.
