Find the right solar panels for your home

Bloomberg's Tier 1 ranking is a financial-stability rating, not a quality score. It tracks which manufacturers banks will finance for utility-scale projects. Tier 1 panels typically come from larger, more established companies, but smaller Tier 2 brands can still produce excellent residential panels. Focus instead on CEC approval, warranty terms, and AU support rather than tier rankings alone.

Mixing panel brands or wattages on the same MPPT string is generally not recommended — different panels have different voltages and currents, which can cause the system to underperform. If you need to mix (e.g. expanding an existing system), use separate MPPT inputs or microinverters to isolate the strings. Always check with your installer before mixing.

Most modern residential panels are 440-475W. A typical 6.6kW system uses 15 × 440W panels (= 6,600W exactly). Higher-wattage panels (470W+) let you fit more capacity in the same roof area, which matters if your roof space is limited. For most Perth homes with average roof space, 440-460W panels offer the best balance of cost and performance.

Yes — CEC approval is a prerequisite for STC eligibility. All panels listed in our index are on the Clean Energy Council Approved Products Register and qualify for the federal Small-scale Technology Certificates rebate (currently ~$276 per kW installed in Perth, subject to STC market price — the value steps down each year as the scheme winds toward 2030). Verify your installer is also SAA-accredited to claim the rebate.

Fire testing isn't legally required, but it's a strong quality signal. Panels with AU fire testing have been independently verified to meet AS/NZS 5033 fire safety standards. Given Perth's bushfire risk in some metro fringe suburbs, fire-tested panels are worth prioritising — particularly for tile roofs and homes in BAL-rated zones.

Modern panels carry 25-30 year performance warranties (guaranteeing 80-87% of rated output at end of warranty) and 12-25 year product warranties (covering manufacturing defects). Real-world degradation is typically 0.4-0.5% per year. A panel installed today should still produce 85%+ of its rated output after 25 years, assuming no physical damage.