250-watt solar panels: are they right for you?

One important metric to consider when comparing solar panel options is a panel’s power rating, referred to as wattage. 250-watt (W) solar panels are close to the average wattage of solar panels available today and are a great panel option for many types of solar projects.


Most solar panels installed on homes or businesses today are between 250 to 365 watts per panel, and solar panels above and below that range are also available. In order to determine if 250W solar panels are right for you, it is important to understand what the options are and how much energy 250W panels produce.

List of 250-watt solar panels

Many manufacturers make 250W solar panels. Below is a list of 250W panels, each listed with their efficiency and the company that produces them. Some manufacturers make more than one 250W panel model, but only one model per company is listed below.

List of 250-watt solar panels

Panel manufacturerPanel modelPanel efficiency
AmerisolarAS-6M30-25015.37
AmerisolarAS-6P30-25015.37
AxitecAC-250M/156-60S15.37
AxitecAC-250P/156-60S15.37
BenQ Solar (AUO)PM060P00 (250)15.5
Boviet SolarBVM6610P-25015.4
CentroSolarCP60 25015.4
CentroSolarDP60 25015.3
ET SolarET-P660250BB15.37
Green BrillianceGB60P6-25015.48
HansolHS-250-NB-AN314.97
Hanwha SolarOneHSL60P6-PC-1-25015
HelieneHEE250P15.6
HyundaiHiS-M250MG15.5
HyundaiHiS-M250RG15.3
Peimar GroupOS250P15.4
Peimar GroupSG250P15.4
ReneSolaJC250M-24/Bb15.4
ReneSolaJC250M-24/Bgs15.2
Renogy SolarRNG-250D15.3
Renogy SolarRNG-250P17.6
S-EnergySN250P-1015.3
S-EnergySM-250-PC815.03
SolarWorldSunmodule Pro-Series SW250 Poly14.91
Trina Solar EnergyTSM-255PD05.0815.3
Trina Solar EnergyTSM-250PEG5.0715.2
Trina Solar EnergyTSM-250PD05.08215.3
Trina Solar EnergyTSM-250PD05.00215.3

How many 250-watt solar panels do you need?

A single 250W solar panel is rated to produce 250 watts of power, but the actual power output you see from your panels depends on many factors, including geographic location, shading, and the tilt of your panels.

The number of solar panels you’ll install depends on the amount of electricity you want to generate and the space available for solar panels. The table below compares different sized solar panel systems by the number of 250W solar panels needed for each system size. In some cases, the number of 250W panels is rounded to the nearest panel.

How many 250-watt solar panels do you need? System size comparison table

System size (kW)Average annual kWh productionNumber of 250W solar panels
2 kW2,8208
5 kW7,05020
6 kW8,46024
7 kW9,87028

*Assumes a production ration of 1.41

Using eight 250W solar panels will produce roughly 2,800 kilowatts hours (kWh) of electricity, which is significantly below how much electricity a standard single-family household uses. Installing 24 panels for a 6 kW system will produce enough electricity to significantly offset or eliminate your electric bill with solar.

How much space will a solar energy system using 250W panels take on your roof or property? The table below demonstrates estimates for solar energy systems using only 250W solar panels. For the purpose of calculating estimated space needed, we assumed that 250W solar panels are, on average, 16.5 square feet (5.5’ by 3’).

How much space will a solar installation with 250-watt solar panels take?

System size (kW)Number of 250-watt solar panelsEstimated space needed (sq. ft.)
2 kW8132
5 kW20330
6 kW24396
7 kW28462

250W solar panels are around standard when it comes to space efficiency on your roof, and a typical roof of a single-family home will likely have enough space for the number of panels needed to significantly offset electricity costs. If you have a small roof or a roof with lots of space you don’t want to be covered with panels, consider a ground-mounted solar system.

Are 250-watt solar panels right for your solar installation?

250W solar panels are near the average wattage of panels used for solar installations and will make sense for many property owners. Whether you’re looking for low, standard, or high wattage panels, you can get multiple solar quotes from pre-screened installers by signing up on the EnergySage Marketplace. If you have preferences when it comes to solar equipment, you can simply note them in your account so installers can quote accordingly. If you’d prefer to start investigating your solar options with a quick estimate on what solar can save you, try our Solar Calculator.