LG solar panels: are they worth it?

LG is well known for its high-quality electronics, and the company’s solar PV products are no different. In fact, LG solar panels appear alongside SunPower and Panasonic in EnergySage’s ranking of the best solar panels currently available to homeowners in the United States. Currently, LG’s residential product line focuses on the NeON series of panels: the NeON 2 and NeON R variations. The LG NeON R ACe series is especially worth a look, as a high-powered smart module with an integrated microinverter.

Whether you’re debating the merits of SunPower vs. LG solar panels or simply trying to evaluate your solar PV options, a thorough review of solar panel product specifications is the best way to be confident in your solar investment. EnergySage’s LG solar panels review breaks down all of the details to evaluate how LG compares to other solar panel brands on the market.

LG solar panels compared to other panel manufacturers

There are four key metrics that you should consider when you evaluate solar panel quality: efficiency, performance, warranties, and price. EnergySage has developed LG reviews for each metric to help you with your decision. We’ve also created a comparison of LG solar panels against other leading panel manufacturers frequently offered to homeowners and businesses shopping for solar on the EnergySage Solar Marketplace.

Efficiency

The term “solar panel efficiency” refers to how well a solar panel will capture sunshine and convert it into useful electricity. A high-efficiency solar panel can produce more electricity than a lower-efficiency panel of the same size in the same conditions. For this reason, a higher efficiency rating is generally preferable.

The efficiency of your LG solar panels will vary depending on the specific model that you choose for your home. On the lower end, LG panels have approximately 18.4% efficiency, while premium LG solar PV products can operate with as much as 22.1% efficiency. This range is ideal for many home solar systems – very high-efficiency solar panels like SunPower typically come with a premium price tag and aren’t necessary unless your system size is constrained by the amount of space on your roof.

Performance of LG solar panels (temperature coefficient)

For this portion of EnergySage’s LG panel reviews, we used the temperature coefficient to evaluate solar panel performance. The temperature coefficient indicates how well your solar panel will perform in less-than-ideal conditions. Solar panels, like other electronics, operate at their best when they are kept cool (ideally around 25° C/77° F). The temperature coefficient gives you a sense of how your panel’s performance will change during hot sunny summer days.

For every degree above 25° C (77° F), your solar panel’s electricity production will decrease by its temperature coefficient. For example, LG’s LG370A1C-V5 panel, from its NeON R ACe product line, has a temperature coefficient of -0.3%/° C. This means that, if the panel’s temperature increases by one degree from 25° C (77° F) to 26° C (79° F), its electricity production will be reduced by -0.3%. If its temperature increases all the way to 35° C (95° F), electricity production will decrease by 3.0%.

Temperature coefficient is an important metric to consider because your solar panels will likely see more than a few hot and sunny days over the course of each year. Ideally, the temperature coefficient should be as close to zero as possible – a panel that has a temperature coefficient of -0.4%/° C is preferable to one rated at -0.5%/° C. LG’s solar panels offer above-average temperature coefficient ratings, ranging from -0.40 to -0.29%/° C.

Warranties

Whether you’re buying a TV, a car, or solar panels, the manufacturer should stand behind their product with a strong warranty. A solar panel’s materials warranty (sometimes referred to as the product or equipment warranty) is a guarantee that the manufacturer will replace your panel in the event of an equipment failure due to manufacturing defects or environmental issues.

LG offers an industry-leading 25-year warranty against any defects in their solar panels.

Check out our in-depth review of LG Solar’s warranty.

Brand	Efficiency	Performance/Temperature Coefficient	Warranty
LG	18.4 - 22.1%	-0.40 to -0.29%/° C	25 Years
Panasonic	19.1% - 21.7%	-0.26% / °C	25 Years
SunPower	20.1% to 22.8%	-0.37% / °C	25 Years

Best LG Solar Panels

LG has a large offering across different categories. Here are some of their stand-out models. All models listed have a 25-year panel and inverter warranty. 

• 345W NeON 2 Black Solar Panel
  • LG’s best selling model, this has an extremely high 20% efficiency. LG Neon2 uses bifacial solar technology to achieve higher efficiencies.

• 375W High Efficiency LG NeON R 
  • This option is designed for high power output of DC 375W, AC 320W with 21.7% efficiency. 

• 400W High Efficiency LG NeON2 BiFacial Solar Panel 
  • Compared to other options, this model is able to absorb 30% more light.

How much do LG solar panels cost?

You can’t make a decision about the right solar equipment for your home without taking cost into account. The total price you pay for a solar energy system with LG panels will vary depending on the other equipment (such as inverters and mounts) used in the installation. We reviewed quotes from installers on the EnergySage Solar Marketplace that featured LG solar panels to identify the range of prices you can expect to pay for your system. Overall, we found that LG systems are typically priced at between $2.46 and $3.38 per watt.

This means that, for a 6 kW system, your gross cost would be anywhere from $14,760 to $20,280. Most homeowners, however, will end up paying much less than the total gross cost. There are plenty of solar incentives and rebates to help you reduce upfront costs, including the 26 percent federal tax credit for solar. 

LG solar panels are some of the most popular products on the EnergySage Solar Marketplace, and for good reason. The NeON 2 and NeONN R series are two of the most popular panel product lines on the market. They offer above-average efficiency, performance, and warranties for a reasonable price. Some of LG’s high-efficiency products also appear in EnergySage’s ranking of the best solar panels available on the market. Perhaps most importantly, LG is an established, trustworthy company, which means you can be confident that the company will be around to honor their warranties for years to come.

How to find the best price on LG solar panels

If you’re shopping for solar for your home or business, reading EnergySage’s LG solar panels review is a great place to start. LG has a 5-star manufacturer rating on the EnergySage buyers guide. Customers often mention the higher price of LG products but praise their customer service, quality and industry-leading warranty.The best way to determine whether LG solar panels are the best solar panels for your home is to get multiple quotes with different solar equipment options before making a decision. When you compare all of your options on the EnergySage Solar Marketplace, you’ll find the right combination of price and quality that meets your needs. Many of our qualified, pre-vetted solar installers offer LG solar panels in their quotes to EnergySage users. When registering, simply note in your profile that you’re interested in receiving quotes that include LG solar panels for your home.