One of the biggest electronics producers in the world is LG. According to EnergySage, LG solar panels are among the top solar panels currently offered to American homeowners, ranking alongside SunPower and Panasonic. Here is some information about LG solar panels you should know before buying.
Basics Of LG Solar Panels
- Power rating (W): 350W – 450W
- Efficiency (%): High – 19.8% – 22.0%
- Cell technology: Premium N-type
- Price bracket: High $$$$
- Most popular panel: Neon 2 370W
- Product Warranty: Excellent – 25 years
- Service and support: Very good 5/5
- Overall: N/A – No longer available
LG Solar Panels
High-quality, Tier 1 solar panels are produced by LG Solar, a subsidiary of the enormous South Korean corporation LG. Although the company’s current production capacity is unclear, it produced about 2 gigawatts of panels in 2017.
LG Solar is still a major player in the market and is concentrated on the high-end panel market, despite the fact that this is only 23% of what the global leader Jinko produced in the same year.
LG made the announcement that it would be leaving the solar panel industry on February 23, 2022. According to a source at the business, “megawatts” of solar panels have been set aside for potential warranty claims.
One of the best warranties currently offered in the world, covering all panels LG Solar currently sells in Australia for 25 years is a full replacement product warranty. They offer a product warranty that, in contrast to most manufacturers, covers the cost of labor to install replacement panels.
The NeON 2, NeON H, the more efficient NeON R, and the more affordable Mono X Plus are the four-panel models that LG Solar now offers for sale in Australia.
While the Mono X Plus has a 15-year product warranty with a 25-year performance warranty, the NeON 2, H, and R all have 25-year product and performance warranties.
Mono X Plus Panels
A few years ago, the original “Mono X” series of LG panels was phased out in Australia. However, LG has re-launched the Mono X line with their “Mono X Plus” panel series, which has a shorter 15-year product warranty than the NeON series of panels.
Neon 2 Panels
The LG NeON 2 and the LG NeON 2 Black are the two different types of LG NeON panels. With an efficiency of up to 21.4%, LG NeOn 2 panels can be very helpful for efficiently using the available roof space.
Although it has marginally lower efficiency, the LG NeON 2 Black is still a great option for those who believe that black is the new black because some people like its dark color.
All of the panels are resistant to corrosion caused by salt mist and ammonia, making them suitable for installation throughout Australia.
Neon R Panels
The NeON R panels from LG Solar are up to 22% more efficient than the NeON 2 panels they replace.
Neon H Panels
In Australia, the NeON H rooftop range will be offered in 370W and 385W capacities starting in June or July 2021. The 120 half-cut solar cells that make up the NeON H have an efficiency range of 20.1% to 20.9%.
LG Solar Panels Compared To Other Panel Manufacturers
Efficiency
Solar panel efficiency is a term used to describe how well a solar panel will absorb sunlight and transform it into usable electricity. In the same circumstances, a solar panel with high efficiency can generate more electricity than a panel with low efficiency of the same size. Because of this, a higher efficiency rating is typically preferred.
The LG solar panel model you choose for your house will affect how efficient the panels are. LG panels operate with an efficiency of around 18.4% on the low end, and up to 22.1% for their high-end solar PV products.
This price range is ideal for many home solar systems; very high-efficiency solar panels, like those made by SunPower, are typically more expensive and not required unless the size of your system is limited by the available roof space.
Performance Of LG Solar Panels (temperature Coefficient)
The temperature coefficient was used to assess solar panel performance for this section of EnergySage’s reviews of LG panels. The temperature coefficient reveals how well your solar panel will function under less-than-ideal circumstances.
Similar to other electronics, solar panels work best when kept cool, ideally at or below 25°C (77°F). You can get a sense of how the performance of your panel will change on hot, sunny summer days by looking at the temperature coefficient.
The electricity generated by your solar panel will decrease by its temperature coefficient for every degree above 25°C (77°F). The temperature coefficient for LG’s LG370A1C-V5 panel, part of its NeON R ACe product line, is -0.3%/°C.
This means that if the temperature of the panel rises by one degree, from 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) to 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit), its ability to produce electricity will be reduced by 0.3%.
The amount of electricity produced will decrease by 3.0% if the temperature rises to 35° C (95° F).
Your solar panels will probably experience more than a few hot, sunny days throughout the course of each year, so the temperature coefficient is a crucial metric to take into account.
The temperature coefficient should ideally be as close to 0 degrees Celsius as possible; a panel with a temperature coefficient of -0.4%/°C is preferable to one with a rating of -0.5%/°C.
The temperature coefficient ratings of LG’s solar panels, which range from -0.40 to -0.29%/° C, are better than average.
Warranties
The manufacturer ought to offer a robust warranty to back up their product, whether you’re purchasing a solar panel, a car, or a television.
The materials warranty on a solar panel, also known as the product or equipment warranty, is a promise that, in the event that your panel fails due to a manufacturing flaw or environmental factors, the manufacturer will replace it.
An industry-best 25-year warranty from LG covers any solar panel flaws.
How Much Do LG Solar Panels Cost
Making a choice about the best solar equipment for your house requires taking cost into consideration. The additional hardware (like inverters and mounts) used during installation will affect the final cost of a solar energy system with LG panels.
We looked at quotes from installers on the EnergySage Solar Marketplace who used LG solar panels to determine the price range you can anticipate for your system. We discovered that the average cost per watt for LG systems is $2.46 to $3.38.
Accordingly, your gross cost for a 6 kW system would range from $14,760 to $20,280. But the average homeowner will pay a lot less than the total gross cost. Incentives and rebates for solar energy abound, including a federal tax credit of 26% for solar energy, which can help you lower upfront costs.
With good reason, LG solar panels are among the most sought-after goods on the EnergySage Solar Marketplace. One of the most well-known panel product lines on the market is the NeON 2 series, followed by the NeONN R series.
They provide warranties, performance, and efficiency that are above average for a fair price. Additionally, a few of LG’s high-efficiency products are listed among the top solar panels on the market by EnergySage.
Most importantly, LG is a reputable, well-established company, so you can be sure that it will be around to honor its warranties for many years to come.
Conclusion
Even though LG panels are more expensive than their rivals—the Neon 2 costs about 30% more than mono modules—you get a lot more for your money with these displays. LG panels are still more expensive than the majority of other Tier 1 Chinese-owned brands, despite the fact that their strong brand and better value are advantages when compared to their main rival SunPower.
Read more: How Do Solar Panels Transport Energy?