What’s the Size of a Solar Panel? Solar Panel Size and Weight Comparison in 2018

By Isaac Ost | Apr 2, 2018

If you are thinking about installing a solar panel system at your home, one of the first things you must consider is how much physical space your system will take up. The size of a solar panel, among other factors, influences the amount of electricity that is generated, and the amount of space that you have available influences the number of panels you can install.

Therefore, it is important to consider these factors in your selection of solar panels.

Another physical characteristic that should be taken into account during your search is the weight of each solar panel. Some solar panels take up more surface area but may weigh less depending on their specific hardware. The weight of your solar panels and the type of roof you have will impact the mounting system that you need.

To keep you informed, we created this list that is comprised of our 5 most popular solar panels at Solar.com along with their size and weight. For the sizes, we can just look at the length and width because the height is usually just an inch or two and does not affect the module much.

Hanwha Solar Panels

Hanwha’s Q Cell solar panel modules come in two sizes: a 60 cell and 72 cell panel. A solar cell is an individual unit that makes up a solar panel and is directly involved in the process of converting sunlight into electrical energy. So, a 72 cell panel is usually going to be physically larger and will produce more electricity than a 60 cell panel.

The 60 cell solar panels are all around 65.8 inches in length by 39.4 inches in width. This means it takes up a total area of about 18 square feet. Additionally, all of the 60 cell modules have a weight of 41.45 pounds. The 72 cell panels are 78.5 inches in length by 39.4 inches in width and take up about 21.5 square feet. These modules also weigh 52.9 pounds.

Hyundai Solar Panels

Hyundai’s PERL monocrystalline solar cells come in a variety of panel sizes. Although slightly less efficient than most competitors, Hyundai is still a popular choice for solar systems because of its lower cost. With over 10 modules to choose from, the weights range anywhere from 41.2 to 51.1 pounds. All of Hyundai’s solar panels come in either 2 sizes:

1) 17.62 square feet

Length = 64.57 in.
Width = 39.29 in.

2) 23.95 square feet

Length = 77.17 in.
Width = 39.29 in.

LG Solar Panels

LG has a huge selection of solar panel modules that are known for their high efficiency and lower weight. They also have two categories of modules based on the number of cells in each panel. Their 60 cell panels are all relatively the same size at around 18 square feet (65 in. length by 40 in. height) and weigh about 37.5 pounds. Their 72 cell panels are also around the same sizes of 22.2 square feet (80 in. length by 40 in. height) all weigh close to 46 pounds.

SunPower Solar Panels

SunPower’s solar panels are close competitors to LG in terms of efficiency and quality. They have 3 different categories of solar panels, which are mainly based on their efficiency. These are the X Series, E Series, and P Series. The X Series modules come in 72 cell and 96 cell panel sizes. The 72 cell takes up 13.38 square feet with a length of 61.34 inches and a width of 31.42 inches. The 96 cell covers 17.5 square feet with a 61.34-inch length and 41.18 inch height. The E Series and P Series are about the same sizes and are just slightly less efficient. They all weigh around 41 pounds.

Panasonic Solar Panels

Panasonic has several high-efficiency solar panel modules that are of similar cost and quality to LG and SunPower. Their HIT® solar panel modules come in 5 variations but are all practically the same size and weight. They cover an area of 18 square feet and weigh around 41 pounds.

Solar Panels Don’t Vary Too Much In Sizes and Weights

Although each solar panel model is slightly different in efficiency, maximum power, temperature coefficient, and more, the sizes and weights are generally around the same range. Most solar panels are sized from about 17 square feet to 23 square feet and weigh anywhere from 40 pounds to 50 or so pounds. Hopefully, this list will give you some more direction on which solar panels you want to install.