Are Solar Panels Still Ugly?

All Black, No Grid Lines.
The sleekness of all-black solar panels has made them a hugely popular choice for our customers, as they offer an incredibly modern, elegant appearance. These panels eliminate grid lines to create a uniform, dark surface.

This clean aesthetic allows the array to blend seamlessly into the roofline—especially on modern slate or dark-tiled roofs—where they often achieve a sophisticated, glass-like finish that complements the architecture of the home rather than distracting from it.

Black Frame, White Grid Lines. 

These panels are the preferred choice for Naked Solar customers across a wide range of residential and commercial installations. By choosing this design, you no longer have to compromise, as these panels perfectly combine durability, high performance, and sleek design.

White-backed solar panels are slightly more efficient because they reflect stray light back into the cells and run cooler than their all black counterparts.. How much will you benefit? Our advanced PV Sol forecast will accurately calculate the difference between white grid lines and all black panels.

Bi-facial.

With a glass backsheet instead of polymer, Bi-facial panels utilise light reflected on to the back of the panel to gain a bit more energy.  Therefore the gaps between the cells are transparent.  The energy increase on a roof mounted system is 1-5% while up to 25% can be achieved on a ground mount that’s above light coloured ground.

Bifacial solar panels have a longer lifespan and better durability than traditional monofacial panels. This is largely because they utilise a glass-on-glass design, acting as a more robust and weather-resistant encapsulant compared to the polymer backsheets.

Silver Frame, White Grid Lines. 
While these are common on older installations, it’s unusual to see them as an option on the market in more recent years.   The aluminium frame stands out and the white backing sheet is visible between the cells.  The set up reflects more heat, keeps the panel cooler and increases efficiency.

Because they’re quite industrial looking, these basic panels are more common in manufacturers commercial ranges. They look particularly good on metal roofs, so if you’ve got a warehouse to power, these are the best of all worlds: cheap, chic and high energy.

Coloured Solar PV.
If you really want some colour in your life, or on your roof, you can now choose Solar PV panels of almost any hue.  Some people do it because they want to stand out, others do it for precisely the opposite reason – to blend in.

For consideration: Coloured Solar PV panels are generally not MCS-certified for the UK market. This means choosing colour often means sacrificing the ability to claim certain government-backed export payments, and sacrificng some key benefits of your system.

Solar Tiles.
While Tesla’s solar tiles generated plenty of buzz in 2018, they never actually made it to the UK market and have had limited success in the USA.  There are several solar tile manufacturers on the market, however due to their high costs and low performance they are very niche and only chosen by customers who’s aesthetic desires are extremely high.  Get in touch if you’re keen to learn more and we can talk you through the most up to date options.