Will Solar Panels Make My Home Look Ugly?

Aren’t solar panels ugly?

Whenever anyone expresses concern about how solar panels will look on the roof of their home, I almost always point to SunPower, a California-based manufacturer of solar panels. Not only do they make the most efficient panel on the market today, they also make what I believe to be some of the best-looking solar panels out there.

As you can see in the pictures below, SunPower’s panels are dark — almost black — and have a fairly low profile. You’ll pay a bit more for SunPower panels — both because they have such a high a solar efficiency and because they are high quality — but, depending on your priorities and sensibilities, they can be well worth the solar cost premium.

Here’s what SunPower solar panels look like in their element:

Not bad, right? There are of course other manufacturers out there — and many of them make aesthetically pleasing solar panels. I just figured I’d share these SunPower images to prove to some doubters (like my mother) that a well-designed solar home energy system can, in fact, be easy on the eyes.