REC solar panels review 2025: Premium-class solar

When it comes to the most exquisite solar panels, REC should always be mentioned in the conversation. This is a highly respected, probably the most famous European brand with two decades in the business behind its back. Their panels are known to be impressively well-made and sometimes impressively expensive. Let’s look at them closely – here comes our REC solar panels review.

REC introduced half-cut cell technology to the industry

Norwegian brand is well-known for half-cut cell technology which its engineers introduced in 2014 with their TwinPeak panel. At that point most solar panels had 60 or 72 cells. REC engineers used lasers to split solar cells in half, doubling their number. Since then, half-cut cell technology has been adopted by other solar manufacturers.

Using half-cut cells essentially means:
• Better production. By cutting solar cells in half engineers managed to lower resistive losses. This improved the overall output of a module.
• Longer lifespan. Half-cut cell design provides better protection against microcracks and hot spots development. As a result, the panel lasts longer.
• Higher shading tolerance. Every panel is now split in two halves. If one of them gets shaded, it doesn’t affect the other one.
• Higher cost per Watt. Half-cut cell technology increased the price of modules, since the manufacturing process became more complicated.

Alpha series are the most advanced REC panels

REC engineers continued to build upon half-cut cell technology, perfecting and improving their modules. The latest result is their Alpha series which boast a number of features.

Heterojunction technology

Solar cell is encapsulated in layers of thin-film silicon to reduce power losses at the boundaries of a cell. The idea is similar to Panasonic HIT technology. This significantly improves the performance of panels in hot conditions and makes REC panels a great choice for hot areas – Arizona, for instance.

Advanced cell connection

Engineers increased the number of wires to improve the flow of current inside a panel. The risk of cell damage and microcracks development is lower, power losses decrease, and the panel lasts longer. Wires themselves are barely visible which makes the look of a cell more uniform.

Twin panel design

A panel not only comes with bypass diodes, but also is split in two halves which gives improved performance while shaded. The halves function independently from each other – they are like two small panels that are wired in parallel. When a cell in one half gets shaded, it doesn’t affect the other half, like in standard modules.

REC: Efficient, durable, reliable

Let’s look at specifications of REC panels to start. The brand has quite a diverse product line and panels do differ from each other in terms of power, durability and aging speed.

When it comes to efficiency, we can see that it ranges from 20% all the way up to over 22.5%. In fact, REC Alpha series panels are among the most efficient on the market with their energy conversion rate reaching 22.6%. High efficiency means that you need less space for a powerful system and can get by with fewer modules. It is especially important when there is not a lot of room to work with – for example, on a boat or RV. 

REC has gained a reputation as a company with expensive panels. While it can be true, the product line of the brand is diverse enough that you can find very simple, but still high-quality models for $0.6 per Watt. The most advanced and powerful modules, however, reach high prices like $1.3 per Watt. That puts REC on the same level with LG and Panasonic when it comes to cost.

Our customers often praise the quality in their REC solar panels reviews. Panels look expensive, they say, they don’t seem flimsy or sloppily-made. Modules undergo third party testing which decreases the chance of a bad item going for sale. The REC product in fact has a very low claims rate: on average, only 1 out of 10,000 panels malfunctions. Reputation for high quality is only reinforced by warranties that REC offers.

Most REC panels have a 25-year REC’s ProTrust Warranty that covers product, performance and labor. The system must be under 25 kW in size and installed by REC professionals to receive ProTrust warranty. Systems that are 25-500 kW in size have the same warranties for product and production, but only 10 years for labor.

Degradation rate of REC panels depends on the model. The most simple models that are still for sale loose around 0.7% per year which is completely average. They retain around 80% of their output by the time when warranty runs out. However, Alpha series panels lose only 0.25% per year and after 25 years in service retain over 92%. These power losses look lower than they are with almost any other brand in the industry, except maybe Panasonic.

The Norwegian brand also displays good numbers when it comes to weather resistance and performance on cloudy days. Modules from Alpha series can withstand 7,000 Pa mechanical load – one of the highest rates in the industry. Such a panel can endure 250 mph wind – most tornadoes and hurricanes are not a threat to it. Simpler REC panels, especially the ones that are designed for commercial installations, are less durable: around 2400 Pa of maximum wind load (140 mph wind).

All REC panels show amazing performance even in low-light conditions – in clouds and in the winter. On a sunny day the irradiance generally is around 1000 W/m2. According to datasheets of REC panels, even when the irradiance decreases to 200 W/m2, they still retain 95% of their performance. They also offer one of the best temperature coefficients in the industry, meaning they have an increased heat tolerance and their performance degrades less as temperature increases.

REC solar panels: Pros

To help you understand the strong and weak sides of REC panels, let’s break down their advantages and disadvantages in a small list. Let’s start with pros:

• High efficiency. Energy conversion rate of REC panels is higher than average. Alpha solar panels can reach 22.6% efficiency – it doesn’t really get a lot better than this yet.
• High quality. REC panels undergo third party testing, they are backed by strong warranties and their failure rate is 1 in 10,000.
• Great warranties. The Triple 25 year ProTrust warranty for most models is amazing since it covers product, performance and labor.
• Low degradation rate. Alpha REC panels lose only about 0.25% of their power annually and after 25 years they still retain over 92%. However, other REC models age faster — their degradation rate is close to the average in the industry or slightly better.
• Diverse product line. REC has panels for all types of applications, cheap and expensive models, all-black modules and standard-looking panels.

REC solar panels: Cons

However, mentioning only good things about solar panels would be unfair to our customers. So here are the weak points about REC panels that we see:

• REC solar panels prices can be high. While some models fit even a modest budget, others can reach the cost of 1.3$ per watt. This puts REC next to LG and Panasonic in the list of brands with the most expensive panels.
There are no modules beyond 470W in power. While the product line is diverse enough, REC panels might be considered limited in power output. Right now 470W is the highest number that you can get. While REC panels are great for residential and commercial projects of a medium scale, for building solar farms you might be better off with panels from Trina Solar or JA Solar.

REC solar panels overview: home, business, Alpha

Let’s pass on to the actual panels that REC put out on the market. We’ve asked our engineer to take a look at three models for different applications and share his opinion on them.

REC TwinPeak 5 series – To start with

This is one of the most simple, inexpensive and still high-quality solar panels for home systems in REC’s product line. TwinPeak shows improved shading tolerance because two sides of a panel are made independent of each other. The performance in low-light conditions is great! The module is fully protected from Potential Induced Degradation (PID) which can cause 20-30% power losses in wet weather. Degradation rate with this one is pretty generic though: after 25 years you end up with around 86% of rated power. The model is eligible for triple ProTrust warranty. 

REC Alpha Pure-R series – Powering home

REC Alpha Pure-R series is ideal for residential use, boasting 80 half-cut bifacial heterojunction cells and a power output of 400-430W. Good efficiency of 20.7-22.3%, though not the best for REC, allows you to make good use of installation space. Shading tolerance is also improved which is nice for systems of a large scale, since it’s hard to avoid shading when there are so many panels. 

REC Alpha Pure-RX series – Feeling Alpha

REC Alpha Pure-RX series is well-suited both for residential and commercial installations of a medium scale. The efficiency is much higher: with this model it goes up to 22.6%. Heterojunction technology makes the panel a great choice for hot areas. Degradation rate is amazingly low – only 0.25% power loss per year.

The manufacturer claims that overall you get up to 20% more energy with Alpha than with conventional modules. The frame is reinforced so it is capable of withstanding the pressure of 146 lbs/sq ft. This amounts to 250 mph wind: basically, the panel is ready for any kind of tornado or a hurricane that is coming its way. 

A1 SolarStore recommends REC Alpha Pure 2 

In stock

REC 420W Solar Panel 132 Cell REC420AAPURE2 Clearance

• Price per Watt$0.8
• Rated Power Output 420 W
• Voltage (VOC)49.1V
• Number of cells132
• Cell TypeMonocrystalline

Pickup on Tue, Jul 29 from Garner, NC

Delivery on Aug 01–06

$333^.90

Add to cart

Welcome REC 420W Alpha Pure 2 – an amazing 132-cell solar panel for home and commercial installations. The efficiency of these panels is as high as 21.7%. High power density allows you to use your space to the full extent – this particular module gives you 20.1 W per square foot.

Heterojunction cell technology ensures great performance at high temperatures. The panel loses only 0.25% of its output annually and retains 92% of its production after 25 years. The module is eligible for triple 25 warranty for labor, performance and product if you use REC installation services. Even the design is superb! 

Our verdict: REC is an amazing brand

REC is a good brand and Alpha series is just great – a little pricey though. We see no reason not to recommend REC’s products with its amazing efficiency and high quality. With that we end our REC solar panel review 2025 – check out the Norwegian panels in our store for yourself!

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Illustrations – Marina Fionova

Andrey Gorichenski

Senior Editor

Andrey had been a news editor and freelance writer for a number of medias before joining A1 SolarStore team. Climate change and its impact on people's lives has always been among his interests and it partially explains his degree in Philosophy and Ethics.

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