There are many ways products can aid installation in the residential market, whether it’s software that makes designing easier or mounting systems with fewer parts to assemble. For the 2024 Top Products, our residential judges assessed products on their originality, market promise and benefits to installers and developers. These are the products in specific categories that received honorable mentions. Congratulations to the Residential Honorable Mention awards!
Also be sure to see our Best in Show winners in the residential market here.
Inverters: SMA America – Sunny Boy Smart Energy
SMA America’s Sunny Boy Smart Energy hybrid inverter received an honorable mention in our inverters category. This inverter enables both immediate energy use and storage with a single device. The Backup Secure setting, previously known as Secure Power Supply, provides up to 1.9 kW of daytime energy to a dedicated power outlet during grid outages.
The Sunny Boy Smart Energy inverter can be DC-coupled with batteries and is capable of high-speed charging. Flexible DC design windows make this inverter a good choice for repowering projects as well as new installs.
The inverter comes in larger power classes of 9.6 and 11.5 kW and features four MPPTs. Installers can commission the inverter quickly using SMA’s
360° app.
Solar-Plus: Lumin – Lumin Smart Panel
Our judges named the Lumin Smart Panel as an honorable mention within the solar-plus category. Lumin Smart Panel is an energy load management system that gives users the option to prioritize and manage energy loads in their homes through an associated app. They can set their own preferences for energy usage, prioritizing certain loads over others as needed.
Lumin Smart Panel can be installed as a retrofitted solution without the need for additional wiring or equipment. The system is product-agnostic and compatible with most inverters, generators, load centers and batteries, and it maintains energy controls to all of a home’s circuits, even during energy blackouts.
Lumin Smart Panel is currently deployed across the United States, helping homeowners reduce their energy costs through energy load management.
Mounting: Pegasus – InstaFlash2
The InstaFlash2 mounting solution from Pegasus has won another honorable mention in the residential market. The second iteration of Pegasus’ InstaFlash solar mounts debuted in 2024.
InstaFlash2 is a solar attachment for composition shingle rooftops that can mount directly to decking and rafters, sealing any penetrations made during installation using a built-in sealant housed in a protective cage. The sealant is graded to be installed in temperatures between 0° and 170°F and is dispensed when a bolt is driven through the mount.
InstaFlash is designed to simplify installation by using one bolt for attachment and removing the messy step of applying sealant to flash penetrations. All components of this mounting option are inventoried as a single product.
InstaFlash2 was designed with feedback from installers and roofers using Pegasus products. Thousands of the mount have already been installed and it’s backed by Pegasus’ 25-year warranty.
Panels: CertainTeed – SunStyle
A common concern in residential solar is aesthetics, and our judges believed the building-integrated photovoltaic shingle SunStyle from CertainTeed deserved an honorable mention. SunStyle has been deployed in Europe for 18 years, and CertainTeed began exclusively distributing it in the United States in 2024.
SunStyle is a solar module and roof covering in one package. These solar tiles are composed of mono-PERC cells and are rated to withstand adverse weather conditions. SunStyle is installed in an overlapping configuration that waterproofs and integrates to the roof and can work around obstructions like chimneys and skylights. Installation is similar to tile, metal or slate roofing.
These solar tiles leave enough space for airflow above the roof deck to maintain proper temperatures for system electronics to function. On-board electrical connectors and wiring meet rapid shutdown requirements. And like traditional PV modules, SunStyle tiles are compatible with batteries and energy storage systems.
Storage: Briggs & Stratton – SimpliPHI 6.6 Battery
Briggs & Stratton’s latest residential battery earned an honorable mention in the energy storage category for its attention to details most requested by installers. The SimpliPHI 6.6 Battery was launched in 2024 and features the proprietary RapidStak connector that includes all communications and power in a single connection.
The company set out to simplify installations with a few elements of the new battery. For this model, engineers eliminated DIP switches and wires between batteries to reduce time spent cutting and terminating wires. A three-module stack can now be assembled in under five minutes.
The SimpliPHI 6.6 is designed in a sleek, compact form factor and is lighter than previous generations at 125 lbs. It’s IP65-rated and can be ground- or wall-mounted indoors or outdoors without the need for additional cabinets. It’s designed for easy integration with Sol-Ark inverters and compatible with all lithium-communicating inverter models.