Types of Solar Panels
Photovoltaic (PV) cells in large numbers make up solar panels. Solar cells on solar panels absorb photons, the sun’s energy packets, when sunlight strikes their surface. As a result, the cells become excited and begin to vibrate, producing green electricity. The three primary types of solar panel cells—polycrystalline, monocrystalline, and thin-film—will be discussed in this blog. To select the best panel for your house, place of business, or neighborhood, you must first comprehend the variations between the three.
Types of Solar Panels
- Monocrystalline Solar Panels
Monocrystalline solar panels are the most established and sophisticated kind. Monocrystalline solar panels are made from silicon solar cells with a single crystal, as the name suggests. These solar cells are made from pure silicon wafers that have been cut into slices and formed into bars. During this process, the cell edges are decreased, softened, and smoothed to maximize the solar cells’ capacity to generate power. Despite taking a lot of effort and resources, this gives the monocrystalline cells a unique appearance. The finest purity silicon is used to create solar panels, making them a premium product. Despite being more expensive, monocrystalline cells often have higher efficiency and a longer lifespan. The cells’ single crystal construction allows for a higher power output. Additionally, the appearance of monocrystalline cells is uniformly black. As a result, they are the greatest choice for anyone looking for a modern black solar panel.
- Polycrystalline Solar Panels
Polycrystalline panels are created by mixing and melting raw silicon, which is then put into a square mold to make wafers. Contrary to their monocrystalline rivals, polycrystalline cells do not require the slicing of all four sides. This is good for the environment because there will be less garbage. In comparison to manufacturing monocrystalline solar panels, the process is typically speedier and less expensive. The wafers are then assembled to form a polycrystalline panel. Indicators include the blue finish, rectangular form, and polycrystalline cell specks. They seem blue and speckled because each cell contains many crystals and because of the way sunlight reflects off of these crystals. The mid-range panel is commonly thought of as polycrystalline, also referred to as “multi-crystalline” panels. Polycrystalline solar panels are more inexpensive, but are less effective.
- Thin-Film Solar Panels
Thin-Film solar panels are made of layers of semiconducting materials including silicon, cadmium telluride, and copper indium gallium selenide. Transparent conducting layers and the semiconductor layer are sandwiched between the top glass layer, which aids in reflecting sunlight. While not the same as solid silicon wafers, Thin-Film solar panels can occasionally be manufactured of silicon. Actually, it is a non-crystalline kind of silicon. Thin-film solar panels frequently have lower efficiency and power capacities than crystalline solar panels. They can generate a lot of solar energy, but because of their efficiency, which is only about 11%, they require a lot more roof space. They are subject to the shortest warranties since they decay more quickly than crystalline panels.
Conclusion
When choosing the best Solar Panel, the project and budget are always taken into account. Due to their affordability, polycrystalline solar panels outperform monocrystalline ones in residential buildings, however monocrystalline panels are still used. For instance, due to the panels’ increased efficiency, monocrystalline cells are a better choice if the property has a smaller roof. Although they are rarely used on residential residences, thin-film solar panels are suitable for larger projects like those for commercial or historic structures due to their lightweight nature.
Meta Description
In this blog, three types of Solar Panels i.e. Monocrystalline, Polycrystalline and Thin-Film solar panels have been discussed thoroughly.