All You Need to Know About the Different Types of Solar Panels
Major Types of Solar Panels
Basically, there are three major types of solar panels available in the market today: Monocrystalline, Polycrystallineand Thin-film. Now, each type of panel has some pros and cons. So, read on to figure out what will match your specific requirements.1. Monocrystalline Solar Panels
Despite being the oldest type of solar panel, a monocrystalline panel is the most developed. The panels comprise of monocrystalline solar cells in this case. They contain 40 of the monocrystalline cells and the cells are made out of pure silicon. Monocrystalline cells appear black due to the interaction between sunlight and pure silicon. However, buyers can choose from a variety of colours when it comes to back sheets and frames.Here are Some of the Key Advantages of Monocrystalline Cells:
- Monocrystalline cells are placed in a pyramid pattern, which results in an increased surface area for better absorption of solar energy.
- These cells have higher efficiency (between 18 per cent and 24 per cent) than the other kinds of solar cells.
- The longevity of monocrystalline cells is up to 30 years.
- This solar panel type has greater heat resistance.
2. Polycrystalline Solar Panels
Polycrystalline panels (also known as Multicrystalline panels) consist of several crystals of silicon in each PV cell. These panels are the most popular among the three types of solar panels. Fragments of silicon crystals are melted and then cut into wafers to make these. The surface of polycrystalline panels looks like a mosaic and are square. The surface has a bluish tone as the panels are made up of several crystals of silicon. Like monocrystalline panels, there are certain advantages associated with polycrystalline panels as well: -- Polycrystalline panels are more eco-friendly than monocrystalline panels.
- These panels cost less as they have a simple manufacturing process.
- There’s less consumption of silicon during the making of polycrystalline panels.
3. Thin-Film Panels
Thin-film panels belong to the second generation of solar cells. As the name suggests, thin-film panels are almost 350 times thinner than those that use silicon wafers. Another distinguishing feature of thin-film panels is that they are made of a variety of materials. For instance, a thin-film panel can be made from cadmium telluride, amorphous silicon or Copper Indium Gallium Selenide. Being second-generation panels, there are certain advantages of thin-film panels, which contribute to its growing popularity: -- Thin-film panels are flexible and can be made from various materials and not just silicon.
- This type of solar panel is much cheaper than the other two types of panels.
- Customers can save on installation costs as well due to its lightweight construction.
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