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The type of solar panel you need depends on the type of system you want to install. For a traditional rooftop solar panel system, you''ll usually want monocrystalline panels due to their high efficiency. If you have a big roof with a lot of space, you might choose polycrystalline panels to save money upfront. Want to DIY a portable solar setup on an RV or boat? Thin-film solar panels are a great option.
Over the last 130 years, solar panel technology has evolved in the pursuit of higher efficiency, lower costs, aesthetics, and durability. While each of the three modern designs comes with advantages, the current solar panel market tends to align panel technology with the most cost-effective and savings-driven application.
The three main types of solar panels are monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and thin film.
Monocrystalline solar panels are the most efficient.
Polycrystalline solar panels can be the most cost-effective.
Thin-film solar panels can be the best for DIY projects or RVs.
There are three major types of solar panels: monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and thin-film. The solar panel type best suited for your installation will depend on your preferences and factors specific to your own property.
Monocrystalline solar panels generally offer the highest quality. But if cost or ease of installation are more important to you, it''s worth exploring other options. Here are some things to keep in mind:
Monocrystalline panels are the most efficient of the crystalline solar panels at 17-22% efficiency.
Polycrystalline panels are less efficient at 15-17% efficiency but can be the most cost-effective option.
Thin-film solar panels are best for RVs or other unconventional roof styles. They''re the most resilient.
Each type of panel comes with a different price tag, primarily due to differences in the manufacturing processes.
Monocrystalline panels are usually the most expensive solar panel type. Manufacturers must absorb the costs of making solar cells from a single crystal. This process, known as the Czochralski process, is energy-intensive and results in wasted silicon. But don''t worry–this silicon can later be used to manufacture polycrystalline solar cells.
Polycrystalline solar panels are typically cheaper than monocrystalline panels. The cells come from silicon fragments rather than a single, pure silicon crystal. This allows for a much simpler cell manufacturing process, costing less for manufacturers and homeowners who install the panels.
What you pay for thin-film solar cells largely depends on the type of thin-film panel. CdTe is generally the cheapest type of solar panel to manufacture. CIGS solar panels are much more expensive to produce than CdTe or amorphous silicon.
The overall cost of a thin-film solar panel installation is usually lower than a monocrystalline or polycrystalline solar installation. Thin-film solar panel installations are less labor-intensive because the panels are lighter and more maneuverable. It''s easier for installers to carry them onto rooftops and secure them. Installers generally charge less for labor with thin-film panels, making the installation less expensive overall.
Each type of solar panel varies in how much power it can produce. If you have limited roof space, choose a high-efficiency solar panel to get the most out of your system.
Monocrystalline panels typically have the highest efficiency and power capacity. They can reach efficiencies of over 22% and provide over 300 watts (W) of power capacity. Many even exceed 400 W. Polycrystalline solar panels, on the other hand, rarely exceed 17% efficiency and tend to have lower wattages.
Monocrystalline solar panels also tend to perform better than polycrystalline panels in warm temperatures. They usually have lower temperature coefficients, which means they maintain higher efficiencies when it''s hot outside.
While they differ in performance, monocrystalline and polycrystalline panels are about the same size physically. Both types of solar panels tend to come in 60, 72, and 96 silicon cell options.
Thin-film solar panels have lower efficiencies and power capacities than monocrystalline or polycrystalline panels. Efficiencies vary based on the specific material used in the cells, but thin-film solar panels tend to be around 11% efficiency.
Thin-film solar cell technology does not come in uniform sizes. The power capacity from one thin-film panel to another largely depends on its physical size. Generally, the power capacity per square foot of monocrystalline or polycrystalline solar panels will exceed that of thin-film panels.
Solar cells include a semiconducting material that converts sunlight into electricity by turning photons into electrons. Silicon is the most common material used as a semiconductor during the solar cell manufacturing process.
Both monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar panels include silicon wafer cells. To build a crystalline panel, manufacturers assemble wafer cells into rows and columns to form a rectangle. They then cover the cells with a glass sheet and frame the glass.
Monocrystalline and polycrystalline panels vary in the composition of the silicon. Monocrystalline solar cells are cut from a single crystal of silicon. When manufacturers create polycrystalline solar cells, they melt fragments of silicon crystals together in a mold.
Unlike monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar panels, thin-film panels can be made from multiple materials. The most prevalent type of thin-film solar panel is made from cadmium telluride (CdTe). To make this type of thin-film panel, manufacturers place a layer of CdTe between transparent conducting layers that help capture sunlight. This type of thin-film technology has a glass layer on the top for protection.
Thin-film solar panels can also use amorphous silicon (a-Si), similar to the composition of monocrystalline and polycrystalline panels. Though these thin-film panels use silicon layers in their composition, they are not made up of solid silicon wafers. Instead, they''re composed of non-crystalline silicon placed on top of glass, plastic, or metal.
Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS) panels are another popular type of thin-film technology. In CIGS panels, the semiconductor material made of copper, indium, gallium, and selenide, attaches to a conductive substrate made of glass, nylon, aluminum, or steel. Manufacturers place electrodes on the panels'' front and back to capture electrical currents.
Polycrystalline and monocrystalline solar panels both have lifespans of over 25 years. Some claim that monocrystalline panels have a lower degradation rate, but the silicon solar cell that makes up your solar panels usually doesn''t impact its useful life.
Over time, power output degrades about 0.8% each year depending on the quality of the panel. Your panels should produce 99.2% of their original output in year two, 98.4% in year three, and so on. Solar panel warranties help set expectations around how long your solar panels and other equipment, like inverters, may last.
Want solar panels that don''t stand out too much against your roof? Pay close attention here. Variations in materials and production cause differences in appearance between each type of solar panel. Some look better than others on a traditional black shingle roof.
If you see black solar panels on a roof, it''s most likely a monocrystalline panel. Monocrystalline cells appear black because light interacts with the pure silicon crystal.
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