Types and differences of solar photovoltaic panels

Types and differences of solar photovoltaic panels

Currently, there are 4 types of solar panels available on the market: monocrystalline silicon solar panels, polycrystalline silicon solar panels, thin film solar panels and double glass solar panels.

The type of solar panel mainly depends on the material of the solar cell. The solar cell in a monocrystalline silicon solar panel is composed of a single crystal.

Compared with polycrystalline silicon solar panels, under the same installation area, it can achieve 50% to 60% higher power capacity without increasing the upfront cost. In the long term, having higher capacity power stations will be more beneficial in lowering electricity bills. This is now the mainstream solar panel.

Polycrystalline silicon cells are made by melting many silicon fragments and pouring them into square molds. The manufacturing process is also much simpler, so polycrystalline silicon solar panels are cheaper than monocrystalline silicon ones.

However, polycrystalline silicon cells have been almost eliminated from the market due to their instability and low power generation efficiency. Nowadays, polycrystalline silicon solar panels are almost no longer used, whether for home use or large-scale photovoltaic power stations.

Both crystalline panels are ideal for use in rooftop solar systems. The main differences are as follows:

Appearance: Monocrystalline silicon is dark blue, almost black; polycrystalline silicon is sky blue, brightly colored; monocrystalline cells have arc-shaped corners, and polycrystalline cells are square.

Conversion rate: Theoretically, the efficiency of single crystal is slightly higher than that of polycrystalline. Some data show 1%, and some data show 3%. However, this is just a theory. There are many factors that affect the actual power generation, and the effect of conversion efficiency is smaller than that of ordinary people.

Cost and manufacturing process: The cost of single crystal panels is higher and the production process is more complicated; the manufacturing cost of polycrystalline panels is lower than that of single crystal panels and the production process is relatively simple.

Power generation: The biggest impact on power generation is not monocrystalline or polycrystalline, but packaging, technology, materials and application environment.

Attenuation: Measured data shows that single crystal and polycrystalline have their own advantages and disadvantages. Relatively speaking, product quality (sealing degree, presence of impurities, and whether there are cracks) has a greater impact on attenuation.

Sunlight characteristics: If there is sufficient sunlight, monocrystalline silicon has high conversion efficiency and large power generation. Under low illumination, polysilicon is more efficient. Durability: Monocrystalline panels generally have a long service life, with some manufacturers guaranteeing their performance for more than 25 years.