Over 3% of the energy generated for homes in the US comes from solar.
However, this number is rising with lowering costs and federal incentives for more people to make a change. Many people are considering solar to help fight the upcoming climate changes that threaten our planet.
If you are one of them, you may want to know more about the types of solar panels you could install on your property.
There are three main types of solar panels that you could buy, so read on to understand the difference between them and which would work best for you.
Monocrystalline Solar Panels
Mono-SI or monocrystalline solar panels are the most expensive and efficient types of panels you can currently buy. Crystalline solar panels have solar cells made from silicon wafers. However, unlike its polycrystalline cousin, the monocrystalline cells are made from one slice of silicon crystal.
They are easy to spot as these solar panels appear dark and uniform in appearance. The edges of the solar cells are round. The high purity of the silicon and the manufacturing process mean that these panels make for the best solar system.
They are the most efficient, take up the least room on your property, and will last longer than the other types of solar panels. However, you will need to pay for better quality as these are the most expensive type of panels to buy.
Polycrystalline Solar Panels
Poly-SI or polycrystalline solar panels are the second type of panel to be made from silicon. However, poly-SI cells are not made from single crystals but a collection of silicon fragments. These fragments merge to create a single silicon sheet, but the result is not as pure as mono-SI cells.
The faster and cheaper process produces solar panels that look bright blue, and the cells are square and not rounded at the corners. This process lowers the price of these types of solar cells and the overall efficiency in capturing the energy from the sun. Poly-SI panels have a shorter life span than mono-SI and tend to be more affected by overheating in extremely hot climates.
All that said, the power output difference between the two different panel types is not so significant that it is not worth considering poly-SI if you want to save money on your first solar installation. Speak to your local solar company, like Blue Raven Solar, for more advice on which type could be the best fit for you.
Thin Film Solar Panels
These are the cheapest form of solar panels currently on the market. They are made from films of several different photovoltaic materials such as cadmium, silicon, and copper. They are quick and cheap to produce but require a lot of space to generate a large amount of energy.
Thin film panels are generally not considered for residential installations due to the space requirements they would need to generate a sufficient amount of energy. However, they are incredibly flexible in their construction, meaning that you can use them for much smaller solar energy generating tasks. They are ideal for generating solar on the move, like for a car, RV, or even a bicycle.
Find The Right Types Of Solar Panels for You
Hopefully, this short guide has introduced you to the mains types of solar panels available for your solar installation project. Speak with a residential solar company near you to find out more about which kind of panel would best suit you and your home’s needs.
If you enjoyed this article, please consider reading another on our site.