Solar Electric Panels - Which Options Do You Have?

Solar electric panels, also known as a PV panels are basically a type of treated silicon cells arranged in a series string that generates electric power when exposed to light. There are three common kinds of solar electric panels manufactured. Briefly, they are:

Polycrystalline Solar Electric Panels

This type basically consist of cast blocks of silicon which may contain many little crystals. This is apparently the most common type right now. Slightly less efficient than single crystal, but once set into a frame with 35 or so other cells, the real difference in watts per square foot is minor.

Amorphous Solar Electric Panels

This type of solar panel is also known as "thin film". For these panels the silicon is spread directly on large plates, typically of something like stainless steel. They are less expensive to produce, but in most cases much less efficient, which means you will need larger solar panels for the same power. The brand Unisolar is one example of this type.

Vaporware Solar Electric Panels

This is another group of solar electric panels that pops up in the news about every month or so, claiming to be the next major breakthrough by spraying plastic on solar cells, that will keep your power expenses as low as 5 cents per watt, or similar claims. However, since the first solar panel was produced about 30 years ago, we are still waiting for one of those to actually reach production in a large scale. Unfortunately I'm afraid we have to wait some more years before it happens.

Monocrystalline Solar Electric Panels

This type is made from a single large crystal, cut from ingots. This is the most efficient, but also the most expensive type of solar panels. They are better in low light conditions. Unfortunately this type is a bit over-hyped too as far as some of the advertising goes.


For most practical purposes, how these types work in applications are very similar. What is crucial to remember when buying panels is to choose them based on
 

• how much power you will need,
• how much space you have, and
• where the panels will be mounted.
   

They will all do the same; generate electricity when the sun hits them. Thin film solar panels are often not so efficient as the others, so they will take up more space for the same power. On the other hand they are often less expensive per watt.

Polycrystalline panels are in most cases more efficient in converting sunlight to power, thus taking up less room. They are normally a bit more expensive than thin-film or amorphous panels, although the installation costs will often be less because less hardware is needed.

You will see some manufacturers as well as websites claiming that their panels are better because they are more efficient at low light. This is right when it comes to monocrystalline solar electric panels, however, the difference in average daily production is less than 1%. So, if you have low light, it simply means that you have low sun energy. Converting 17% of very little is not much better than converting 16% of the same small amount of sun energy. So, be critical when reading solar panel ads. Click Here for more information on solar electric panel products.