3 Popular Panel Types And How Well They Work
Do you know which is the underdog, which is the gold standard, and which is the affordable plywood of solar panels? The 3 most popular types are monocrystalline solar, polycrystalline solar, and thin-film solar panels. Here is our comparison of the solar panel efficiency, cost, and science basics behind each one for homeowners. For your home solar panel system, are you looking for the most power, the lowest cost, or the easiest installation?
- Monocrystalline Solar Panel Efficiency
- Polycrystalline Solar Panel Efficiency
- Thin-Film Solar Panel Efficiency
Monocrystalline Solar Panel Efficiency
Monocrystalline solar panels are the gold standard for home solar. Under good conditions, they can offer 20% solar panel efficiency per module. [1] EPA, 2013 That makes these the most efficient panels on the market by area. This type of panel is a premium home solar product that costs more than the competing panel types listed below. Many homeowners feel that it is worth the cost for long panel life, low-maintenance reliability, and the fact that this technology makes the most of every ray of sunshine! If you need to maximize a limited roof area by having a smaller quantity of panels, the higher cost per panel is actually a smart investment to meet your energy needs.
Why are they so efficient per square foot? These panels make the most powerful known use of crystalline silicon technology. Silicon also powers the next panel on our list, polycrystalline solar panels; in both types of crystalline panels, the silicon is processed chemically to become the semiconductor at the heart of the photovoltaic process. (Does photovoltaic sound fancy? It just means that the electric current is being produced by light! All solar panel technology is photovoltaic.)
What about lifespan? Like any solar installation, these panels’ sunlight conversion efficiency will degrade gradually due to time and the wear and tear of weather exposure. However, under gentle conditions (no extreme seasonal temperature shifts, no heavy wind or snow load) it is possible for some homes to get the majority of their power from a single installation of panels for as long as 40 years! The exact premium you will pay for these panels over other solar panel types varies between specific installers and regions, but their long lifespan usually means a serious return on investment for a homeowner.
Monocrystalline solar panels are typically the most ideal fit for homeowners with smaller roofs or homeowners with larger roofs who can make the investment to get the best quality available.
Polycrystalline Solar Panel Efficiency
Polycrystalline solar panels peak at about 17% efficiency. These panels are lower efficiency and cost less than their monocrystalline siblings. Why the difference, when both these panel types have semiconductors made from silicon? Shouldn’t the same material give the same results? It isn’t quite that simple.
Monocrystalline cells are cut from a single crystal of silicon, which means there is maximally efficient power conversion. However, large intact crystals are an expensive part of the materials supply chain. Polycrystalline cells are a resourceful invention that makes the most of smaller bits of silicon. Fragments and scraps of silicon crystals are gathered up and melted together in a mold. This creates a fused solid that is then cut into thin slices for use in the panels. The difference between monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar cells is sort of like the difference between oak and plywood!
These panels have a good lifespan and are often warrantied to produce at least 80% of their initial power for 25 years. That makes them a reliable workhorse.
Polycrystalline panels are typically an ideal fit for homeowners who are budget-conscious and want to get their installation set up ASAP so that they can start getting solar savings on their monthly energy bills.
Thin-Film Solar Panel Efficiency
Thin-film solar panels average about 11% solar panel efficiency per module. That is a big jump down from the silicon panel types! It means thin-film definitely is not a good fit if you need every inch of your roof to be generating power at maximum capacity, like in a case where you have high energy needs and a smaller-than-average roof area to work with. Crystalline-silicon panels (including monocrystalline and polycrystalline panels) have made up a whopping 80%–95% of the solar panel modules shipped for decades [2]NREL, 2016 leaving thin-film a distant third. So why would you even want to consider this underdog technology? Thin-film has unique advantages: lower cost, higher flexibility, and lower weight. [3]US Energy Information Administration, 2017.
Thin-film solar panels are flexible, unlike their rigid competition. They can bend and flex almost like a carpet. They can even be rolled up during installation or maintenance tasks, which can make the process easier and faster. Their speedy set up means lower labor costs.
Another advantage is that they are very lightweight. These light, thin, flexible panels can be advantageous to homeowners who have unusual roofs, or just want a smaller visual footprint on their home. If your home’s exterior design is a major consideration, you may want to check out thin-film solar panels that blend into the look of your roof. Some manufacturers are using thin-film technology to create “close to the roof” panel styles, and depending on your priorities, achieving that clean look might be worth taking a small hit in solar panel efficiency.
Thin-film doesn’t have quite as long a lifetime as either of the crystalline panel types, but under gentle weather conditions it can still last for up to 20 years. The lifespan is a serious consideration for homeowners who can get 25-40 years of use out of a home solar installation with one of the silicon crystal panel types. However, if you are considering getting your roof replaced in 20 years or sooner, there’s no reason to pay extra for a panel that will outlast your roof!
If you want a flexible, lightweight panel that blends into your roof outline, and you can sacrifice a little bit of solar panel efficiency in exchange for a lower price tag, it is worth seriously considering thin-film solar panels as a solution. These make extra sense in combination with other money-saving measures to cut your home solar installation costs.