14 Oct Have you considered what type of solar panel is best for your property?

Different types of solar panels – why are they important?

I’m Michael Santos and I’m always striving to learn from the experts at Light Solar. After joining their team, I’ve learned many benefits of investing in a solar energy system. For one thing, solar energy systems from Light Solar save me money. An efficient solar energy system also contributes to a better environment for everyone by feeding excess energy back into the national electrical grid.

But there is more to know, which is why I’m grateful to the team at Light Solar. They helped me understand more about the different types of solar panels, and which type would be best for my house. If you want to learn more about the different variables to consider when investing in a solar energy system for your house, I recommend that you call to speak with one of the experts at Light Solar: 1-800-408-6046. Make sure to ask about the different variables, because different types of solar panels have different features.

Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels differ from solar thermal collectors. The vast majority of the world’s photovoltaics are based on some variation of silicon. In 2011, about 95% of all solar-panel shipments to the residential sector were made from crystalline silicon panels.

The silicon used in PV takes many forms. The main difference is in the purity of the silicon. The more perfectly aligned the silicon molecules are, the better the solar cell will be at converting solar energy (sunlight) into electricity.

Efficiencies of Solar Energy

The efficiency of solar panels goes hand in hand with purity, but the processes used to enhance the purity of silicon are expensive. Efficiency should be your primary concern. By talking with our team of experts at Light Solar, you’ll learn that the most important factors to consider are cost and space efficiency.

Solar cells made of monocrystalline silicon are frequently called single-crystalline silicon. They’re easily recognizable by their coloring, as they have a uniform look, indicating high-purity silicon. Monocrystalline solar cells are made out of silicon ingots, which are shaped like cylinders. To optimize performance and lower costs of single monocrystalline solar cells, four sides are cut out of the cylindrical ingots to make silicon wafers. That gives the panels their characteristic look.

A good way to separate mono- and polycrystalline solar panels is that polycrystalline solar cells look perfectly rectangular, with no rounded edges.

• Monocrystalline solar panels have the highest efficiency rates because they’re made from the highest-grade silicon.
• They’re also space efficient, requiring the least amount of space.
• They produce up to four times the amount of electricity as thin-film solar panels.

Those are great advantages, but monocrystalline solar panels are the most expensive. From a financial standpoint, a solar panel made of polycrystalline silicon may be a better choice.

We’ll offer more detail on polycrystalline silicon solar cells in another article. But if you want to learn more now, please make sure you call for a free consultation with one of our specialists at Light Solar: 1-800-408-6046