Solar Panels

Types of Solar Panels

Solar panels can, for the most part, be separated into two groups, monocrystalline panels and polycrystalline panels. These separations are made by the silicon wafer creation process used. Monocrystalline panels (shown on the right) are made from a single ingot of pure silicon, this ingot is cut into wafers after formation. Polycrystalline panels (pictured on the left) are made from multiple silicon crystals which are formed by the molten silicon created in the process is left to cool and fragment instead of pulling the ingot slowly out to form one crystal. These crystals are then melted again and poured into growth crucibles to solidify and are cut into wafers after.

	Monocrystalline Panels	Polycrystalline Panels
Material:	Single Pure Silicon Crystal	Different Silicon Fragments Molten Together
Appearance:	Uniform dark squares with rounded edges	Blue squares with no rounded edge
Conversion Efficiency:	15% to 20%	13% to 16%
Space Efficiency:	Efficient	Less Efficient
Lifespan:	Around 40 years	Around 35 years
Cost:	$$$	$$

Efficiency

The difference in electrical generation efficiency between monocrystalline and polycrystalline panels is not that big, but it is still something to consider. Monocrystalline panels are slightly more efficient than polycrystalline panels, this is due to the wafer creation process. Since polycrystalline panels have wafers made from many crystals, they have less room for electrons to move, lowering the efficiency of electrical generation. Monocrystalline panels have an average efficiency of 15-20% whereas polycrystalline panels have an average efficiency of 13-16%. When purchasing solar panels, this should be taken into consideration as a higher efficiency will offset purchasing costs faster and reduce carbon emissions from energy consumption even more.

Cost

Monocrystalline panels have a higher upfront cost than polycrystalline panels, this is due to the higher production cost of the monocrystalline panels because the manufacturing process creates more silicon waste and requires more energy. Depending on your situation though, this can be offset by the fact that monocrystalline panels produce more energy so they have a higher space efficiency, you need less panels than polycrystalline to produce the same amount of energy so they take up less space. Monocrystalline panels also last longer than polycrystalline panels. All this being said, the right panels for you really depends mostly on how much you're willing to pay in upfront costs.