What are the different types of PV Modules?

Reading about PV solar panels is important and most advantageous for your homes. If you are thinking of adding and installing any like the latest CHINT PV Module, then know about the modules below. 

From there, you get the right info. On their appearances, installation cost, and energy-efficient levels. And the most important decision you make when buying any PV module is to know about its type. 

That’s why to focus on different PV solar panels available to you when browsing its market today. 

Different Types Of PV Modules Are:

Monocrystalline solar panels

These silicon panels are manufactured under the process of Czochralski. The silicon’s crystal seed gets placed into the molten silicon mold at a very high temp. The crystal is also referred to as an ingot.  

The PERC variety of these solar panels is very popular in the market. PERC has different manufacturing and assembly styles to produce more energy cells. 

Bifacial is another variety of these PV solar modules. It helps produce electricity on both sides of its module. So, it is more popular in the commercial industry. 

The most energy-efficient panels are the monocrystalline ones. They boost 17-22 percent of efficiency when it comes to saving energy and cost. This efficiency makes various categories like PERC suitable for your homes and buildings’ rooftops.

Homemakers need fewer monocrystalline panels in comparison to others. These panels also have the highest degree of power capacity. Their ratings for the power outputs range from 320-375 watts usually. 

The overall lifespan of monocrystalline panels is about 25-30 years.

Polycrystalline solar panels

Polycrystalline has similar efficiency rates (15-17%) compared to monocrystalline. But they are manufactured from another process. The manufacturers of these PV modules first melt fragments of cells of a silicon crystal. 

Then these melted crystals are placed inside the molten silicon mold. Later, the process is to let the melted crystal cool down instead of extracting the same. Afterward, the frozen mold breaks into the polycrystalline solar modules.

The manufacturers organize these wafers to set up a professional module for sale. The crystals on these panels appear bluish under direct sunlight. The frames of these panels are silver, where panels do not have enough space in between. 

These panels have a mid-performance rate. That happens because electrons do not move freely as in monocrystalline panels. That means these panels have lower power capability or output ratings too. That ranges from 240-330 watts. 

Some can have above 300-watt power ratings. But for that, you must consult the manufacturer in the market dealing with these PV modules. With technological advancements, poly panels will soon decrease the performance gaps with the monocrystalline panels. 

The cloudy daylight diffusions are better in polycrystalline modules than the monocrystalline panels. This panel is cheaper than the mono. The overall lifespan of these modules is around 25 years. 

Thin-film solar panels

This is the newest type of PV solar panel module out there. These thin-film solar panels are most flexible and unique. Instead of silicon, manufacturers use materials like copper, CIGS, a-Si, and CdTe or cadmium telluride when manufacturing thin-film panels. 

These materials are in between the sheets having or harboring the conductive material. 

A protective glass on the top of these sheets forms a layer of protection for the material inside. The a-Si panels, for example, use glasses that are non-crystalline for protection. 

This thin-film solar panel is easy to identify and review from a distance. That is most probably because these modules are very thin. The numbers state that these panels are 350 times thinner than usual solar wafers. 

You can still buy large-sized thin-film panels from the market to resemble the earlier two categories. The color of these panels varies depending on the current material used in the manufacturing process. 

Usually, these panels are blue or black. But we cannot be sure with advancements in technology and manufacturing processes. As you’re reading this, there could be more options right now in the market. 

Researchers have said to achieve 23 percent energy efficiency from these panels. But when these are commercially used, they boost efficiency by about 10-13 percent. So, you need to install more of these films in a single area to garner more power capacity and ratings.