Are you in the market to purchase solar panels in Australia and you do not know where to start? Not too worry, Stat Tech are here to guide you through the various options available to you when it comes to buying solar panels.
Monocrystalline Solar Panels (Mono-SI)
They are made up of the purest silicon available today called the monocrystalline silicon, they are easy to spot with their uniform dark appearance and rounded edges. The Monocrystalline panels are considered premium as they have a high input, take up less space, last longer, less likely to be affected by high-temperature levels unlike the polycrystalline panels, and possess the highest efficiency of roughly around 20% and even higher in the newer model as a result of its high silicon purity. The major drawback with this panel is that it is the most expensive.
An example of a panel using Monocrystallineis this relatively cheap Off the Grid Use (Camping / Motor home) units. Visit the link below for product details:
Solar Panel 12V 200W Mono Module House Caravan Boat Camping Off Grid Use
Polycrystalline Solar Panels (Poly- SI)
These solar panels are also made up silicon even though they are considered less pure in relation to their mono-crystalline counterpart. They are commonly manufactured as blocks instead of the single crystal and their random arrangement makes them stand out individually.
After the polycrystalline silicon is melted. It is then molded into square blocks making it a more affordable system. This is particularly important to local consumers looking to purchase solar panels Melbourne, to offset the often high cost of installation.
Thin-Film Solar Cells (TFSC)
Thin Film Solar Cell is a promising technology that makes use of thin layered photovoltaic material like amorphous silicon. Cadmium Telluride or copper-indium-gallium-selenide with a base plate of glass, metal or any other substance. Often considered as less efficient and hardly used in rooftop arrays, it used for building-integrated PV systems, solar-powered calculators, and garden lamp.
Amorphous Silicon Solar Cell (A-SI)
The amorphous silicon solar cell is made by placing a thin film of silicon on a sheet of material like steel. This mode of processing ensures that the panel is formed as a single piece making each cell less visible compared to other types of solar panels. This makes it ideal for application in calculators and garden lamps, although there is an increasing usage of amorphous silicon solar on larger projects.
They have low power density making them less efficient relative to crystalline cells, they have lower power output and may require up to three times the number of panels for a standard installation using up a lot of space and they don’t last as long as the crystalline cells. However, they have the advantage of being much cheaper.
Biohybrid Solar Cell
This is a research-based solar cell discovered by an expert team at Vanderbilt University. The concept is based on photosystem 1a way to emulate the natural process of photosynthesis. To find more about it, you can check the American Journal of Optics and Photonics. The materials used to create the biohybrid solar cell are similar to those used for a standard cell with multiple layers of photosystem 1 making the conversion from chemical to electrical energy for better results up to a 1000 times efficiency compared to the first generation solar panels.
Cadmium Telluride Solar Cell (CdTe)
Cadmium telluride has managed to make a major breakthrough in terms of cost, making them the most cost-effective silicon solar panel on the market today. It operational cost ranges between 9-11%.
First Solar is the leading company in the installation of cadmium telluride thin-film solar panel with over 5 gigawatts (GW) installation.
Concentrated PV Cell (CVP and HCVP)
The concentrated PV cell has a curved mirror surface, lenses and sometimes a cooling system used to help capture the rays of the sun for better operation. The CVP is regarded as the most efficient type of solar panel with a performance range of 41% efficiency.
It is essential that the CVP is able to capture sun rays optimum performance, which is why it usually position at a perfect angle during installation. A solar tracker is usually built into the solar panel so as to track the sun’s movement for higher efficiency.
The slight changes in design and configurations significantly alter the efficiency and convenience of the solar panel system. Before settling on the system that best suit you, it is always good to review the specification of the solar panel with an expert. A skilled installation expert can always guide you to the right system that meets your requirements.