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San Jose Solar Panels

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Types of Solar Panels

Solar panels or solar modules use light energy from the sun by containing an aggregation of solar cells. These cells are distributed on panels and work collectively to provide sun based power.

The principle of receiving sufficient sun powered energy is the more light hits the cell, the more electricity is generated.
 
When you are choosing the right panel, it is crucial to know what type of service is needed for these panels. Are the modules needed for residential purposes like for a homeowner’s property where the systems could be mounted on the rooftop or ground. Or is it for commercial or industrial installation where the panels are found on factory rooftops?

Either way, these factors help with selecting the correct modules. Once the service is established there are three known types of solar panels; monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and thin film panels. ​

Monocrystalline & Polycrystalline Panels

Monocrystalline is a great option for solar panels due to its durability and more. With that being said, here are some facts about monocrystalline and why its considered to be your best for your buck.

• This type is by far the most efficient and expensive one. It’s efficient because of it’s silicon material being crafted at its highest purity. This type alone reaches about 20% above efficiency rate. Now as you may have already known it is expensive because of the manufacturing process. The solar cells are made of silicon crystal and the expense of forming these crystals are high.
• Despite the cost of this panel, it is highly durable as it can last for a very long time, and it is rarely affected by high temperatures as opposed to the polycrystalline. Overall, this portrays it as a good option as it has increased power output and accompanies less space. 

Polycrystalline is another option for consumers and is more friendly to your bank account. Here are some reasons why this type of panel could be the right one for you and your home.

• The polycrystalline is considered to be the cheapest option due to its melting raw silicon. Essentially, the materials are fragments from wasted silicon crystals from the monocrystalline. Hence, the manufacturing process is less expensive. Even though this type may be an affordable option, it does have lower efficiency around 15%.
• However, polycrystalline could still be the best choice for a homeowner based on their cost per watt, so this type shouldn’t be ruled out if you consume less electricity. 

Thin Film

The final choice for solar panel design is thin film and this type is quite flexible in regards to production and cost. If this type is right for you, check out this information on thin films. 

• Thin films are the easiest to produce because it requires less material for its production. Thus, making them the most affordable compared to the other two types. It uses multiple films of photovoltaic material of either silicon, cadmium, or copper.

• The labor required for installing this type of module is less intense because of this type being lightweight, and more flexible, facilitating the labor of carrying and mounting these panels, which in return has less labor cost. However, the disadvantage is it occupies too much space, therefore, it isn’t optimal for residential installation.

• ​In addition, they have limited lifespan that is shorter than the mono and poly types. Ultimately, if you have plenty of space for solar panel installation, thin-films are a suitable choice.

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