Pros and Cons of the Three Major Types of Solar Panels Monocrystalline Solar Panels Polycrystalline Solar Panels Thin-Film Solar Panels Material Pure silicon Silicon crystals melted together A variety of materials Efficiency 24.4% 19.9% 18.9% Cost Moderate Least expensive Most expensive Life Span Longest Moderate Shortest Manufacturing Carbon Footprint 38.1 g CO2-eq/kWh 27.2 g CO2-eq/kWh As little as 21.4 g CO2-eq/kWh, depending on type

Monocrystalline Solar Panels

Because of their many advantages, monocrystalline solar panels are the most commonly used solar panels on the market today. Approximately 95% of solar cells being sold today use silicon as the semiconductor material. Silicon is abundant, stable, non-toxic, and works well with established electric generation technologies.

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Originally developed in the s, monocrystalline silicon solar cells are manufactured by first creating a highly pure silicon ingot from a pure silicon seed using the Czochralski method. A single crystal is then sliced from the ingot, resulting in a silicon wafer that is approximately 0.3 millimeters (0.011 inches) in thickness.

Monocrystalline solar cells are slower and more expensive to produce than other types of solar cells due to the precise way the silicon ingots must be made. In order to grow a uniform crystal, the temperature of the materials must be kept very high. As a result, a large amount of energy must be used because of the loss of heat from the silicon seed that occurs throughout the manufacturing process. Up to 50% of the material can be wasted during the cutting process, resulting in higher production costs for the manufacturer.

But these types of solar cells maintain their popularity for a number of reasons. First, they have a higher efficiency than any other type of solar cell because they are made of a single crystal, which allows electrons to flow more easily through the cell. Because they are so efficient, they can be smaller than other solar panel systems and still generate the same amount of electricity. They also have the longest life span of any type of solar panel on the market today.

One of the biggest downsides to monocrystalline solar panels is the cost (due to the production process). In addition, they are not as efficient as other types of solar panels in situations where the light does not hit them directly. And if they get covered in dirt, snow, or leaves, or if they are operating in very high temperatures, their efficiency declines even more. While monocrystalline solar panels remain popular, the low cost and rising efficiency of other types of panels are becoming increasingly appealing to consumers.

Polycrystalline Solar Panels

As the name implies, polycrystalline solar panels are made of cells formed from multiple, non-aligned silicon crystals. These first-generation solar cells are produced by melting solar grade silicon and casting it into a mold and allowing it to solidify. The molded silicon is then sliced into wafers to be used in a solar panel.

Polycrystalline solar cells are less expensive to produce than monocrystalline cells because they do not require the time and energy needed to create and cut a single crystal. And while the boundaries created by the grains of the silicon crystals result in barriers for efficient electron flow, they are actually more efficient in low-light conditions than monocrystalline cells and can maintain output when not directly angled at the sun. They end up having about the same overall energy output because of this ability to maintain electricity production in adverse conditions.

The cells of a polycrystalline solar panel are larger than their monocrystalline counterparts, so the panels may take up more space to produce the same amount of electricity. They are also not as durable or long-lasting as other types of panels, although the differences in longevity are small.

Thin-Film Solar Panels

The high cost of producing solar-grade silicon led to the creation of several types of second- and third-generation solar cells known as thin-film semiconductors. Thin-film solar cells need a lower volume of materials, often using a layer of silicon as little as one micron thick, which is about 1/300th of the width of mono- and polycrystalline solar cells. The silicon is also of lower quality than the kind used in monocrystalline wafers.

Many solar cells are made from non-crystalline amorphous silicon. Because amorphous silicon does not have the semiconductive properties of crystalline silicon, it must be combined with hydrogen in order to conduct electricity. Amorphous silicon solar cells are the most common type of thin-film cell, and they are often found in electronics like calculators and watches.

Other commercially viable thin-film semiconductor materials include cadmium telluride (CdTe), copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS), and gallium arsenide (GaAs). A layer of semiconductor material is deposited on an inexpensive substrate like glass, metal, or plastic, making it cheaper and more adaptable than other solar cells. The absorption rates of the semiconductor materials are high, which is one of the reasons they use less material than other cells.

Production of thin-film cells is much simpler and faster than first-generation solar cells, and there are a variety of techniques that can be used to make them, depending on the capabilities of the manufacturer. Thin-film solar cells like CIGS can be deposited on plastic, which significantly reduces its weight and increases its flexibility. CdTe holds the distinction of being the only thin film that has lower costs, higher payback time, lower carbon footprint, and lower water use over its lifetime than all other solar technologies.

However, the downsides of thin-film solar cells in their current form are numerous. The cadmium in CdTe cells is highly toxic if inhaled or ingested, and can leach into the ground or water supply if not properly handled during disposal. This could be avoided if the panels are recycled, but the technology is currently not as widely available as it needs to be. The use of rare metals like those found in CIGS, CdTe, and GaAs can also be an expensive and potentially limiting factor in producing large amounts of thin-film solar cells.           

Other Types

The variety of solar panels is much greater than what is currently on the commercial market. Many newer types of solar technology are in development, and older types are being studied for possible increases in efficiency and decreases in cost. Several of these emerging technologies are in the pilot phase of testing, while others remain proven only in laboratory settings. Here are some of the other types of solar panels that have been developed. 

Bifacial Solar Panels

Traditional solar panels only have solar cells on one side of the panel. Bifacial solar panels have solar cells built on both sides in order to allow them to collect not only incoming sunlight, but also albedo, or reflected light off the ground beneath them. They also move with the sun in order to maximize the amount of time that sunlight can be collected on either side of the panel. A study from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory showed a 9% increase in efficiency over single-sided panels.

Concentrator Photovoltaic Technology

Concentrator photovoltaic technology (CPV) uses optical equipment and techniques such as curved mirrors to concentrate solar energy in a cost-efficient way. Because these panels concentrate sunlight, they do not need as many solar cells to produce an equal amount of electricity. This means that these solar panels can use higher quality solar cells at a lower overall cost.

Organic Photovoltaics

Organic photovoltaic cells use small organic molecules or layers of organic polymers to conduct electricity. These cells are lightweight, flexible, and have a lower overall cost and environmental impact than many other types of solar cells.

Perovskite Cells

The Perovskite crystalline structure of the light-collecting material gives these cells their name. They are low cost, easy to manufacture, and have a high absorbance. They are currently too unstable for large-scale use.

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSC)

These five-layered thin-film cells use a special sensitizing dye to help the flow of electrons which creates the current to produce electricity. DSSC have the advantage of working in low light conditions and increasing efficiency as temperatures rise, but some of the chemicals they contain will freeze at low temperatures, which makes the unit inoperable in such situations.

Quantum Dots

This technology has only been tested in laboratories, but it has shown several positive attributes. Quantum dot cells are made from different metals and work on the nano-scale, so their power production-to-weight ratio is very good. Unfortunately, they can also be highly toxic to people and the environment if not handled and disposed of properly. 

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The 6 different types of solar panels

Solar-technology Last updated on 27 February 10 min read

Discover the six main types of solar panel, including thin-film, perovskite, and the best type for your home: monocrystalline.

Written byJosh Jackman

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What's in this guide?What's in this guide?

At a glance

When you&#;re considering whether to get solar panels, it&#;s a good idea to look into all the different types, to ensure you choose the best system for your home.

In this guide, we&#;ll run through all the main types of solar panels, their advantages and disadvantages, and which panels make the most sense for different purposes.

We&#;ll also take a look at new and developing solar panel technology, and explain which type of panel is the best overall.

To learn how much a solar & battery system could save you on your energy bills, simply answer a few quick questions below and we&#;ll provide an estimate.

What are the main types of solar panels?

The six main types of solar panels are polycrystalline, monocrystalline, thin-film, transparent, solar tiles, and perovskite.

Type of solar panel Average efficiency Typical lifespan (years) Key advantage Key disadvantage Polycrystalline 18-21% 25-30 Cheaper than monocrystalline No longer available Monocrystalline 20-25% 30-40 Most efficient type available More expensive than some types Thin-film 17-19%% 10-20 Most flexible option Low power output Transparent 1% 25-35 Blends in with windows Low efficiency Solar tiles 10-20% 25-30 Blends in with roofs Very expensive Perovskite 24-27% 25-35 Highest efficiency Not yet available

1. Polycrystalline solar panels

Polycrystalline panels have nearly vanished from production lines

• 18-21% efficiency
• Lifespan of 25-30 years

Polycrystalline solar panels are one of the oldest types of solar panel in existence, and now account for 0% of global production, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

Their cells are made by melting multiple silicon crystals and combining them in a square mould.

These blue panels are less efficient, less aesthetically pleasing, and less long-lasting than black monocrystalline panels.

And though they&#;re technically cheaper, this comes with a large drawback: they take up far more space, because they&#;re significantly less efficient.

Since , the record efficiency of polycrystalline cells has increased from 15% to 23.3%.

This is a decent level, but it&#;s way behind monocrystalline, which hit 24% all the way back in , according to the NREL.

Since panels always lag behind cells in efficiency terms, the average polycrystalline panel today is even less impressive, at just 14.5%. This makes it 31% worse than the average monocrystalline panel, which is 21% efficient.

To achieve a certain level of output, you'll therefore need a higher number of polycrystalline panels than you would monocrystalline panels.

When considering the lifetime cost of solar panels, it&#;s almost always better to cover your roof with as many panels as you can, to generate the most electricity possible.

Polycrystalline panels won&#;t get the best out of your roof space, since they're not particularly efficient in the first place, and they're only available second-hand &#; which usually means a further drop in efficiency.

Pros and cons of polycrystalline solar panels

Pros Cons Cheaper than monocrystalline panels No longer available More eco-friendly manufacturing process Lower return on investment Not aesthetically pleasing Relatively mediocre efficiency Shorter lifespan than monocrystalline

2. Monocrystalline solar panels

New rooftop solar panels are almost exclusively monocrystalline

• 20-25% efficiency
• Lifespan of 30-40 years

Monocrystalline solar panels are the most efficient type of solar panel currently on the market.

The top monocrystalline panels now all come with 22% efficiency or higher, and manufacturers are continually raising this bar.

These sleek, black panels are made from single-crystal silicon &#; hence their name and dark appearance &#; and treated with anti-reflective coating that removes their grey undertones, making them look even darker.

They also have a longer lifespan than any other type, on average, often outlasting their already lengthy performance warranties, which can stretch to 30 years.

Monocrystalline is currently the most cutting-edge solar material, too &#; bifacial solar panels are usually made with monocrystalline, for instance.

For all these reasons, 98% of global solar panel shipments in were made with monocrystalline, up from 35% in , according to the NREL.

We have Polish scientist Jan Czochralski to thank for the creation of monocrystalline panels.

In , the 31-year-old absent-mindedly dipped his pen into a crucible of molten tin instead of his inkwell, hurriedly took it out &#; and withdrew a narrow thread of metal at the same time.

This was the eureka moment that enabled monocrystalline silicon production.

The Czochralski method, which was modelled on this accident, was crucial in Bell Labs researcher Russell Ohl&#;s development of the first monocrystalline cell 25 years later, in &#; and that&#;s not all.

This method is still used in the great majority of electronic goods around the world, from mobile phones and televisions to washing machines and fridges.

Pros and cons of monocrystalline solar panels

Pros Cons Very efficient More expensive than some types Sleek appearance Long lifespan Most powerful type available Popular all over the world

On average, monocrystalline solar panels are 31% more efficient than their closest rival, last around 18% longer, and are produced by all the leading solar manufacturers.

The only major drawback when it comes to monocrystalline panels is they&#;re usually more expensive than other widely available types &#; but that's inevitable, since they're better.

After all, the most efficient and most powerful solar panels on the market are all monocrystalline. If you can afford them, they&#;re usually worth it.

And if you opt for Sunsave Plus, you&#;ll avoid paying anything upfront.

3. Thin-film solar panels

Thin-film panels are flexible and versatile (Source: MIPV Solar)

• 17-19% efficiency
• Lifespan of 10-20 years

Thin-film solar panels are flexible sheets that can wrap around objects, making them perfect for properties with a limited amount of unobstructed roof space, or mobile homes like recreation vehicles and houseboats.

They&#;re thousands of times thinner than the average monocrystalline panel, which gives them their malleable nature.

Manufacturers create them by stacking several layers of solar material, like amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride, and copper indium gallium selenide. 

The creation of thin-film panels was kick-started by NASA in , when the Photovoltaic Fundamentals Section at its Ohio research centre started developing the technology.

They&#;ve since been used in space, with their flexibility and resilience proving an advantage over other types of panels when it comes to extraterrestrial uses.

ARCO Solar released the first commercial thin-film solar panel, the G-, in , and they&#;ve been on the market ever since.

Thin-film efficiency levels are usually lower than those of monocrystalline panels, but they're usually still pretty decent.

Cadmium telluride (CdTe) panels, one of the most popular thin-film varieties, are around 17-19% efficient.

The average for installed CdTe panels in the US in was 18.6%, according to the NREL, up massively from 11% in .

There are other thin-film types &#; the main one being copper indium selenide (CIS) and its related variation, copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) &#; but CdTe is far and away the most popular.

For more information, please visit Types Of Solar Panels.

Thin-film efficiency is substantially lower than most other types of solar panels, though this fact is usually reflected in their relatively low prices.

However, since demand isn&#;t particularly high for thin-film panels, the amount you pay will mostly come down to who your local supplier is.

Pros and cons of thin-film solar panels

Pros Cons Perfect for uneven surfaces Low efficiency Cheap Middling lifespan Subtle appearance Not widely available Can&#;t power a house

4. Transparent solar panels

An increasing number of large UK buildings have semi-transparent panels

• 1% efficiency
• Lifespan of 25-35 years

If they reach their final form, transparent solar panels could be efficient, fully see-through sheets of solar material, mostly made of glass, that replace windows, roofs, and screens all over the world.

Right now, if we focus on fully transparent panels, they&#;re behind other models in the industry, with an efficiency of just 1%.

Semi-transparent panels, however, are around 20% efficient. These modules are 40-50% transparent.

In , a team of researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) created a 100% transparent cell, but with an efficiency of around 1%.

This cell was a transparent luminescent solar concentrator (TLSC) &#; a small, specially treated panel of glass surrounded by a narrow frame of solar material.

There are other transparent cells made with monocrystalline or CdTe, but since the solar material involved is encased in glass, they&#;ll never be more than about 50% transparent.

In the years since, the industry hasn&#;t managed to turn MSU's breakthrough into a commercially viable TLSC panel with a higher efficiency rating than 1%.

And unless their efficiency rises dramatically, 100% transparent panels won&#;t be suitable for domestic properties.

A handful of locations around the UK have used semi-transparent panels, such as Gloucestershire County's Council Hall, Bournemouth University, and the Barbican Theatre in London.

These systems are made with monocrystalline or CdTe cells, and are about 20% transparent.

Semi-transparent panels like these are good for large buildings, including office blocks and skyscrapers, where they can make enormous energy savings across the hundreds of windows they replace.

Pros and cons of transparent solar panels

Pros Cons Solid lifespan Extremely low efficiency Semi-transparent panels can benefit commercial & public buildings Not suitable for homes Ground-breaking concept Higher efficiency models are only up to 50% transparent

5. Solar tiles

You may pay a high price for the aesthetic appeal of solar tiles (Source: XO Solar)

• 10-20% efficiency
• Lifespan of 25-30 years

Solar tiles produce electricity in the same way as monocrystalline or polycrystalline panels, but they&#;re built to replace all your roof tiles.

They're made by incorporating solar material &#; usually monocrystalline, but sometimes thin-film &#; into a normal roof tile of any style during the manufacturing process.

For people who are worried that panels will look unsightly on their roof, or who are struggling to get planning permission in a conservation area, solar tiles might be a solution &#; but they come at a price.

The process of replacing every tile with a solar one is typically around 50% more expensive than a monocrystalline solar panel system, roughly 30% less efficient, and takes about three times longer.

It's also a common misconception that solar tiles are always an alternative for listed buildings.

In July , Historic England advised that though solar tiles are "acceptable in some cases", they "would not be suitable for prominent roof slopes where panels would also be unacceptable."

Solar tiles should last 25-30 years, which is decent, but since they were only introduced to the UK market in the decade or two, there are no guarantees.

They first became commercially available in the US in , but progress since then has been slow, and they haven&#;t proved popular in the UK.

The product has been beset by false starts. American multinational company Dow unveiled its solar tile to great fanfare in , leading Time Magazine to call it &#;one of the 50 best inventions&#; of the year.

But Dow scrapped its solar tile product line in , and its most famous successor, Tesla&#;s Solar Roof, still isn&#;t available in the UK. That&#;s despite Elon Musk announcing in spring that it&#;d be launching in summer .

To learn more, check out our full guide to solar roof tiles.

Pros and cons of solar tiles

Pros Cons Aesthetic appearance Extremely expensive Birds can&#;t nest underneath Longer installation Can sidestep most planning permission issues Mediocre efficiency Middling lifespan

6. Perovskite solar panels

It could be many years before perovskite panels are available (Source: Oxford PV)

• Up to 24-27% efficiency
• Lifespan of 25-35 years

These panels are at the forefront of solar innovation.

They&#;re made with perovskite, a synthetic material based on the crystal structure of a mineral that&#;s (confusingly) also called perovskite.

A layer of this material is placed on a layer of silicon to create a &#;tandem&#; panel &#; the advantage being that silicon can absorb light from the red part of the spectrum, and perovskite can absorb light from the blue end.

The perovskite mineral was first discovered by German scientist Gustav Rose in , in Russia&#;s Ural Mountains. He named it after Lev Perovski, a fellow mineralogist who was serving as a minister under Russian Emperor Nicholas I.

Researchers have attempted to use its structure for electronic purposes since the s, but it was only successfully incorporated into a solar cell in , when University of Tokyo scientists made a perovskite cell with 3.8% efficiency.

Since then, progress has been rapid. In June , researchers at Chinese solar company LONGi created a perovskite-silicon cell with a record-breaking 34.6% efficiency.

Also in June , the UK&#;s Oxford PV broke the record for an entire panel with a model that has a 26.9% efficiency rating.

These panels aren&#;t currently commercially available though, and if they do arrive on the market, they&#;ll likely be very expensive.

To learn more, check out our full guide to perovskite solar panels.

Pros and cons of perovskite solar panels

Pros Cons The highest efficiency of any panel Not commercially available Good lifespan Will probably be expensive Black appearance, like monocrystalline

What&#;s the best type of solar panel?

The best type of solar panel is monocrystalline.

They&#;re more efficient than any other panel currently on the market, meaning you&#;ll be making the best use of your roof space.

And they have longer lifespans than all their competitors, which boosts their return on investment beyond that of polycrystalline panels or solar tiles.

At some point in the long-term future, perovskite panels may take over as the best type, but even at that point, they're likely to start off on solar farms. They'll also be extremely expensive, at least at first.

What&#;s the best type of solar panel for you?

The best type of solar panel for the majority of households is monocrystalline, as they&#;re the most efficient, long-lasting, and cost-effective panel available right now.

However, if you live in a listed building or conservation area and can&#;t get planning permission for on-roof panels, solar tiles may be the answer &#; but they&#;re much more expensive.

If you&#;re looking to put solar panels on a mobile home instead of a house, you&#;ll probably want to go with thin-film panels, which suit the less flat and sturdy roofs of caravans, houseboats, and recreational vehicles.

Future solar panels

Scientists around the world are constantly researching and developing technology that could potentially revolutionise the solar industry.

There are countless ways in which solar panels could be altered to improve their efficiency levels, lifespan, peak power ratings &#; and researchers are investigating all of them.

This enthusiasm for solar technology is down to its skyrocketing popularity. In the UK alone, the number of households with solar panels has increased by around 5,000% since .

These innovations are the three most notable creations worth focusing on at the moment.

If you'd like to learn about other exciting developments in the industry, check out our guide to the best new solar panel technology.

1. Quantum dot solar cells

Quantum dots are tiny balls made from semiconducting nanocrystals that could replace all the relatively bulkier semiconducting material that goes into modern solar panels.

They&#;re also known as artificial atoms because of their size, which is just a few nanometres &#; or roughly 338 million times smaller than the average Brit.

These nanoscopic dots absorb much more of the light the sun sends &#; including ultraviolet light &#; which could massively expand a solar panel&#;s efficiency, all the way up to 66%.

As a result, they could be the driving force behind considerably lighter, more effective solar technology at some point in the future. Currently, the efficiency record of a quantum dot solar cell is 18.1% &#; so there&#;s a way to go.

2. Zombie solar cells

Zombie solar cells came from the realisation that a burgeoning solar technology called dye-sensitised solar cells can continue functioning after their assumed death &#; and even better than they did before.

Normally, these cells use a dye compound that absorbs light and sends electrons to be gathered by a liquid electrolyte and turned into electric current.

But when scientists replaced the liquid electrolyte with a dry version, it produced more electricity, to the extent that zombie cells have reached 30-34% efficiency.

Smart zombie solar cells are also in development, which can absorb indoor light and turn it into electricity.

3. Organic photovoltaics

Organic solar cells generate electricity in the same way as standard panels, but they use organic semiconductors instead of silicon.

Panels using this organic material, which usually consists of carbon-based polymers, have reached 19.3% efficiency so far, but are still near the start of their development process.

Using organic semiconductors would make panels lighter, more flexible, able to absorb a larger part of the electromagnetic light spectrum, and more sustainable.

Solar panel types: FAQs

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Written byJosh Jackman

Josh has written about the rapid rise of home solar for the past five years. His data-driven work has been featured in United Nations and World Health Organisation documents, as well as publications including The Eco Experts, Financial Times, The Independent, The Telegraph, The Times, and The Sun. Josh has also been interviewed as a renewables expert on BBC One&#;s Rip-Off Britain, ITV1&#;s Tonight show, and BBC Radio 4 and 5.

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