Different Types of Solar Panels for Your Home

Did you know that having solar panels can save you over $1500 every year on your energy bill?

Solar panels effectively harness the power of the sun to help you decrease your home’s energy consumption. While they may not be able to get you completely off the grid, solar is still the most accessible way for homeowners to transition to renewable energy.

Although solar panels are incredibly efficient, there are a few different types of solar panels you can choose from. The different kinds of panels are made from different materials and can be more or less effective depending on your home.

Want to learn more about the different types of solar panels? You’re in the right place. Here’s everything you need to know about the different solar panel types.

Monocrystalline Panels

Monocrystalline solar panels are the oldest and most traditional form of solar panels. These kinds of panels use pure silicon that is crystalized and sliced into thin silicon wafers. This wafer structure forms a cell that can attach to others to form a solar panel.

Monocrystalline solar panels have a distinct black look because of the way that sunlight reflects on pure silicon. While these solar cells are black, the panels themselves can come in a variety of different colors and designs. 

Polycrystalline Panels

Just like monocrystalline solar panels, polycrystalline panels are also made from silicon. These solar panels are more cost-effective, making them the best type of solar panels for homeowners.

These panels are more cost-effective as they don’t need pure silicon. Fragmented pieces of silicon get melted together before it’s sliced into polycrystalline cells.

Polycrystalline solar cells are generally blue in color because of the way light interacts with the silicon crystals. As with other kinds of solar panels, you can get polycrystalline panels in a variety of different styles and designs.

Thin-Film Panels

The most modern development in solar technology is thin-film solar panels. Unlike the other kinds of solar panels, these panels are incredibly thin and don’t rely solely on silicon for the cells.

Thin-film panels can be made from cadmium telluride (CdTe) and amorphous silicon (a-Si). This allows the solar cells to be placed between thin sheets of conductive material covered by a layer of glass. This gives thin-film panels a unique, modern look for your roof solar panels.  

Thin-Film solar panels are significantly more complicated to install in your home. However, you can easily find a trusted solar installer to help you through the installation process online at https://blueravensolar.com/blog/solar-installers-near-you-part-2/. 

Different Types of Solar Panels for Your Home

Solar energy can help you get off the grid and save money every month on your utilities. While there are different types of solar panels available, they can all help you convert sunlight into electricity for your home.

If you’re interested in learning more about solar, feel free to browse some of the other interesting tech articles on our website.