What are solar panels made of?

In this article, you will find out what types of solar panels are and what the solar panels are actually made of.

In America and most of the developed countries of Europe, the number of people replacing conventional power plants with other energy sources in order to be autonomous from central power grids is growing daily. The purchase of all components for a solar station is quite costly, but it will pay off in a few years.

The solar battery itself is a set of conductors connected in series and in parallel, namely: photocells. It is the solar cells that convert the sun’s energy into electricity. They are mainly made from silicon wafers. Silicon wafers have a high efficiency and are quite durable. This plate has a service life of up to 30 years. Over the entire period of operation, the plates will lose up to 20% of their efficiency

What are the solar panels

Solar cells are divided into monocrystalline and polycrystalline.

  • monocrystalline – more efficient than polycrystalline, which means they require a smaller area to generate the same amount of electricity, higher characteristics at lower insolation;
  • polycrystalline – less dependent on the weather, less power loss, the cost is lower than that of monocrystalline solar cells.

There is a cheaper option for solar panels. Film elements are much more affordable than silicon wafers. They are made on the basis of polymers and require faster replacement than the aforementioned competitor.

The solar panel is exactly the element in the system that captures solar energy. In order for the whole system to work and start bringing electricity, the solar battery must be connected to a system consisting of a controller, a battery and an inverter.

On cloudy days, solar panels work worse, and at night they do not work at all. Despite this peculiarity, the transition to solar energy remains a reliable and progressive option. You will become independent, stop being afraid of big bills, rolling blackouts and breakdowns on the state power line.