What is Solar PV?
Solar PV (PV for photovoltaics) is the generation of electricity using energy from the sun. This is achieved by using a combination of solar panels, a charge controller and an inverter. Solar panels use a silicon semi-conductor to convert sunlight into DC (Direct Current) electrical energy, this is controlled and regulated by a charge controller. Lastly, we use an inverter. The Inverter is effectively the heartbeat of the system as this is used to convert the DC electricity to AC (Alternating Current) electricity which makes the solar power useful for your home or business.
Types of solar panels- There are three main types of solar panel in main stream use
Monocrystalline:
Monocrystalline panels are made from single crystal silicon solar cells. To achieve this, pure silicon is formed into bars and cut into wafers. The silicon used is the highest purity of silicon making a premium panel. Although, more expensive it is worth the cost due to its higher output and improved efficiency. It is also the best choice for aesthetics due to its more modern black appearance.
Polycrystalline:
Polycrystalline panels are made from fragments of silicon melted together potentially making it a more affordable option due to the manufacturing process. Due to this these panels do have worse performance in terms of efficiency meaning you will not see as much benefit from their production. They also have a slightly shorter lifespan than its Monocrystalline counterpart. They are mostly used on large scale solar farms due to its cost and reliable performance.
Monocrystalline vs Polycrystalline:
Overall, due to more modern manufacturing Monocrystalline is still a more popular choice due to costings now being quite comparable. Both Monocrystalline & Polycrystalline panels are rectangular construction with an aluminium frame to house the solar cells making them quite rigid. Both are commonly used for Domestic, Commercial and Industrial premises. We only use Monocrystalline panels.
Thin film:
Thin film panels are achieved by using a mixture of different semi conductors being silicon, cadium telluride and copper indium gallium selenide. These are layered and placed between transparent conducting layers, finished with a glass top. Due to the nature of this process, you are left a with a thin, low and flexible profile making it more popular for small scale installations like camping vans and sailing boats. The main issue with these panels are the energy output and efficiency, due to this it is a very uncommon choice for most installations associated with Domestic, Commercial and Industrial premises, making its main strength being portability.