What Types of Solar Panels Exist in the Residential Industry?
Although scientists are constantly improving solar technologies, there are currently three types of solar panels used in the industry and installed on homes:
- Thin Film
- Polycrystalline
- Monocrystalline
Each of these panel types differs in appearance, technology, efficiency, cost, and warranties. Each type of solar panel has unique advantages, and each is a viable option for residential homeowners. Let’s review the different types and take a look at their specific attributes.
Thin film panels have the lowest energy efficiency, but, they provide two major advantages:
- Low cost
- Can maintain efficiency at high temperatures
In the future, technological advances will likely improve thin film panels and help them become a popular choice for solar adopters.
Polycrystalline panels have been gaining traction in the residential solar industry. They have two main advantages:
- Low production cost
- High energy efficiency
However, they are the largest and least attractive solar panels, causing many homeowners to choose monocrystalline panels.
Monocrystalline panels are the oldest and most developed solar panel. Despite being the most expensive option in the industry, these are also the most popular solar panel option because they are:
- Space efficient
- Produce the most electricity for the space required
Residential solar installers most often recommend and install monocrystalline panels because they do not have the drawbacks of polycrystalline panels, which are often too big to be practical for a home, or thin film panels, which need further development.