Currently, more than 90% of photovoltaic cells are made of various types of silicon. In 2011, about 95% of the panels sold to run home photovoltaic systems in the United States of America were crystalline silicon. Silicon is used to make solar panels in various ways. The most important difference is the purity of the silicon used. Crystalline silicon is the basis for making monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar cells.
1-Monocrystalline solar panels
Monocrystalline solar cells are made from pure crystal. Their integrated color simply distinguishes panels with this technology from other panels. Silicon crystals with rounded corners are used in the construction of these types of panels, which distinguish them from polycrystalline panels in terms of appearance.
1-1-Advantages of monocrystalline panels
The highest yield among panels (around 21%) due to the high manufacturing quality and high purity of silicon
Monocrystalline panels are the most efficient in using space and require less space for installation, and as a result, they are the best choice for places where there is a lack of space or the price of land is expensive.
They have the longest lifespan among panels, and for this reason, most manufacturers have a warranty of more than 20 years for this type of panel.
Compared to polycrystalline panels, they have better performance and efficiency in low light conditions.
1-2-Disadvantages of monocrystalline panels
Due to the multi-stage and complex construction, they are the most expensive type of solar panels.
If the shadow falls on a part of the panel, or the panel becomes dirty and dusty, or if snow and hail sit on the panel, the entire panel will stop working and will not produce power.
Due to the manufacturing method of this type of panel, a lot of waste is created during their manufacture.
At high temperatures (usually above 30 degrees Celsius), the efficiency of this type of panel drops.
2-Polycrystalline solar panels
The first solar panels based on polycrystalline silicon were made in 1981, also known as polysilicon (P-Si) or multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si). The process of making this type of panels is simpler and the final price is lower. For this reason, the sale of this type of panel has been more than monocrystalline panels.
2-1-Advantages of polycrystalline panels:
The production process of polycrystalline silicon is simpler and less expensive.
The amount of silicon waste is less compared to the production of monocrystalline silicon.
In terms of temperature tolerance, polycrystalline solar solar panels have a lower temperature tolerance compared to monocrystalline panels; Although this effect is very small and can be ignored.
2-2-Disadvantages of polycrystalline panels:
Due to the lower purity of silicon, they are less efficient (about 16%) than monocrystalline panels.
Due to the lower efficiency compared to monocrystalline panels at a fixed power, more space is needed than polycrystalline panels. So they are not suitable for places with limited space and expensive land.
Compared to monocrystalline and thin layer panels, due to the irregularity of silicon, they are less beautiful.