Difference Between Polycrystalline And Multicrystalline Solar Panels

However there are certain differences that relate to the types of technology used for the manufacturing of these panels.

Difference between polycrystalline and multicrystalline solar panels.

Tindo solar panels using polycrystalline cells. As a result polycrystalline solar panels have lower efficiency ratings than monocrystalline panels. Manufacturers use silicon in making solar panels. Because there are many crystals in each cell there is less freedom for the electrons to move.

The key difference between monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar panels is that comparatively the monocrystalline solar panels are black in color and are more efficient and durable whereas polycrystalline solar panels are blue in color and are less efficient and less durable. A quality mono crystalline solar panel such as the suntech 190w also used by gold coast solar power solutions has a pmax rating of 0 48 o c though only a difference of 0 08 per o c this small amount adds up on hot summer days and makes the poly multi crystalline out perform the mono crystalline solar panel in real world australian. Polycrystalline panels sometimes referred to as multicrystalline panels are popular among homeowners looking to install solar panels on a budget. There were a number of reasons for this thinking.

Monocrystalline solar cells have historically had a higher peak efficiency and were more readily available than polysilicon solar cells. Therefore the primary component of a solar cell is silicon. The mono solar panel is a bit better according to the manufacturer s spec. When solar pv first boomed in australia in 2009 2010 monocrystalline solar panels were thought to be superior to polycrystalline solar panels.

But bear in mind that this specification is notoriously unreliable if you rely on the manufacturers to measure it. Usually polycrystalline silicon solar cells won t have the corners cut off of them so you won t see the large white spaces on the front of the panel that you see on monocrystalline panels. This is a measure of how much the power drops when the panel gets hot solar panels like light but don t like heat. In fact both polycrystalline and monocrystalline solar panels serve the purpose well by producing the required amount of electricity for your home.