types of solar modules
Monocrystalline silicon solar cells
The photoelectric conversion efficiency of monocrystalline silicon solar cells is about 18%, with the highest value being 24%, which is the highest efficiency among all types of solar cells. However, due to the high manufacturing cost, they cannot be widely used. Monocrystalline silicon cells are usually encapsulated with tempered glass and waterproof resin, which makes them particularly durable. Their service life can be up to 25 years.
Polycrystalline silicon solar cells
The manufacturing process of polycrystalline silicon solar cells is similar to that of monocrystalline silicon solar cells, but the photoelectric conversion efficiency of polycrystalline silicon solar cells is much lower, at about 16%. In terms of production costs, they are cheaper than monocrystalline silicon solar cells. The materials are easy to manufacture, the energy consumption in production is low, and the overall cost is lower. Therefore, the technology has developed greatly. In addition, the service life of polycrystalline solar cells is shorter than that of monocrystalline solar cells.
Amorphous silicon solar cells
Amorphous silicon solar cells are a new type of thin-film solar cells that first appeared on the market in 1976. The manufacturing process is quite different from that of monocrystalline and polycrystalline silicon solar cells. The process is greatly simplified, the silicon material consumption is small, and the energy consumption in production is lower. The main advantage of this technology is that it can generate electricity even in low light. However, the main problem of amorphous silicon solar cells is their low photoelectric conversion efficiency, about 10% of the international peak value, which makes them not stable enough. Over time, the conversion efficiency decreases.
Additional Information:
The measurement of solar cells is carried out under standard conditions (STC), which are defined as follows: atmospheric quality AM1.5, illumination intensity of 1000 W/m² and temperature 25 °C.
Under these conditions, the maximum power that can be produced by the solar cell is called peak power. The main factors that affect the performance of solar cells are:
- 1) Load impedance
- 2) Light intensity
- 3) Temperature
- 4) Shadow
