Solar Modules: an Overview
2017.01.25
Explaining all the basics of solar panels; how they work, what different type there are, which are suited for you project, etc.The idea of converting solar energy into electricity using solar cells has been around since Alexandre Edmond Becquerel found in 1839 that some materials would generate electricity when exposed to light. The first patents for solar cells appeared in the 1950s, and today solar technology has multiplied to include a range of solar cells suited to different applications; there is a photovoltaic module appropriate for any installation site. These different sorts of solar cells vary in cost and their efficiency in capturing solar energy. The main sorts of PV module are thin film, monocrystalline, and polycrystalline. Each has its own pros and cons that make it more suitable in certain situations and less so in others. Each of these solar cells captures solar energy using the same process but they are different in the process used to manufacture them and in the type of silicon used. In the case of thin film panels, they also differ in the type of photovoltaic material used. A brief outline of the advantages and disadvantages of thin film, monocrystalline, and polycrystalline panels will give a good understanding of where each type is suitable.