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While doing your research into solar panel installation for residential homes, you’ve probably come across multiple types of solar panels that you didn’t know about. In fact, there are three common ones on the market, all with different characteristics and price points. The most commonly installed type is the monocrystalline solar panel, which is the most efficient.
What Is the Most Commonly Installed Type of Solar Panel and Why?
There are monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and thin film solar panels, but the monocrystalline panels are the most commonly installed panels. This is partly because they have a very sleek design that makes them highly efficient, although they are more expensive than some other options.
What Is a Monocrystalline Solar Panel?
These panels are manufactured by placing one “seed” of silicon crystal into a molten vat of pure silicon. Everything is kept at a high temperature so that a single silicon crystal is formed that gets sliced to create the pieces of the solar modules.
There is more than one type of monocrystalline solar panel made with different types of cells. For example, there are panels made with PERC cells that can increase the amount of electricity produced. Or there are bifacial solar panels, which generate electricity on both sides of the panel and are great for commercial ground applications.
Panel Features
These panels are unique because of how much efficiency they have and because they have a large surface that can harness more energy from the sun. The entire surface is lined with phosphorus to help create an electric field and further coated with silicon nitride—to reduce glare.
Monocrystalline Benefits
There are genuine reasons to pick out monocrystalline panels. They have the highest efficiency rate that falls between 15 and 21.5 percent. This means that they can produce more power per square foot, making them both space-efficient and energy-efficient.
In terms of space efficiency, you will be able to place more panels on your roof. Even if you don’t have the space, the panels are small enough that you should be able to place them even on smaller sections of the roof. Because they’re so highly efficient, they need less space to reach any given power capacity. Ultimately, this means you can buy fewer panels.
Durability
These panels are known for being sturdy, making them perfect for handling storms in between the sunny weather. In addition, monocrystalline panels are made to last for years, so even though you end up paying a higher price for the installation and the panels, you will still save money in the long run.
You should be able to keep them on your house for around 25-35 years at least, and they usually come with a 25-year warranty.
Is It Worth It?
Monocrystalline panels have a higher price point than other types of solar panels. This is because the entire process uses more silicon, hence the higher price tag.
This may be a worthwhile investment, still. You may spend more at the start, but over time, these panels’ durability and energy efficiency should make up for it.
Conclusion
Monocrystalline solar panels are the most commonly used type on the market. This is because they’re highly efficient for a small amount of space, produce a lot of electricity, and are extremely durable. As long as they’re installed properly, you can keep these panels for up to 25-35 years without replacing them, so while they might have a higher cost to them, they do end up being a worthwhile investment.
Give us a call today at 772-464-2663 to discuss the right solar panels for your home and we’ll be happy to give you more advice.