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The 6 different types of solar panels

Solar-technologyLast updated on 15 May 11 min read

Discover the six main types of solar panel, including thin-film, perovskite, and the best type for your home: monocrystalline.

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Written byJosh Jackman

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Solar panel types: at a glance

When you’re considering whether to get solar panels, it’s a good idea to look into all the different types, to ensure you choose the best system for your home.

In this guide, we’ll run through all the main types of solar panels, their advantages and disadvantages, and which panels make the most sense for different purposes.

We’ll also take a look at new and developing solar panel technology, and explain which type of panel is the best overall.

To learn how much a solar & battery system could save you on your energy bills, simply answer a few quick questions below and we’ll provide an estimate.

What are the main types of solar panels?

The six main types of solar panels are polycrystalline, monocrystalline, thin-film, transparent, solar tiles, and perovskite.

All of these are photovoltaic panels – meaning they use daylight to generate electricity – and they’re all categorised based on their material.

Type of solar panel Average efficiency Typical lifespan (years) Key advantage Key disadvantage Polycrystalline 18-21% 25-30 Cheaper than monocrystalline No longer available Monocrystalline 20-25% 30-40 Most efficient type available More expensive than some types Thin-film 17-19% 10-20 Most flexible option Low power output Transparent 1% 25-35 Blends in with windows Low efficiency Solar tiles 10-20% 25-30 Blends in with roofs Very expensive Perovskite 24-27% 25-35 Highest efficiency Not yet available

1. Polycrystalline solar panels

Polycrystalline panels vanished from production lines in

• 18-21% efficiency
• Lifespan of 25-30 years

Polycrystalline solar panels are one of the oldest types of solar panel in existence, and now account for 0% of global production, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

Their cells are made by melting multiple silicon crystals and combining them in a square mould.

These blue panels are less efficient, less aesthetically pleasing, and less long-lasting than black monocrystalline panels.

And though they’re technically cheaper, this comes with a large drawback: they take up far more space, because they’re significantly less efficient.

Since , the record efficiency of polycrystalline cells has increased from 15% to 23.3%.

This is a decent level, but it’s way behind monocrystalline, which hit 24% all the way back in , according to the NREL.

Since panels always lag behind cells in efficiency terms, the average polycrystalline panel today is even less impressive, at just 14.5%. This makes it 31% worse than the average monocrystalline panel, which is 21% efficient.

To achieve a certain level of output, you'll therefore need a higher number of polycrystalline panels than you would monocrystalline panels.

When considering the lifetime cost of solar panels, it’s almost always better to cover your roof with as many panels as you can, to generate the most electricity possible.

Polycrystalline panels won’t get the best out of your roof space, since they're not particularly efficient in the first place, and they're only available second-hand – which usually means a further drop in efficiency.

Pros and cons of polycrystalline solar panels

Pros Cons Cheaper than monocrystalline panels No longer available More eco-friendly manufacturing process Lower return on investment Not aesthetically pleasing Relatively mediocre efficiency Shorter lifespan than monocrystalline

2. Monocrystalline solar panels

New rooftop solar panels are almost exclusively monocrystalline

• 20-25% efficiency
• Lifespan of 30-40 years

Monocrystalline solar panels are the most efficient type of solar panel currently on the market.

The top monocrystalline panels now all come with 22% efficiency or higher, and manufacturers are continually raising this bar.

These sleek, black panels are made from single-crystal silicon – hence their name and dark appearance – and treated with an anti-reflective coating that removes their grey undertones, making them look even darker.

They also have a longer lifespan than any other type, on average, often outlasting their already lengthy performance warranties, which can stretch to 30 years.

Monocrystalline is currently the most cutting-edge solar material, too – bifacial solar panels are usually made with monocrystalline, for instance.

For all these reasons, 98% of global solar panel shipments in were made with monocrystalline, up from 35% in , according to the NREL.

We have Polish scientist Jan Czochralski to thank for the creation of monocrystalline panels.

In , the 31-year-old absent-mindedly dipped his pen into a crucible of molten tin instead of his inkwell, hurriedly took it out – and withdrew a narrow thread of metal at the same time.

This was the eureka moment that enabled monocrystalline silicon production.

The Czochralski method, which was modelled on this accident, was crucial in Bell Labs researcher Russell Ohl’s development of the first monocrystalline cell 25 years later, in – and that’s not all.

This method is still used in the great majority of electronic goods around the world, from mobile phones and televisions to washing machines and fridges.

Pros and cons of monocrystalline solar panels

Pros Cons Very efficient More expensive than some types Sleek appearance Long lifespan Most powerful type available Popular all over the world

On average, monocrystalline solar panels are 31% more efficient than their closest rival, last around 18% longer, and are produced by all the leading solar manufacturers.

The only major drawback when it comes to monocrystalline panels is they’re usually more expensive than other widely available types – but that's inevitable, since they're better.

After all, the most efficient and most powerful solar panels on the market are all monocrystalline. If you can afford them, they’re usually worth it.

And if you opt for Sunsave Plus, you’ll avoid paying anything upfront.

You'll also be covered by the 20-year Sunsave Guarantee, which includes 24/7 monitoring, free replacement parts (including a battery and inverter), and downtime cover – and your system will be insured by Aviva against damage, fire, and theft.

If you’re wondering how much you could save with a solar & battery system, enter a few details below and we’ll provide an estimate.

3. Thin-film solar panels

Thin-film panels are flexible and versatile (Source: MIPV Solar)

• 17-19% efficiency
• Lifespan of 10-20 years

Thin-film solar panels are flexible sheets that can wrap around objects, making them perfect for properties with a limited amount of unobstructed roof space, or mobile homes like recreation vehicles and houseboats.

They’re thousands of times thinner than the average monocrystalline panel, which gives them their malleable nature.

Manufacturers create them by stacking several layers of solar material, like amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride, and copper indium gallium selenide. 

The creation of thin-film panels was kick-started by NASA in , when the Photovoltaic Fundamentals Section at its Ohio research centre started developing the technology.

They’ve since been used in space, with their flexibility and resilience proving an advantage over other types of panels when it comes to extraterrestrial uses.

ARCO Solar released the first commercial thin-film solar panel, the G-, in , and they’ve been on the market ever since.

Thin-film efficiency levels are usually lower than those of monocrystalline panels, but they tend to still be pretty decent.

Cadmium telluride (CdTe) panels, one of the most popular thin-film varieties, are around 17-19% efficient.

The average for installed CdTe panels in the US in was 18.6%, according to the NREL, up massively from 11% in .

There are other thin-film types – the main one being copper indium selenide (CIS) and its related variation, copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) – but CdTe is far and away the most popular.

Kesterite is another thin-film technology that's starting to make waves in the industry, and we'll go into more detail about it below.

Thin-film efficiency is substantially lower than most other types of solar panels, though this is usually reflected in their relatively low prices.

However, since demand isn’t particularly high for thin-film panels, the amount you pay will mostly come down to who your local supplier is.

Pros and cons of thin-film solar panels

Pros Cons Perfect for uneven surfaces Low efficiency Cheap Middling lifespan Subtle appearance Not widely available Can’t power a house

4. Transparent solar panels

An increasing number of large UK buildings have semi-transparent panels

• 1% efficiency
• Lifespan of 25-35 years

If they reach their final form, transparent solar panels could be efficient, fully see-through sheets of solar material, mostly made of glass, that replace windows, roofs, and screens all over the world.

Right now, if we focus on fully transparent panels, they’re behind other models in the industry, with an efficiency of just 1%.

However, semi-transparent panels – which are just 40-50% see-through – are around 20% efficient.

In , a team of researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) created a 100% transparent cell, but with an efficiency of around 1%.

This cell was a transparent luminescent solar concentrator (TLSC) – a small, specially treated panel of glass surrounded by a narrow frame of solar material.

There are other transparent cells made with monocrystalline or CdTe, but since the solar material involved is encased in glass, they’ll never be more than about 50% transparent.

In the years since, the industry hasn’t managed to turn MSU's breakthrough into a commercially viable TLSC panel with a higher efficiency rating than 1%.

And unless their efficiency rises dramatically, 100% transparent panels won’t be suitable for domestic properties.

A handful of locations around the UK have used semi-transparent panels, such as Gloucestershire County's Council Hall, Bournemouth University, and the Barbican Theatre in London.

These systems are made with monocrystalline or CdTe cells, and are about 20% transparent.

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Types Of Solar Panels.

Semi-transparent panels like these are good for large buildings, including office blocks and skyscrapers, where they can make enormous energy savings across the hundreds of windows they replace.

Pros and cons of transparent solar panels

Pros Cons Solid lifespan Extremely low efficiency Semi-transparent panels can benefit commercial & public buildings Not suitable for homes Ground-breaking concept Higher efficiency models are only up to 50% transparent

5. Solar tiles

You may pay a high price for the aesthetic appeal of solar tiles (Source: XO Solar)

• 10-20% efficiency
• Lifespan of 25-30 years

Solar tiles produce electricity in the same way as monocrystalline or polycrystalline panels, but they’re built to replace all your roof tiles.

They're made by incorporating solar material – usually monocrystalline, but sometimes thin-film – into a normal roof tile of any style during the manufacturing process.

For people who are worried that panels will look unsightly on their roof, or who are struggling to get planning permission in a conservation area, solar tiles might be a solution – but they come at a price.

The process of replacing every tile with a solar one is typically around 50% more expensive than a monocrystalline solar panel system, roughly 30% less efficient, and takes about three times longer.

It's also a common misconception that solar tiles are always an alternative for listed buildings.

In July , Historic England advised that though solar tiles are "acceptable in some cases", they "would not be suitable for prominent roof slopes where panels would also be unacceptable."

Solar tiles should last 25-30 years, which is decent, but since they were only introduced to the UK market in the decade or two, there are no guarantees.

They first became commercially available in the US in , but progress since then has been slow, and they haven’t proved popular in the UK.

The product has been beset by false starts. American multinational company Dow unveiled its solar tile to great fanfare in , leading Time Magazine to call it “one of the 50 best inventions” of the year.

But Dow scrapped its solar tile product line in , and its most famous successor, Tesla’s Solar Roof, still isn’t available in the UK. That’s despite Elon Musk announcing in spring that it’d be launching in summer .

To learn more, check out our full guide to solar roof tiles.

Pros and cons of solar tiles

Pros Cons Aesthetic appearance Extremely expensive Birds can’t nest underneath Longer installation Can sidestep most planning permission issues Mediocre efficiency Middling lifespan

6. Perovskite solar panels

It could be many years before perovskite panels are available (Source: Oxford PV)

• Up to 24-27% efficiency
• Lifespan of 25-35 years

These panels are at the forefront of solar innovation.

They’re made with perovskite, a synthetic material based on the crystal structure of a mineral that’s (confusingly) also called perovskite.

A layer of this material is placed on a layer of silicon to create a ‘tandem’ panel – the advantage being that silicon can absorb light from the red part of the spectrum, and perovskite can absorb light from the blue end.

The perovskite mineral was first discovered by German scientist Gustav Rose in , in Russia’s Ural Mountains. He named it after Lev Perovski, a fellow mineralogist who was serving as a minister under Russian Emperor Nicholas I.

Researchers have attempted to use its structure for electronic purposes since the s, but it was only successfully incorporated into a solar cell in , when University of Tokyo scientists made a perovskite cell with 3.8% efficiency.

Since then, progress has been rapid. In June , researchers at Chinese solar company LONGi created a perovskite-silicon cell with a record-breaking 34.6% efficiency.

Also in June , the UK’s Oxford PV broke the record for an entire panel with a model that has a 26.9% efficiency rating.

These panels aren’t currently commercially available though, and if they do arrive on the market, they’ll likely be very expensive.

To learn more, check out our full guide to perovskite solar panels.

Pros and cons of perovskite solar panels

Pros Cons The highest efficiency of any panel Not commercially available Good lifespan Will probably be expensive Black appearance, like monocrystalline

What’s the best type of solar panel?

The best type of solar panel is monocrystalline.

They’re more efficient than any other panel currently on the market, meaning you’ll be making the best use of your roof space.

And they have longer lifespans than all their competitors, which boosts their return on investment beyond that of polycrystalline panels or solar tiles.

At some point in the long-term future, perovskite panels may take over as the best type, but even at that point, they're likely to start off on solar farms. They'll also be extremely expensive, at least at first.

What’s the best type of solar panel for you?

The best type of solar panel for the majority of households is monocrystalline, as they’re the most efficient, long-lasting, and cost-effective panel available right now.

Solar tiles are much more expensive than on-roof panels, but if you live in a conservation area, they may be the answer.

In contrast, listed building owners will need to get planning approval for standard panels in order to use solar tiles.

If you’re looking to put solar panels on a mobile home instead of a house, you’ll probably want to go with thin-film panels, which suit the less flat and sturdy roofs of caravans, houseboats, and recreational vehicles.

1. Quantum dot solar cells

Quantum dots are tiny balls made from semiconducting nanocrystals that could replace all the relatively bulkier semiconducting material that goes into modern solar panels.

They’re also known as artificial atoms because of their size, which is just a few nanometres – or roughly 338 million times smaller than the average Brit.

These nanoscopic dots absorb much more of the light the sun sends – including ultraviolet light – which could massively expand a solar panel’s efficiency, all the way up to 66%.

As a result, they could be the driving force behind considerably lighter, more effective solar technology at some point in the future. Currently, the efficiency record of a quantum dot solar cell is 18.1% – so there’s a way to go.

2. Kesterite solar cells

Kesterite solar cells are a type of thin-film technology with a promising set of attributes.

Also known as sulfide kesterite cells, this product has a similar structure to the most popular type of thin-film cell – CIGS – but with a couple of key advantages.

Firstly, this new thin-film technology is made from abundant, non-toxic, and relatively cheap raw materials including copper, sulfur, tin, and zinc.

This sets it apart from CIGS cells – which require a rare, expensive element called indium – and CdTe cells, which include a toxic element called cadmium.

It can also absorb a different part of the light spectrum to silicon cells, so using it in a tandem cell with silicon could be extremely effective.

And its close structural resemblance to CIGS means that manufacturing facilities set up to put together CIGS cells could also produce kesterite cells.

The main challenge at the moment for kesterite researchers is to make solar cells that are commercially viable, which means creating a cell that's around 20% efficient.

Kesterite cells have quickly reached 13.2% efficiency, but the next step up could take a while.

3. Zombie solar cells

Zombie solar cells came from the realisation that a burgeoning solar technology called dye-sensitised solar cells can continue functioning after their assumed death – and even better than they did before.

Normally, these cells use a dye compound that absorbs light and sends electrons to be gathered by a liquid electrolyte and turned into electric current.

But when scientists replaced the liquid electrolyte with a dry version, it produced more electricity, to the extent that zombie cells have reached 30-34% efficiency.

Smart zombie solar cells are also in development, which can absorb indoor light and turn it into electricity.

4. Organic photovoltaics

Organic solar cells generate electricity in the same way as standard panels, but they use organic semiconductors instead of silicon.

Panels using this organic material, which usually consists of carbon-based polymers, have reached 19.3% efficiency so far, but are still near the start of their development process.

Using organic semiconductors would make panels lighter, more flexible, able to absorb a larger part of the electromagnetic light spectrum, and more sustainable.

Solar panel types: FAQs

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Written byJosh Jackman

Josh has written about the rapid rise of home solar for the past six years. His data-driven work has been featured in United Nations and World Health Organisation documents, as well as publications including The Eco Experts, Financial Times, The Independent, The Telegraph, The Times, and The Sun. Josh has also been interviewed as a renewables expert on BBC One’s Rip-Off Britain, ITV1’s Tonight show, and BBC Radio 4 and 5.

Home Owners

In today’s world, where sustainability and eco-friendliness have become paramount, more homeowners are turning to solar energy as a viable solution for their energy needs. At My Home Solar, we understand the importance of harnessing the sun’s power not only for the sake of the environment but also for the substantial savings it can bring. But did you know that your solar panel system can be even more efficient and beneficial with the right add-ons? At My Home Solar, a leading UK-based provider of solar solutions, we offer a range of products designed to maximise the performance of your solar setup. Here are five must-have solar add-ons that will enhance your solar panel system and make your investment even more worthwhile.

Solar Batteries

One of the most significant challenges with solar energy is its intermittency. Solar panels only produce electricity when the sun is shining, which means no power generation during the night or on very cloudy days. This is where solar batteries come into play.

Why You Need It: Solar batteries store the excess energy produced by your solar panels during the day, allowing you to use it later when the panels are not generating electricity. This not only ensures a constant power supply but also maximises the utilisation of your solar energy, reducing your reliance on the grid.

Our Recommendation: At My Home Solar, we offer a range of high-quality solar batteries, including the renowned Fox ESS batteries. These batteries are designed for maximum efficiency and longevity, ensuring that you get the most out of your solar energy system.

Solar Inverters

A solar inverter is an essential component of any solar panel system. It converts the direct current (DC) electricity generated by your solar panels into alternating current (AC) electricity, which is what most household appliances use.

Why You Need It: Without a reliable inverter, your solar panels cannot effectively power your home. Modern inverters also come with advanced features such as energy monitoring and smart grid capabilities, which can further enhance the efficiency and management of your solar energy system.

Our Recommendation: My Home Solar stocks a variety of top-tier inverters, including options from DMEGC Solar. These inverters are known for their reliability, efficiency, and smart features, making them a perfect addition to any solar setup.

Conclusion

Enhancing your solar panel system with these add-ons can provide numerous benefits, from increased energy efficiency to better protection and more convenience. At My Home Solar we believe in making the most out of your solar investment, and My Home Solar is here to help you every step of the way.

With our range of high-quality solar products and our commitment to customer satisfaction, we ensure that you have all the tools you need to create a powerful, efficient, and reliable solar energy system. Whether you’re just starting with solar energy or looking to upgrade your existing setup, these must-have solar add-ons will undoubtedly enhance your system and provide you with greater peace of mind.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website N-Type Solar Panel.