Types of solar panels: a comparative review of designs and advice on choosing panels

Polycrystalline

Description

All silicon devices over-react to overheating. The temperature recommended for measuring power generation is 25 degrees. Even with an increase of just one degree, the performance decreases by 0.5%.

The purity of silicon is much lower than those discussed above, the presence of impurities and foreign inclusions is also allowed. This reduces the cost. For this type of panels, the metal is simply poured into molds. Then, using special techniques, crystals are formed, the direction of which does not need to be controlled.

Cooled silicon is cut into layers, processing them according to a special algorithm.

The advantages of amorphous silicon are fully revealed in the shade and with the onset of cloudy days and are almost invisible in sunny weather.

They also do not need rotary mechanisms, since they are fixed permanently.

This kind of panels costs less than oriented ones. Their effectiveness drops by 20% after 20 years of use.

Flaws

Obviously they are:

• Lower efficiency;
• Large installation area required.

In recent years, thanks to new research and emerging technologies, the efficiency has been steadily increasing, reaching up to 20% for some panels.

The best solar panels for tourists

SW-H05

This is the most budgetary solar battery from our selection, which allows you to charge phones, tablets, e-books and other equipment. However, it is worth considering that the charge current here is only 1 A, so the device will charge for a long time.

This solar panel is a plate with four rings on the corners, with which you can attach it to a tree or a backpack. Suitable for charging mobile devices while fishing, hunting or in the car.

Goal Zero Nomad 7 Plus

The compact travel panel is equipped with a 7W monocrystalline module. She is "dressed" in a sealed case that is not afraid of rain, snow and even falling into the river. The device is equipped with two USB connectors: a standard one and a Guide 10 Plus proprietary charger.

The solar panel has a mesh pocket in which you can put rechargeable devices. Also, the design is equipped with loops that are attached to the backpack, the battery can be charged directly on the backpack. There is a charge intensity indicator here. It shows how well the sun's rays hit the panel.

FSM 14-MT

The solar battery consists of 4 monocrystalline modules with a total power of 14 watts. The maximum charge current is 2.5A.It folds into a regular bag that can be put in the trunk of a car, bike or put in a backpack.

The efficiency of this device is 18%, subject to direct sunlight. The device weighs only 850 gr.

Topray Solar TPS-102-15

This is an inexpensive car solar battery for battery charging. If the battery is suddenly discharged on the road (although it is better not to allow this), this solar panel will allow you to charge it. The total battery power is 15W.

The device comes with alligator clips for the battery and a cigarette lighter adapter. In addition to the car battery, you can also charge electronic devices.

Bio Lite Solar Panel 10+

This solar battery is a combination of a solar module and a Power Bank with a capacity of 3000 mAh. With it, you can charge various gadgets, and it charges quite quickly. There are two connectors: USB and microUSB.

The metal bracket, which is equipped with the design of the panel, allows you to put the battery on the stand. True, it is worth considering that the panel is monocrystalline, not amorphous, so it will not charge in cloudy weather.

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Film batteries based on cadmium telluride

Cadmium is a material that has a high level of light absorption, discovered as a material for solar cells in the 70s.Today, this material is used not only in space, in near-Earth orbit, but is also actively used as a material for solar panels for conventional, home use.

The main problem in using such material is its toxicity. However, research suggests that the level of cadmium. that escapes into the atmosphere is too small to be harmful to human health. Also, despite the low efficiency in the region of 10%, the cost per unit of power in such batteries is less than that of analogues.

Overview of silicon-free devices

Some solar panels made using rare and expensive metals have an efficiency of more than 30%. They are many times more expensive than their silicon counterparts, but still occupied a high-tech trading niche due to their special characteristics.

Solar panels from rare metals

There are several types of rare metal solar panels, and not all of them are more efficient than monocrystalline silicon modules.

However, the ability to work in extreme conditions allows manufacturers of such solar panels to produce competitive products and conduct further research.

Panels made of cadmium telluride are actively used for cladding buildings in the equatorial and Arabian countries, where their surface heats up to 70-80 degrees during the day

The main alloys used for the manufacture of photovoltaic cells are cadmium telluride (CdTe), indium copper gallium selenide (CIGS) and indium copper selenide (CIS).

Cadmium is a toxic metal, while indium, gallium and tellurium are quite rare and expensive, so mass production of solar panels based on them is even theoretically impossible.

The efficiency of such panels is at the level of 25-35%, although in exceptional cases it can reach up to 40%. Previously, they were used mainly in the space industry, but now a new promising direction has appeared.

Due to the stable operation of photocells made of rare metals at temperatures of 130-150°C, they are used in solar thermal power plants. At the same time, the rays of the sun from tens or hundreds of mirrors are concentrated on a small panel, which simultaneously generates electricity and transfers thermal energy to a water heat exchanger.

As a result of heating water, steam is formed, which causes the turbine to rotate and generate electricity. Thus, solar energy is converted into electrical energy simultaneously in two ways with maximum efficiency.

Polymeric and organic analogues

Photovoltaic modules based on organic and polymer compounds began to be developed only in the last decade, but researchers have already made significant progress. The European company Heliatek shows the greatest progress, which has already equipped several high-rise buildings with organic solar panels.

The thickness of its HeliaFilm roll film construction is only 1 mm.

In the production of polymer panels, substances such as carbon fullerenes, copper phthalocyanine, polyphenylene and others are used. The efficiency of such solar cells already reaches 14-15%, and the cost of production is several times less than that of crystalline solar panels.

The question of the degradation period of the organic working layer is acute. So far, it is not possible to reliably confirm the level of its efficiency after several years of operation.

The advantages of organic solar panels are:

• the possibility of environmentally safe disposal;
• low cost of production;
• flexible design.

The disadvantages of such photocells include relatively low efficiency and the lack of reliable information about the terms of stable operation of the panels. It is possible that in 5-10 years all the disadvantages of organic solar cells will disappear, and they will become serious competitors for silicon wafers.

Types of solar panels

Solar panels on the roof of the houseSolar modules differ in the material from which they are made and the production technology. These factors form the price of such modules. So, batteries are divided into two groups:

• silicon;
• film.

In turn, silicon includes:

• polycrystalline;
• monocrystalline;
• amorphous (depending on the characteristics of production, they can be film).

Film are divided into:

• thin-film;
• polymeric;
• using copper selenide - indium.

Take note: solar water boilers can be useful and convenient for home use, they combine the functionality of a solar collector and a water tank.

For fans of gadgets, a pocket solar module is useful. It is an ideal choice for charging portable devices with a weak battery. Silicon-based solar panels are considered the most popular among consumers. This substance is quite cheap, and therefore, the price of such panels is low. But the performance is higher than other types of panels.

The history of development

Solar batteries began their development in the distant 19th century.The prerequisite for this was revolutionary research on the transformation of solar energy into a more material component.

The first solar panels had an efficiency of only 1%, and their chemical basis was selenium. The first contribution to the development of such batteries was made by A. Becquerel, W. Smith, C. Fritts.

But using only 1% of all energy supplied to the solar panel is very little. These elements could not provide uninterrupted power to the equipment, so the research continued.

In 1954, three scientists - Gordon Pearson, Darryl Chapin and Cal Fuller - invented a battery already with an efficiency of 4%. She worked on silicon, and subsequently her efficiency was increased to 20%.

At the moment, solar panels produce only 1% of all energy in the world. They are mainly carried out to places that are difficult to access for electrification. This power supply is widely used in the space industry. Experts believe that all paths are open to such a battery, because every year solar activity increases.

In our latitudes, these batteries are installed in private homes to save energy consumption and care for the environment.

TOP-6: Model Goal Zero Nomad 13 at a price of 8200 rubles

Review

It is considered the most convenient in the line. With it, your favorite gadgets are always provided with the necessary portion of energy. The only condition for this is sunny weather, because on cloudy days, which is understandable, the charge is noticeably reduced.

It included:

• solar panel;
• adapter for car cigarette lighter.

Price

Curiosities of solar energy

In the light of the above, the so-called "reviews" that can be found on youtube look especially funny.

The author compares modules of different generations. Mono - with 2 tires, poly - with 3 tires. In the transition from 2 to 3 busbars, as well as the transition to the now standard 4 current collector busbars, the efficiency of solar cells increases by several percent. Therefore, the difference in power is not due to the type of crystal, but due to the generation and quality of the solar cells. Moreover, the source of solar cells is unknown for the brand that the author “reviews”, and elements from different manufacturers can be used from batch to batch.

Sometimes on the Internet you can read such "nonsense":

The most effective in cloudy weather are silicon polycrystalline batteries, which well absorb not only direct solar radiation, but also scattered light penetrating through clouds. This is due to the fact that silicon crystals in polycrystalline cells are not oriented in an orderly manner, but chaotically, which, on the one hand, reduces the efficiency of the battery in the direct incidence of solar radiation, and, on the other hand, reduces it slightly in diffused lighting typical of cloudy weather.

Research and latest developments in the field of efficiency improvement

It is worth dwelling separately on the latest achievements in the field of increasing efficiency and consider the most efficient solar panels. Many of them are still in the stage of theoretical development and have not been fully tested in real operating conditions.

Experimental models are presented by the following manufacturers:

• Sharp has prepared product samples with an efficiency of about 44.4%. Its products still occupy a leading position all over the world.The latest developments are distinguished by a complex device, they consist of three layers, and several years have been spent on development and testing. Simpler models still operate at 37.9% efficiency, which is a major technological breakthrough compared to conventional systems.
• Solar panels developed by the Spanish research institute - IES. During tests, they showed an efficiency of 32.6%. Such a high efficiency was achieved through the use of two-layer modules. The cost of products is lower than that of other manufacturers, but at this stage it is economically unprofitable and impractical to use them in ordinary residential buildings.

Solar panels for home

Solar battery production

Installation of solar panels

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Solar panels: alternative energy

Types of solar panels