Solar Panels
Price, Types, Technology, Brands & A Complete Guide
A solar panel is a series of interconnected silicon solar cells, linked together to form a circuit. There is a glass layer on the front with an insulating layer and a protective back sheet on the rear of the panel. Solar panels absorb the sunlight and produce an electric current that travels across wires eventually working its way to your home or business. A single solar panel can generate only a limited amount of electricity. Therefore, most installations contain multiple solar panels.
Solar panels are also known as photovoltaic solar modules, solar plates, solar PV modules, and solar power panels, etc. The solar cells in a solar panel are made by melting silicon fragments or silicon crystals together in a mold and cutting them into wafers. Usually, there are a bunch of 60 or 72 individual crystalline silicon solar cells, connected together and covered with transparent glass. The more interconnected cells in a series, the more electricity generated by the solar panel.
You may have seen solar panels on rooftops in your neighborhood but do you know how they actually work? Let’s understand it in simple language. Solar panels are made of silicon solar cells. When sunlight hits a solar panel, electrons in the solar cell began to move which initiates a flow of electricity. This is direct current or DC electricity.
Unfortunately, direct current electricity cannot power most of our appliances in the home. To create usable electricity, your solar power needs to travel to a solar inverter first. This inverter converts direct current (DC) electricity into alternating current (AC) electricity, which is compatible with most household equipment.
Solar panel efficiency is a measurement that tells you how well a solar panel converts sunlight into usable electricity. For example, suppose the efficiency of a solar panel is 22 percent, which means it can convert 22 percent of the sunlight hitting it into electricity. The efficiency of solar panels determines by several factors such as their brand, type of solar panel, and wiring & busbars, etc.
Most panels have an efficiency rating between 15 to 22 percent. High-efficiency solar panels tend to be more expensive. But sometimes it’s worth paying extra for panels that produce more electricity. If you have limited roof space and you are struggling to cover all of your electricity bills with solar then using high-efficiency panels can increase your long-term savings.
Solar panels are the main part of all types of the solar system. A complete solar panel system typically includes two or more solar panels, a solar inverter, a solar battery, and other accessories.
By the way, there are not many technologies or types of solar panels in the market. But still, you are not a solar expert. You don’t know which type of solar panel out of monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and bi-facial solar panel will be more beneficial for you. So before buying a solar panel, it is necessary to ask a solar expert that which type of solar panel will be best for you.
This is one of the most crucial recommendations to keep in mind when purchasing a solar panel. Before buying any solar panel, do a little research. Check the company profile, check the panel’s certificates. The type of testing that has been performed on solar panels is indicated by the certification. For example, IEC 61215 is one of the core testing standards that confirms a solar panel has completed several stress tests and performed well in regards to quality, performance, and safety.
Some states in India are far better for solar energy production than others. Surprisingly, we are not talking about the weather conditions in your state here. The weather only plays a very small factor in this because, on cloudy days, solar panels can still generate solar power. It's your state's electricity cost more than the weather that determines how much you can expect to save and how soon you can get a return on investment. Also, consider your state's solar subsidies and their net-metering program.
Solar companies nowadays advertisements too much about their solar product to woo people. A lot of people don’t understand in the glare of these advertisements which solar panel they should buy. In such conditions, it is always preferable to seek advice from others. You can inquire from your knowns who already have installed a solar system at their homes or a solar expert. Remember, by buying solar panels, you are going to invest a large part of your earnings for a long time. So you should be careful about which solar panels you want to buy and which are not.
Of course, the cost of solar panels has been decreasing continuously for the last few years due to the initiatives and schemes of the government. But if you are paying far less money for the same size solar panels available in the market, then be careful. You may get poor-quality panels as well as installation services. Before buying solar panels and other solar components, always do a little research about its current price in the market. Otherwise, it is quite obvious that you get what you pay for.
