The production differences between amorphous and polycrystalline solar panels create differences in efficiency, price, and reliability. Determining which panel is for you depends on budget, available space, and level of reliability.
Production
Polycrystalline panels are made of many pieces of interconnecting silicone cells, each of which has to be cut and connected to each other. According to Online Solar Inc. amorphous panels have the silicone sprayed like paint onto glass, and are connected by "laser patterning."
Price
Amorphous solar panels are by far much cheaper than polycrystalline. The difference is in thousands of dollars when you are looking at a large system.
Efficiency
According to system experts at Online Solar Inc., polycrystalline panels are five to six percent more efficient than amorphous, and amorphous takes up 50 percent more space.
Space
If you have a large space, amorphous panels are a good choice because they are less expensive. Polycrystalline panels should be used when space is limited, or when you want to minimize the panel's visual impact.
Reliability
Because polycrystalline panels are made of many interconnecting pieces called ingots, they have more mechanical pieces that can break down. Amorphous panels are essentially one piece with less opportunity for error.
Tags: made many, Online Solar, panels made, panels made many, percent more, Polycrystalline panels
