Those who have come into contact with a solar company in Arvada, may have wondered how are the panels that they use made. Indeed, these panels are one of the biggest sources of energy that is clean and renewable. They come with many benefits, including an increased lifespan, easy installation process, and very little need of maintenance. All of these benefits make them a very serious aid in different households. Of course, as it is the case with most other products, there is a large variety one can choose from. There are different types, but even within the same types, there are different materials that can be used in their construction. Understanding a little bit about how they are made is a great help for those thinking of getting some for their house, because this way, they will know what to watch out for.

Crystalline

Within this group of panels a company may be able to offer, there are two types: poly and monocrystalline panels. Since growing a single crystal, which is quite large is a lot more difficult than growing multiple, smaller ones, and then combining them, the panels containing cells with monocrystalline usually cost more than the polycrystalline ones.

Those wondering how they can tell them apart should know that these are very easy to distinguish. When one sees cells that are black in color, and have angles that are rounded, they should know they are seeing monocrystalline cells. On the other hand, blue cells, of a rectangular shape are polycrystalline. Monocrystalline cells, being the more expensive ones, are also the more efficient ones. However, the good news is that technology advances in the past few years have made this gap smaller, which means that in many cases, polycrystalline cells may even outperform their counterparts.

Regardless of whether they are poly or mono, these sorts of panels are made with cells that are closed off in one frame. The cells are created by cutting crystalline silicon disks that are thinner than 1 cm. After that, they are polished. Manufacturers also fill the holes of the wafers, to ensure that they are uniform. Silicone has to be combined with other materials to be able to make electricity.

Thin Film 

These types of panels that may be offered by a solar company in Arvada are made with a thin film that is a layer of silicon which is placed on another material, which can either be plastic or glass or metal. For this reason, the technology behind these panels is much more versatile. Another great benefit of this type is that since a whole lot less material is used in making them, they are also a lot less expensive. However, they are also less efficient.