Types of Commercial Solar Panels and their structures
Thin film glass laminated Solar panel
MATERIALS
Thin film cells are produced using very little amount of silicon compared to crystalline solar panels. This means it can be very thin and can be applied as a film on various type of backing materials. For commercial use, they are usually laminated on glass for greater durability and lifespan. Thin film also has better low light performance and higher tolerance to the incident sunlight angle. However, they are traditionally much less efficient per area of solar module than crystalline solar panels. This means that they are usually not used in projects where space is limited.
PROCESS
The fabrication of the thin film solar panel is very different from mono- and polycrystalline solar panels. The thin layers of silicon is deposited directly on thin layers of plastic sheet or glass sheets.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Low efficiency
- Cheaper manufacturing
- Take up more area
- Good low light performance
- Flexible usage
APPLICATIONS:
Thin film solar panels are used in mostly low power applications from powering calculators, watches, toys to boats and rooftops.
LIFESPAN: 5 year +
