Thin Film | Solar Panels
Posted by Spencer Garner on Wed, Feb 23, 2011 @ 09:47 AM
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Standard solar photovoltaic cells are made up of one of the most abundant elements on the planet: silicon. Thick silicon ingots that have been created through an energy intensive manufacturing process are sliced into thin wafers. these wafers or “cells” are then connected in series to create a solar panel. Traditional silicon solar panels work extremely well for creating electricity from sunlight through a photovoltaic process.
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In a much simpler process,amorphous silicon (a-Si) solar cells are created by depositing a microscopically thin deposit of silicon on either a flexible surface or many different types of rigid backing (glass, metal, etc.) which allows thin-film solar technology to be more adaptable throughout the installation process. More exotic materials have recently been used to create thin film panels. Cadmium telluride (CdTe) which is commonly referred to as the most eco-friendly of solar panels because the least amount of embodied energy is used to create them. Copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) which is the newest thin film technology accounting for a comparably small share of the solar market but achieving the highest efficiency ratings of all thin-film technologies in laboratory settings.
Choosing the right inverter to pair with thin-film is very important!
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- a-Si - Amorphous Silicon
- CdTe - Cadmium Telluride
- PrimeStar Solar
- First Solar
- CIGS - Copper Indium Gallium Selenide
Other Solar Manufactures
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Cost is normally the main reason for choosing thin film technology. When compared to the typical silicon solar panel, less expensive thin film panels allow for a substantially smaller up-front investment in a solar system, with the main trade-off being efficiency as thin film panels require significantly more room to produce the same amount of energy . Below are some of the benefits and advantages of using thin film technology
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- Better performance than crystalline silicon (c-Si) modules in higher temperatures due to favorable temperature coefficients.
- Better performance than crystalline modules under low light conditions and are more likely to continue producing electricity should a portion of a module become covered by leaves, shade, or debris.
- Generates 24% more annual income due to lower initial installation cost per watt than traditional solar panels .
- Thin film solar panels characteristically have an actual output (PTC real world conditions) that are very close to the one their rated capacity (STC test conditions).
- Lower efficiency than traditional solar panels which means nearly twice as much space and mounting hardware are required to produce the same power output.
- Typically have higher degradation rates over time, however thin film efficiencies and warranties are quickly approaching those of traditional solar panels .
Special thanks to Scott Wegs - Business Development Rep, for contributing the expertise needed to complete this informative post. Scott may be contacted directly via mobile: (970)-250-5343 Office: 1-866-813-3581 or e-mail Scott@SyndicatedSolar.com
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