Monocrystalline and Polycrystalline Solar Panels
The question of monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar panels’ difference comes in the mind of every person before buying solar panels. If you are mixed-up between in choosing the better one, then you should read this article.
There is not much difference between these solar panels. Both of them produce electricity from sunlight in the presence of PV(Photovoltaic) cells. The major difference between them is silicon which is layered in solar panels on the basis of which they are called monocrystalline and polycrystalline.
Overview of Monocrystalline and Polycrystalline Solar Panels
An overview of pros and cons of both solar panels is given below:
| Feature | Monocrystalline | Polycrystalline |
|---|---|---|
| Life Span | Almost 25-30 years | Almost 22-25 years |
| Initial Cost | Expensive | Cheap |
| Efficiency | More 15%-25% | Less 12%-16% |
| Space Required | Less | More |
| Appearance | Panels give Black shade | Panels give Blue shade |
| Temperature Coefficient | Low | High |
| Layers of Silicon | Single layer of silicon | Multiple layers of silicon |
Monocrystalline Solar Panels
The word ‘Mono’ in monocrystalline means ‘single’ or ‘one’ which indicates that these solar panels consist of single layer of silicon. These solar panels have only single layer of pure silicon wafer which causes the cells to flow more efficiently and produces electricity.
As silicon is a raw material, it costs very expensive to manufacture monocrystalline solar panels than polycrystalline solar panels which are manufactured by mixing other raw materials in the silicon. That is why monocrystalline panels are expensive than polycrystalline.
Since monocrystalline solar panels have single layer of silicon, this single layer provide more space to electrons to flow more efficiently in the solar panel and generate more electricity. That is why monocrystalline solar panels are more efficient.
The efficiency of monocrystalline solar panels is 15-25% which is more as compared to polycrystalline solar panels. So monocrystalline panels are more efficient than polycrystalline panels.
Polycrystalline Solar Panels
The word ‘Poly’ in polycrystalline refers that these solar panels are made of different raw materials other than silicon in multiple layers. Different raw materials are first melted and then combined together in the form of a solar panel. This mixing reduce the addition of silicon which consequently results in less expensive solar panel.
As these solar panels contain different raw materials, so there is no more space provided to electrons which reduces the flow of electrons and results in less efficiency of polycrystalline solar panels than monocrystalline panels. Electrons are not able to flow freely and the panel does not give its maximum output.
The efficiency rate of polycrystalline solar panels is almost 12-16% and it is less than monocrystalline panels because of less usage of silicon and addition of other raw materials in manufacturing.
Initial Cost
The initial cost of solar system depends on your project diversity and type of solar panels used in the project. If you are going to install a solar panel system in a commercial area with monocrystalline solar panels, then the cost will be high but the solar panels might return your all cost in few years and you’ll be able to get rid electricity bills.
If you are using polycrystalline solar panels, then the cost will be significantly low due to less expensiveness of solar panels but if the panels’ quality is compromised, they might not be able to return your all cost but will decrease your fossil fuels use up.
Life-Span
The life-span of everything depends on the quality of material used in the manufacturing. Since monocrystalline solar panels are made from pure silicon, they have longer life-span of 25 years and can be increased by proper maintenance and care and of solar panels.
On the other side, polycrystalline solar panels are made from multiple layers of silicon and other additives and have less life-span than monocrystalline panels. However, their life-span is also maximum of 25 years but they do not give maximum output after this life-span.
Solar panel manufacturers claim that the life-span of a solar panel fall at the rate of 0.5% per year. So according to this theory, monocrystalline solar panels can perform with their efficiency up to 40 years and polycrystalline panels up to 35 years because solar panels cannot degrade after their years of warranty.
The impact of reduction of life-span don’t highly affect powerful solar panels such as monocrystalline panels. That is the reason why monocrystalline solar panels have longer life-span until they have reached their last years.
Efficiency
As we have discussed above, monocrystalline solar panels have single layer of silicon which helps electrons in moving freely and increases the efficiency the solar panel. On the other hand, polycrystalline solar panels have multiple layers of silicon which reduces the room for electrons to move freely and ultimately results in less efficiency of solar panel.
Monocrystalline solar panels provide perfect medium for the movement of electrons and polycrystalline solar panels do not have perfect medium for electron movement. So the electrons cannot conduct electricity easily and are less efficient than monocrystalline panels.
Appearance of Both Solar Panels
The colour selection is very important to people as they play an important role in increasing the architecture design and beauty of your house. Monocrystalline solar panels give blackish shade on rooftops and polycrystalline give bluish shade on rooftops and these shades enhances the beauty and style of your house.
Space Required for Installation
Before buying solar panels, you must keep the consideration of space which required for installation of solar panels. As monocrystalline solar panels are more efficient, so less space can be used to install small amount of solar panels which is enough to power a house with solar energy.
In case of polycrystalline panels, more solar panels are required power a house as they are less efficient and also we need more space to install more solar panels. It might be more difficult to install more solar panels on a rooftop.
So if you have a little space on your rooftop, then monocrystalline solar panels are the best choice for you. But if you have a vast rooftop, then you just have to make a buying decision between monocrystalline and polycrystalline according to your budget and you’re tension free.
Temperature Coefficient
It’s a factor of great importance that determines the efficiency of your solar panels. Solar panels have a specified temperature on which they work on their full potential. Researchers have said that if the temperature exceeds its limits, then solar panels start loosing their efficiency.
Now this also depends on the quality and manufacturing of solar panels. Monocrystalline solar panels have lower temperature coefficient meaning they perform better in high temperature conditions and lose less efficiency when temperature increases. They also have better low-light performance meaning they perform better in low sunlight.
Polycrystalline solar panels in this case have drawbacks because they have higher temperature coefficient and are slightly more affected by high temperatures, losing more efficiency as temperature rises. They are generally less efficient in very hot climates compared to monocrystalline panels. They also not perform much better in low-light conditions.
Pros & Cons of Monocrystalline Solar Panels
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Cons
Pros & Cons of Polycrystalline Solar Panels
Pros
Cons
Conclusion
We have explained all the factors necessary to know about monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar panels. We’ve also mentioned the advantages and disadvantages of these solar panels. Now it all depends on you for the right choice. If you want to know about the latest solar panel prices in Pakistan, then click here to see the listed prices on homepage. If we have been able to provide you help about solar panels, let us know in comments. Good luck with your photovoltaic journey!
