The Ins And Outs That You Should Know Before Buying Solar Film Panels

Are you considering to install solar film panels in your home? The introduction of the panels has greatly revolutionized the solar solutions industry. They are much thinner, lighter, and flexible than the typical monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar panels.

AS a guide, here is an overview of some of the things you need to know about the technology, applications, and suitability of the film solar panels.

How Are Flexible Solar Panels Made?

Different technologies are used in the manufacture of the panels. The process involves spreading thin layers of photovoltaic material on a substrate such as paper. Regardless of the materials used in their production, the thin layers are usually about 300 times thinner than a typical solar panel. This gives you a clear picture of how thin and flexible the panels are. You will find that the layers are made of either of the following substrate materials:

• Amorphous silicon

• Gallium Arsenide

• Copper Indium gallium selenide

• Cadmium Telluride

How Different Are Film Solar Panels From Typical Solar Panels?

Thin-film technology brings out the key difference between a flexible panel and a traditional solar panel. The thin silicon wafers make the panel much more flexible and lighter than a typical panel versions. However, the flexible version has low efficiency.

In addition, the attenuated panels are more portable owing to their light weight and flexibility. Hence, they are ideal for supplying solar energy when you are camping, driving long distances, and other situations where you need temporary power. Besides, the panels have low installation costs.

Why You Should Not Buy One for Residential Purposes

Although much flexible than typical solar energy panels, the flexible panels have low power conversion efficiency, ranging between 5% and 13%. Therefore, you will require a large space to install numerous panels in order to generate a substantial amount of power. Hence, installing the flexible solar energy panels for residential purposes may not work for you considering that you may not have enough roof space. This is why the panels are ideal for the low-energy generation for personal use. Contrary to their low residential use, the panels are suitable for utility and commercial applications where sufficient space is available for the large-scale installation of the panels.

Conclusion

The invention of solar film panels is a great improvement in the solar industry. They are flexible and lightweight, consequently becoming a cheaper and portable solar energy solution. However, the panels have low efficiency, a characteristic that makes them defective for residential purposes due to the massive space required for installation of plenty of panels.