What is the Best Solar Panel to Buy?

With solar energy emerging as the most popular and practically the most accessible method for acquiring alternative energy in most homes in the US, homeowners are asking about which type of solar panel is the best choice for their homes. Solar panels cost a fortune and it is only logical that homeowners seek out the best options where they can get the most out of their money.

And so we lay down three of the most popular solar panel types marketed for domestic use and compare the pros and cons of each one:

    Monocrystalline Silicon Solar Panel

These panels are characterized by its sleek, smooth patterns of rounded squares.

PROS - experts deem that monocrystalline solar panels are the most efficient ones since they record the highest energy conversion rates. This type of solar panel could record up to 20%-21% conversion rate and are four times more efficient in conversion than its closest relative: the polycrystalline panel types. This has an average lifespan of 25 years. All these characteristics are due to the fact that they are made of the highest grade of silicon.

CONS - they are expensive. Quality comes at a high price in these babies. On top of that, they are highly sensitive to dirt and their efficiency can be easily affected by the weather and coverage changes.

    Polycrystalline Silicon Solar Panel

The polycrystalline panels are characterized by their wafer-like appearance. Unlike the monocrystalline panels, these panels are made of lesser-grade silicon.

PROS - These panels, because they do not use high grade silicon, they are generally much cheaper. They are also more tolerant to heat compared to the monocrystalline ones.

CONS - They are 5%-7% less efficient than the monocrystalline silicons, recording between 13%-16% in conversion rate. This, in turn, requires homeowners to get more panels for better coverage to make up for performance making it not quite the most space-efficient option.

    String Ribbon Solar Cells

As its name implies, string ribbon cells are molten polycrystalline silicon that have been stretched and molded to become thin silicon ribbons.

PROS - they are very cheap. Because of its saturated silicon concentration and the far less expensive production methods, they come out cheaply in the market.

CONS - the same reason that makes it cheap makes it less advantageous: its polycrystalline content makes it less efficient. It also is the least space-efficient type of solar panel.