Thin Film Solar Panels vs. Traditional Silicon Photovoltaic

Solar Panels

 

 

 

What are Thin Film solar panels?  Should I buy thin film or traditional silicon photovoltaic solar panels? 

 

 

These are a few of the questions that we often hear from customers.

 

 

• Thin film solar panels are manufactured via a process that looks like spray-painting paint on paper.  The materials used are less expensive than silicon, which makes for a very cost effective manufacturing process, which ultimately translates into panels that are half the cost of traditional silicon PV solar panels.

 

• Thin film panels can be made into just about any shape/structure which allows them to be made to blend in with a roof, which may be more appealing to some home owners. 

 

• Half the cost and much more flexible from a design perspective sounds great, but there is a catch.  Thin film panels have lower efficiencies, generally about half that of crystalline solar panels, which balances out the price differential.  Thin film is half the cost, but half as efficient.

 

•  If roof space is not an issue, and you do have an aesthetic preference of one over the other, then you can’t go wrong with either.

 

• Thin film needs about twice as much roof space for the same size system, but the total cost is about the same. 

 

• Crystalline PV panels have efficiencies that average 15% and get as high as 25%.

 

• Thin Film has efficiencies between 7% and 15%.