Thin Film Efficiency Solar Panel

Researchers have recently achieved 23 4 efficiency with thin film cell prototypes but thin film panels that are commercially available generally have efficiency in the 10 13 range.

Thin film efficiency solar panel.

Types of thin film solar cells. Commercialized thin film solar panels on the market consist of rare earth elements like indium and gallium or highly toxic metals like cadmium. A thin film solar cell is a second generation solar cell that is made by depositing one or more thin layers or thin film tf of photovoltaic material on a substrate such as glass plastic or metal. Advantages and disadvantages of cigs solar panels.

This type of thin film panel follows cdte panels in popularity. The low efficiency rating means you would need to install more thin film panels to produce the same amount of electricity as a mono or polycrystalline solar panel. Furthermore the solar panel can prevail against the cold temperature of 40 f 40 c and can also bear hot temperature as high as 194 f 90 c. Cadmium telluride thin films have a peak recorded efficiency of more than 22 1 percent the percentage of photons hitting the surface of the cell that are transformed into an electric current.

With efficiencies exceeding 20 measured in the laboratory there may be a continuing place for high efficiency cigs panels in the general solar panel market. Unlike most thin film solar technologies cigs solar panels offer a potentially competitive efficiency to traditional silicon panels. Thin film solar cells are commercially used in several technologies including cadmium telluride cdte copper indium gallium diselenide cigs and amorphous thin film silicon a si tf si. They are less expensive than the more standard silicon thin film cells.

Solar thin film companies are coming under siege again due to therelentless fall in the prices of crystalline silicon panels in recentmonths of 2011 note large number of thin film companies went bankruptthe last time polysilicon prices fell off a cliff in the post lehmancrisis period in 2008 end applied material the biggest solar equipment. Stion is a leading producer of high efficiency thin film solar panels based on state of the art materials advanced technology and high quality production processes. Best thin film pv brands 1 stion. Cadmium telluride thin film solar cells are the most common type available.

Both of these thin film solar panel types have. Thin film solar panels are less durable than crystalline panels so they degrade faster which is why they also come with a shorter warranty. But through the manufacturing process of stacking several layers the efficiency of a si thin film solar panels have higher efficiency rates around 6 8 percent.