Posted by admin | Posted in Solar Panels | Posted on 26-11-2009
Tags: cigs, energy, power, solar, thinfilm
Sun-powered electric options were once limited to large dark panels, but now consumers have a choice. Besides glass panels one or more solar panels, solar film or thin film solar units are available in boxes or building materials such as roof laminates. Each technology has its advantages. The choice depends on the budget, space, climate and aesthetics.
The cells that make up a module crystalline photovoltaic stand out as dark rectangles or octagons. A multi-crystalline cell often appears as a bright rectangle. Electrical connections both technologies show a pattern of silver lines.Â
"Thin-film" refers not to a specific material. These modules can be made amorphous silicon (a-Si), indium, copper gallium diselenide (CIGS) and cadmium telluride (CdTe). Amorphous silicon is popular for applications where the material is. Because you can put in plastic and glass, a-Si can be produced in continuous rolls flexible. Amorphous silicon is used in laminates, solar roof tiles and tiles.Â
Aside from its appearance, versatility, efficiency is a factor in the selection of the photovoltaic material. A frame agreement lens system will produce more energy in less space. The flexible photovoltaic systems, while more aesthetically pleasing, are about half as efficient. This means you need a flexible module double the space to generate the same amount of energy than a conventional system.
This has a major effect on the system size. Three feet three system solar laminate can provide 60 to 70 W, with efficiencies up to 8%. A three by five feet lens module can provide 170 to 220 W, with up to 17% efficiency. But the power density is not the only consideration.
The cell temperature has an impact on the ability of the photovoltaic cell. Crystalline Modules lose efficiency at high temperatures. Film solar units are less sensitive to temperature, losing perhaps 2% of its power to 100F, compared with 6% loss energy for a traditional lens system. The cell temperature can be changed to allow air flow throughout the system, but if the ambient temperature tend to be tall, thin film system may be the right choice.
New amorphous silicon modules produce 20% energy 25% more production than rated. While this will stabilize at rated power normal within six to twelve months, any system using these modules should be able to handle the increased production initial. Immediately stabilize traditional modules, which eliminates this consideration. Once the a-Si modules are stabilized, degraded at a rate approximately equal to other systems.
Not all weather is sunny, so shade and low light performance can be an additional concern. Flexible Sun panel cells can be the same length as the module you are. These cells are less likely to be completely in shadow crystal cells, which are usually only five or six inches across.Â
One type of technology that performs well in shade or low light conditions is used by the Uni-Solar products. These modules are flexible, and triple-junction cells are amorphous silicon. This technology allows bypass diodes for use in the module, so that any cell that is in the shade can be omitted. Moreover, the arrangement allows each element of the multi-junction cell capture different wavelengths of light. This gives a better energy production under conditions where indirect lighting is uniform or not.
For more information on rel = "nofollow" href = "http://www.spheralsolar.com/solarfilm.html"> Solar Cinema, check out our website.
Kriss Bergethon is a solar expert and writer. For more of his useful articles on solar power, please visit Solar Panels, Kits & Systems
Inside roll-to-roll CIGS thin film manufacturing with Global Solar
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