SOLAR PANELS

The solar panel is an important part of the solar PV system. Solar panels are made up of semiconductor photovoltaic (PV) cells & they generate electricity whenever solar radiation falls upon them. Energy generated by the solar panels is converted to AC (Alternating Current) with the help of an inverter. 

Solar panels are divided into Polycrystalline and Monocrystalline solar panels based upon the type of technology they are using. Types of solar panels are - 

1. Polycrystalline solar panels - Polycrystalline solar panels offer low efficiency and require large space as compared to mono solar panels. They are cheaper and if one is not facing the problem of space and cloudy atmosphere then he can go with polycrystalline solar panels. The efficiency of polycrystalline solar panels is in the range of 12-17%. Polycrystalline solar panel price in India starts from 21-24/-Rs/watts
2. Monocrystalline solar panels- Monocrystalline solar panels offer 10-20% better efficiency than polycrystalline solar panels of the same capacity. They perform well under the cloudy atmosphere and also they require small space as compared to polycrystalline solar panels. The efficiency of monocrystalline solar panels is in the range of 15-19%. Monocrystalline solar panel price in India starts from 23-26/-Rs/watts.
3. Half-Cut Monocrystalline solar panels- Halfcut solar panels offer an efficiency of 19-20%, requires smaller space and also they are less affected by the shadow effect & hence more suitable in metro cities. Price of half-cut solar panel price starts from 27-29/- Rs/watts
4. Bi-Facial Half Cut Monocrystalline solar panels- Relatively newer technology solar panels to combat the problems of cloudy atmosphere and space. They give better output in small space and also offers 15-20% more output than the rated capacity depending upon the sunrays and intensity. The efficiency of bifacial solar panels is in the range of 20-23%. The price of bifacial solar panels is in the range of 28-34/- Rs/Watts

How to select the solar panel - 

• For charging small batteries - Small solar panels up to 100 Watts can be used to charge solar batteries up to 50 Ah. The selection of solar panels is based on the following formula - Solar Panel Capacity (Watts) = Battery Capacity (Ah) x 2 
• For rooftop plants - Monocrystalline solar panels with half-cut or bifacial technology shall be preferred if you are living in a cloudy atmosphere as they offer better performance than regular polycrystalline solar panels. Else, polycrystalline solar panels can also do the job provided space is not an issue.
• Solar Panels for home- Mono-Crystalline, Half-Cut & Bi-Facial solar panels offer superior efficiency and best in class performance. Hence, they shall be considered for solar rooftop installation for home.