You may not realise but the term solar panels covers a range of technologies. Knowing the difference can make the difference between you making an informed right decision about making your move into solar power.
There are common factors to all types of solar system. They all derive there energy from the Sun or solar energy and they are all panels. They do however convert the energy form the Sun in different ways. They can convert the heat or infra red energy or the visible light into electricity.
The most simple and lowest cost solution is the hot water panel. These use the heat from the Sun to heat up water in the system. This water is usually then used to pre heat the water in your hot water tank. During the Summer they can produce most or all of the hot water you will need. The rest of the year your gas boiler will need to top up the heat. In winter and on cloudy days they may not contribute much heat at all to the system
Then there are the photovoltaic panels, these are designed to turn light into electricity. They work best in full sunlight but can also operate on dull or cloudy days. They will not however work at night.
If you approach a company to set up and install these electricity producing panels you should ask about the types of panels that they are using. Not all panels are the same and work better under different conditions and vary in cost accordingly.
There are three main type of solar PV panel including monocrystalline, polycrystalline and amorphous panels. Each uses a slightly different technology and each has different levels of efficiency. That is some panels convert more of the Suns light into electricity.
The following list shows the average efficiency of each technology.
Monocrystalline 18%Polycrystalline 15%Amorphous 10%Technologies change and new models and variations are being produced all the time. Check with your supplier for the energy ratings of the specific panels that they supply. Suffice to say that the higher performing panels are more expensive.
You should also take into consideration lifespan. Ask how long the panels will work for and how there efficiency may drop over time. It may be worth paying a bit more if they last a few years longer.
If you are building a new home it may be more cost effective to fit solar tiles. These are essentially small panels that slot together like roof tiles. They are designed to replace ordinary roof tiles and can cut costs on a new build by not having to buy roof tiles as well as solar panels.
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