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It is not different to us that the bill for electricity usage can cost some hefty amount. Many individuals, couples, and families are doing their best to reduce electricity consumption for the same reason. However, in this age, where gadgets and other electrical appliances are mainly used in each household, it is harder to decrease the utilization.
Nonetheless, it is excellent news for us to know that many alternatives are now being introduced to ease with the burden of significant payments. Now, we can make use of solar panels to generate electricity for our homes. It became a common thing wherein many couples can select from multiple solar panel options. Furthermore, these couples have decided to do the switch and take and advantage of solar panels to become the primary source of their electricity. Moreover, they will also be looking for materials that are good for their homes or flexible solar panels for their RV or recreational vehicle. With all the selections among the solar panels industrial field, nothing can be more entrancing and more aesthetically than thin-film solar panels.
In this article, we will focus on the significant advantages that thin film-film solar panel brings and how it stands out among the other solar panels available.
What are thin-film solar panels?
Developments in technology often lead to change in size and weight, added features, enhanced lifespan, and/or lower expenses which depend on the product. It is the same for solar panels, both thin-film flexible panels, and traditional ones. As we can see, the design of solar panels now, have changed significantly. The improvements are visible compared to its predecessors. Furthermore, the costs have less as well, which makes it more reasonably priced for homeowners.
A thin-film solar panel is one of the solar panels that are highly used in this generation. Like the other solar panels, it is created to collect the energy gathered from sunlight and convert it into electrical energy via the photovoltaic (PV) effect. It has layers that absorb lights which are about multiple times smaller than a conventional silicon panel.
A thin-film solar panel is built out of thin films, hence the name, of semiconductors set down on glass, plastic, or metal. As mentioned, the films are extremely thin, about way more lightweight than regular c-Si wafers. It is the main reason why thin-film solar panels are flexible and make the lightest boards available.
Thin-film solar panels are set apart by the variety of solar cells that are used in their manufacturing. There are known four (4) types of solar cells used which includes:
Cadmium telluride (CdTe)
Cadmium telluride or CdTe thin-film technology is the most popular among conventional PV technology in the worldwide marketplace, which at this time represents around 50% of the world market. Existing projects look for higher cell effectiveness by adding the crystal quality, making improvements to the doping process, and lengthening the lifespan of the minority charge carrier. Meanwhile, an issue was raised with thin-film panels containing CdTe due to its Cadmium composition, known to be a lethal element. However, its efficiency for laboratory CdTe thin-film technology is relatively high, with around 22.1% by First Solar.
Amorphous silicon (a-Si)
It is second of the most popular among the thin-film technology next to the CdTe. Amorphous silicon or a-Si is the non-crystalline component of silicon used for solar cells and thin-film transistors in LCDs. Through the standard silicon wafer panel, a-Si is the nearest and the most similar to it. A-Si is a more exceptional option in the aspects of toxicity and durability among its counterparts. However, it offers lesser efficiency and is commonly used for small load requirements, including gadgets and electronics used by the consumers.
Copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS)
Thin-film solar made produced with a copper indium gallium selenide, or CIGS solar cells are lesser toxic cadmium in contrast to CdTe cells. These solar panels were first manufactured in Germany in 2011. However, these solar panels now being produced in the United States and China as well. Laboratory-tested CIGS thin-film solar panels have shown excellent efficiency reaching about 10-12% efficiency rate. But
Gallium arsenide (GaAs)
Thin-film solar panels that are made with gallium arsenide or GaAs are regarded as the most dynamic among the types of thin-film solar panels. It has an efficiency rate reaching as high as 28.8%. On the other hand, although it has the highest efficiency rate, it is also the most expensive. They are commonly used in constructing spacecraft and different kinds of specific applications where PV energy is necessary.
THE ADVANTAGES OF THIN-FILM SOLAR PANELS IN CONTRAST TO OTHER TRADITIONAL SOLAR PANELS
There are numerous advantages that thin-film solar panels have compared to their solar panel counterparts.
Considering the materials are in between glass with no frame, these solar panels are lightweight, and can be the lightest among the solar panels.
You also need to consider the efficiency of the solar panels that you will purchase. It should be the factor that you will look into the most because you don’t want to put your investment into waste. If we compare the thin-film solar panels to the standard groups, the efficiency rate will be around 11-13%. It can impact your system’s physical size and electricity output. However, the tests conducted for thin-films in 2016, have shown that the efficiency rate has dramatically increased to 25% and is thought to show higher efficiency steady in the future.
Although GaAs can cost you a fortune, thin-film solar panels are still considered cheaper compared to traditional solar panels.
It is considered eco-friendly and has a lesser effect on the environment for the reason that it uses less silicon. When it comes to carbon offset, these solar panels have a huge advantage over traditional solar panels. The needed silicon for the standard panels is significantly higher than in thin-films. Therefore, the emission necessary to produce a thin-film cell and panel is relatively lower than the monocrystalline panels and polycrystalline panels.
The installation also costs lesser because they are easy to install and less labor necessary.
WHERE ARE THIN-FILM SOLAR PANELS AVAILABLE?
Listed below are the top THIN FILM SOLAR PANELS manufacturers worldwide.
First Solar – We should know that PV technologies are not created the same. The thin-film PV modules produced by First Solar use lesser energy, water, and semiconductor material, which then results in great environmental impact. First Solar is also known to be the best manufacturing company for thin films, especially with CdTe technology.
SoloPower – They are leading in CIGS manufacturing. They are well-known to produce lightweight, flexible, and powerful solar technology that gives the design adaptability that creates integration with a myriad of applications simple. Due to this, it now offers a dominant and aesthetic solution to go beyond the challenges of the expanding market.
Sharp Solar – They are the leading manufacturer of a-Si. They have been around in the PV business since 1959, so we can trust that they offer the best thin-films. This Japanese company is also known for becoming the first innovator in solar cell developments. Sharp Solar is aiming to improve production technologies and mount up knowledge grounded using this product line and build a system at the new plant for thin-film solar cells that will reach a module conversation efficiency of around 10%.
Solar Frontier – This Japanese company is the top manufacture of CIGS globally. They can be somehow credited for the substantial predicted increase for CIGS PV installations in the whole world.
Link Solar – They’ve been in the solar industry for years and are committed to providing better and high-grade solar-powered products that are customized to different customer needs. Link Solar specializes in producing quality solar products such as flexible panels and portable solar-powered chargers. What separates the company from other solar companies is the fact that their products are much more personalized, from their custom made designs to the quality level you are looking for.
THERE ARE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THIN-FILM SOLAR PANELS SHOULD BE UTILIZED THE MOST:
We should consider our location when installing thin-film solar panels. These solar panels need wider installation areas, so it is not recommended for residential spaces. They should be utilized more in commercial and utility applications because of the availability of space for ostentatious scale installation.
EXPENSES FOR THIN-FILM SOLAR PANELS
The cost of solar technology that includes thin-film solar panels continues to decrease throughout the U.S. If you compare the prices for a thin-film solar panel installation to a traditional solar panel, you need to think about the whole costs and expenses, the money you will save for electrical bills, and the quality and durability of the investment that you will have.
You can create a cost approximation for the thin-film solar panels and the money you will be able to save from this. Make sure that your savings will be higher than your investment, which is the reason why you are doing the switch.
THINGS TO NOTE:
The question stands if thin-film solar panels are worth it. We need to remember when procuring solar panels; we should look if we will be satisfied with its outcome and product. In addition, if you think that these types of solar panels are ideal for residential, refer to the stated above. It is more applicable to commercial and utility applications. However, if you have a space available for it, you can definitely expect its great advantages.
