The 3 Different Types Of Solar Panels

Did your last power bill make you sharply inhale air through your front teeth? Well, you’re not going to like the news! Electricity prices have not only been rising and rising for the past several years now, but the rate of increase is only going to speed up. And by the end of 2023, your bill could be as much as 20% higher than it is right now – and then keep on rising beyond that. It’s all pretty depressing until you realise that by investing in solar panels, you could slash those bills to zero – or even start making money rather than spending it by getting paid for each kilowatt-hour of excess solar energy your panels produce. All you need to know now is what type of solar panels to choose.

Solar brands and models aside, did you even know there are 3 distinct solar panel types on the market here in Australia?

1. Monocrystalline

Of the three solar panel types, just about all of them across the country are either monocrystalline or polycrystalline – and both types of solar panel are perfectly reliable and efficient.

Ask a solar expert, however, and they may tell you that monocrystalline is the better choice. Immediately ask another expert, though, and they could tell you the exact opposite.

Visibly, the easiest way to spot monocrystalline panels is by the colour – black. In the brochures, you can also identify them from the slightly higher price tag. That’s because the crystal structure is created in a single piece, allowing the electrons to freely move around and produce a lot of power very efficiently.

2. Polycrystalline

In contrast, polycrystalline solar panels are not just a different colour – blue – but a little cheaper. And not quite as good at producing that solar energy, which is why you’ll also need a little more space on the roof for the same capacity as a comparable monocrystalline array.

Without getting too technical, the ‘poly’ in the name – meaning ‘many’ – sets it apart from the ‘mono’ or standalone solar cell manufacturing process of the more state-of-the-art solar panel type outlined in #1. It’s why, when you take a close look at your polycrystalline panels, you can see the individually cut wafers and that distinctive metal flake appearance.

But while monocrystalline is definitely better, it was polycrystalline technology that flooded the early solar market early this century and so you can pick up reliable and still highly-effective ‘poly’ panels for some very good prices these days.

3. Thin-film

If you spot a solar panel type in more of a grey colour, that’s probably so-called thin-film technology – which is basically now obsolete in Australia. These days, the best performing solar panels – as outlined above – are manufactured out of big blocks of silicone, in contrast with the outdated method of basically spraying a ‘thin film’ of silicone onto a surface.

Thin-film panels are great at being bendy and flexible, and they’re easy to install, but they’re only really appropriate in some commercial settings these days. For your home, proper ‘mono’ or ‘poly’ panels are the way to go because:

• Energy production is nowhere near as good as with ‘mono’ or ‘poly’
• Much more roof space is required
• Manufacturing involves toxic compounds.

Which solar panel type do you require?

So which panels are right for your property? For the perfect choice, it’s all about maximising efficiency, quality and subsidies, getting a solid warranty, and balancing energy production with the upfront cost for the shortest possible buyback period. And here at Tradie Near Me, we can connect you with the perfect local solar installer who understands all those different types of solar panels inside-out – and can match the right model and system capacity with your needs, home and budget.

How do we do it? Tradie Near Me is a complete and fully-vetted members network of all the best and friendliest accredited solar installers near you offering perks like:

• Free, no-obligation quotes & advice
• Upfront & competitive pricing
• The most experienced tradies & experts
• Fully-guaranteed workmanship for life.

All solar panel types Australia wide

Don’t care about all those different types of solar panels and just want the best possible local specialists to take care of it for you? Give Tradie Near Me a try by dropping us a line … and we’ll do the rest.