As the call for carbon neutrality becomes louder and louder, more and more families choose solar power generation, and the solar energy field has become a popular investment project for businessmen from all over the world. The following CDS SOLAR summarizes the current mainstream solar power generation technology and the main technology of household solar energy for you.
Mainstream solar power generation technology includes the following:
1. Crystalline silicon photovoltaic technology
This is the most common solar power generation technology at present, which includes two major categories: monocrystalline silicon and polycrystalline silicon.
Monocrystalline silicon (Mono-Si): A panel made of a single silicon crystal has a high efficiency (about 18%-22%), but the cost is also relatively high. The characteristic feature of monocrystalline silicon panels is that the appearance is black and the surface has a uniform smooth texture.
Polycrystalline silicon (Poly-Si or Multi-Si): A panel made of multiple silicon crystal fragments has a slightly lower efficiency than monocrystalline silicon (about 15%-17%) and a lower cost. Polycrystalline silicon panels are usually blue, and the surface looks like pieces of fragments spliced together.
2. Thin-film photovoltaic technology
Thin-film solar panels are made of one or more layers of thin photovoltaic materials (such as silicon, cadmium, copper indium gallium selenide, etc.).
Amorphous silicon (a-Si): It is a thin-film solar technology that has lower efficiency than crystalline silicon (about 6%-8%), but can perform better in low-light conditions and has a lower cost.
Cadmium telluride (CdTe): It has a relatively high efficiency among thin-film technologies (about 10%-16%) and can be mass-produced at a low cost.
Copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS): It is currently considered one of the most promising thin-film technologies, with efficiencies of more than 21%, but the cost and manufacturing difficulty are relatively high.
3. High-efficiency photovoltaic technology
These technologies usually provide higher energy conversion efficiency at a higher cost and are mainly used in aerospace or concentrated large-scale solar power plants.
Multi-Junction Cells: Use multiple layers of photovoltaic materials, each layer absorbs light of different wavelengths, thereby achieving high efficiency. This technology can have efficiencies as high as 40%, but the cost is very high and is generally not used in residential or commercial solar systems.
4. Emerging and innovative technologies
As research progresses, new solar technologies are also developing, such as:
Perovskite solar cells: New materials using perovskite structure have the advantages of very high efficiency potential and low cost, but are still in the laboratory research stage and have not yet been commercialized on a large scale.
Home solar systems mainly use the following technologies:
1. Crystalline silicon technology: including single crystal silicon (Mono-Si) and polycrystalline silicon (Poly-Si or Multi-Si). These two technologies are the most common solar cell technologies on the market, with mature manufacturing processes, high energy conversion efficiency and reliable long-term performance.
Monocrystalline silicon solar panels: These panels usually have higher energy conversion efficiency (about 18%-22%) and can generate more electricity on limited roof space. They are more expensive, but in the long run they can provide more power output due to their high efficiency.
Polycrystalline silicon solar panels: These panels have slightly lower efficiency (about 15%-17%), but the cost is lower, which is a better choice for families with limited budgets.
2. Thin-film solar technology: Although not as common as crystalline silicon panels in the home solar market, they are also used in some cases. Thin-film technologies such as CdTe and CIGS have lower production costs and flexible application methods, but are generally less efficient and take up more space.
As the solar industry develops, emerging technologies such as perovskite solar cells are also gaining attention, but they are not yet widely used in the home solar market.
In actual applications, the choice of which technology usually depends on the energy needs of the home, the conditions of the roof, the budget, and the preference for efficiency and aesthetics.
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