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Once you have decided what size solar panel system you would like, the next step is to work out what kind of solar panels will meet your needs. This should not be decided based only on price, as power efficiency, longevity, warranty, and the area needed are all important factors. Too often people base purchasing decisions on price alone, and then in two years wonder why no-one answers the phone at the “fly-by-night company” they purchased their solar panels from when the inverter dies or its output is reduced by half. It's also very important to know that there are differing qualities of panels on the market and you should compare “apples with apples”. There are three main types of panels: Monocrystalline, Polycrystalline, and thin-film or Amorphous, and you should recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each one. If your only hurdle for purchasing panels is price, then I suggest you compare “like with like”. It's wrong to compare the price of Mono with the most recently developed Amorphous panel and make your purchasing decision according to price alone. One of the most important distinctions to make with regards to solar panels is the range wattages on the market. Watts are related to the output of each panel, so a 200W panel would output 200 watts per hour. You should expect to pay twice the price of a 100W panel. Warranties Solar PV (photo-voltaic) panels come with a performance warranty that may last up to 25 years, and a guarantee of five to ten years. As well, installers can provide a warranty on workmanship, which will typically be five years. Ask your solar retailer who will be providing the warranty, the name of the importer and/or manufacturer, and what should happen if something breaks. You should be aware that if a cheap solar panel importer stops trading sometime in the future, their warranty obligation ceases. You’d probably feel far more comfortable with a well-known brand which has service agents for warranty work in Australia. These are three main types of solar panel available, each with their own benefits: Monocrystalline Cells Monocrystalline panels are a proven and reliable technology, used over the past 50 years and still popular today. They have the best conversion efficiency at 12-18% of all sunlight. As these have the highest power to size ratio, they are the best option if you’ve got limited roof space. They also degrade very slowly, generally losing 0.25 – 0.5% per year. Their lifespan can be 25 years, and even up to 50 years if taken care of. Disadvantages: Monocrystalline cells don’t perform as well as other panels in shady conditions, and they are reasonably fragile. They can be more expensive to manufacture due to their complexity. Polycrystalline Cells Polycrystalline compares fairly well in performance and longevity to monocrystalline, and provides an efficiency of 12-13%. Well known brands include BP SX, Sharp and Kyocera. Polycrystalline panels have excellent longevity (around 25 years). They work optimally at 25 degrees C but will lose some efficiency at higher temperatures (over 50 degrees C), which is common in our summer. Amorphous Thin Film Thin film panels typically have a lower efficiency at 6%, however, Cadmium Telluride Thin-Film panels (CdTe) have progressed to 11% efficiency. These are more suitable for inland Australian conditions where space is no problem and temperatures are hot. Amorphous panels don't lose energy in higher heats. Disadvantages are: Lifespan is reduced; there is a 3-6 month breaking-in period; and they typically require double to triple the roof space for the same output of crystalline cells. The Requirements of Solar Panels With the various types of solar panels, the owner must ensure they are maintained and kept free from dirt and shade, because these things have a bearing on solar power output. Panels are placed facing north and at a roof angle of a minimum 10 degrees. Do the solar panels you want actually fit in the space you want to install them? Each solar panel is about 1.6 m long by 0.8 m wide. A 1.5kW solar panel system requires around 12 m of north-facing roof space. As mentioned, this footprint varies depending on the type of panel. Don’t worry if you can’t work out the amount of unshaded space the roof has for your panels, because your specialist can calculate it precisely when quoting. You may want to be conservative with the space, though, in case you would like to add more panels later to cover more of your energy needs.
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