Solarpanelsvenue dot com presents:
Basics of solar modules
This video will show: what solar module is, differences between main types of solar modules,
which type of solar modules is the most efficient one, what affects the energy output of a solar
module.
Photovoltaic module is the main component of any solar electric system.
A solar module consists of photovoltaic cells connected together.
Photovoltaic cells and modules are made of semiconductor, usually silicon, which capable
to produce electricity when exposed to sunlight.
Such ability is called a ‘photovoltaic effect’.
Photovoltaic modules generate DC electricity.
They are produced in various type and size.
They have a lifetime of more than 25 years.
Solar module is the main unit of any solar electric system.
A solar module consists of solar cells connected together.
To achieve higher energy yield, solar modules are connected in arrays.
Here you see the main types of photovoltaic units.
A solar electric system is the ultimate point of solar module application.
It contains an installed solar array generating electricity from sunlight.
A solar electric system can replace partially or completely your electricity provider thus
saving you money.
A solar system can be connected to or disconnected from utility grid.
The generated electricity can be either used right away or stored in a battery for later
use.
Solar modules consist of photovoltaic cells connected in series and in parallel.
PV modules differ mostly in their: type – they can be monocrystalline, polycrystalline and
thin-film.
They differ in their power output, also known as ‘power rating’ or ‘rated power’.
Another point of difference is output voltage.
It can be 12 volts, 24 volts, 48 volts or 60 volts.
Solar modules differ also in their size and weight.
There are 3 main types of solar modules: monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and thin-film ones.
We’ll briefly give some info about each type.
Monocrystalline modules are the most efficient but also the most expensive ones.
They come in a blue or black color.
You would probably ask what efficiency of a solar module is.
Well, the less photovoltaic modules you need to produce a certain amount of power, the
higher their efficiency.
// Normally if there is not enough free space on your roof, you choose solar modules with
higher efficiency.
Polycrystalline modules are slightly less efficient and cost 30 to 50 percent less than
monocrystalline ones, when used to produce the same amount of power.
Polycrystalline modules have a lifecycle of about 25 years.
Practice has shown however that polycrystalline modules installed more than 25 years ago are
still perfectly operational.
Polycrystalline modules are typically blue and can be easily distinguished by their multifaceted,
kind-of-shimmering appearance.
Thin-film modules are the least expensive modules with the lowest efficiency.
The efficiency of thin-film modules is twice less than the efficiency of monocrystalline
modules.
This means that if you want to generate the same amount of power produced by monocrystalline
modules, you need twice more thin-film modules.
Thin-film modules have a dark surface – usually colored in brown, grey and black.
It’s important to precisely compare the three main types of solar modules by their
efficiency.
Monocrystalline and polycrystalline modules are the most commonly used ones in home and
business solar electric systems.
The table presents the area needed by every module type to produce 1 kilowatt of power.
You can see that monocrystalline modules require the smallest area, as they are the most efficient
ones.
Thin-film modules require the largest area to install, and for this reason they are the
least efficient ones.
The energy output of a solar module is affected by three factors: Location, Orientation and
tilt angle, and Shading.
Geographic location plays a vital part in the energy output of any solar module since
it determines the amount of solar radiation affecting directly the generated solar electricity.
Solar radiation is evaluated in terms of perfect sun hours, or PSH, which can be obtained from
solar maps.
The value of perfect sun hours for a specific location is not constant and varies throughout
the year with every season.
To learn more about how to determine the perfect sun hours, watch our video about solar maps.
Orientation is the most important for energy output of a solar module.
Optimal orientation might be different for summer and winter.
It should be noted that azimuth is much more critical than tilt angle.
Certainly the best performance is achieved when a solar module faces the sun.
You can learn more practical tips in our Silver Package book.
The third important factor, critical for every solar module’s energy output, is shading.
Shading is always detrimental for system performance.
You should avoid shading whenever possible.
It should be noted that thin-film modules are less affected by shading.
What is also important is that a site can be shaded in the morning and unshaded in the
afternoon.
It can also be unshaded in summer and shaded in winter, when the sun is low in the sky
and objects tend to cast ‘longer’ shadows.
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