What You Should Know About Thin-Film Solar Panels

According to data from the Solar Energy Industries Association, solar power accounted for 58% of all new generating capacity added in the U.S. from January to March 2021. This is backed by solar experiencing a 37% growth in 2020. The solar energy market is blazing hot! Maybe you’ve heard of thin-film solar panels, but not sure what makes this type of panel special. So, it makes sense to learn about thin-film solar panels and how they may benefit your house.

What are Thin-Film Solar Panels?

Here’s an amazing fact. Thin-film solar panels are produced with solar cells about the thickness of a human hair. These cells have light absorbing layers almost 350 times smaller than traditional rigid solar panels. Manufacturers make these panels by distributing a small amount of silicon on a plate made of ceramics or glass. One benefit is they are less costly to manufacture. They also offer the lightest photovoltaic (PVC) cell while being highly durable.

Thin-film solar panels are generally produced with one of the following technologies:

Cadmium Telluride (CdTe)
Amorphous Silicon (a-Si)
Copper Gallium Indium Diselenide (CIGS)
Gallium Arsenide (GaAs)
Organic photovoltaic (OPV)

Cadmium Telluride is the most widely used thin-film technology as the panels can absorb sunlight near the ideal wavelength. Amorphous Silicon is the next most popular thin-film solar panels options on the market. These panels are bendable and crack less often than traditional solar panels. Gallium Arsenide and Copper Gallium are mostly used for spacecrafts and are very costly to produce. Organic photovoltaic cells can be colored and even produced as transparent cells. Though OPV panels are easy to manufacture and low cost, they are less efficient and have shorter lifespans.

The thin material these types of solar panels use allows some of them to be made for solar products, such as solar shingles and tiles. Keep in mind traditional solar panels typically range from 16% to 23% in efficiency. Thin-film solar panels, flexible with a wide variety of manufacturing options, are only 7% to 19% efficient. You would need to install more of these panels to produce the same amount of electricity as crystalline or polycrystalline rigid solar panels which can have efficiency rates over 33% for top-of-the-line panels.

Overall, thin-film solar panels are an excellent choice when needing to have lightweight, flexible, and adaptable panels. These panels excel in low light conditions, when skies are overcast, at producing more clean energy than other types of rigid panels.

Ready to begin saving money on your monthly utility bills? Call the Cool Blew Solar panel installation experts at 623-234-2836.

FAQ's

Is Solar Energy Expensive?

The size of your panel installation and the needs of your home will affect your costs. The average net cost of a 5.69kW system is $13,838 cash after 30% rebate (according to solar-estimate.org). An average-sized system can cost up to $35,000. Larger installations will require more hardware, planning and construction time. This can further increase costs. While solar panels are expensive, they have many distinct benefits. Cool Blew Electric & Solar’s experts can assess your situation and goals and recommend a cost-effective system to meet your needs.

How Much Can I Save By Installing Solar Panels?

An average-sized system (5 kilowatts) can reduce up to 50% of your monthly electricity bill. A 5.69kW system would offset 100% of your energy usage if your typical monthly bill is $138. Over a period of 20 years, these savings can add up to $30,000, based on your location and energy usage.

How Long Would It Take to Recoup My Solar Investment by Solar Energy Savings?

With a 5.69kW Solar system you would recoup your savings in 7 years and 2 months but with continuous Utility increases every year your Return and Investment will be much sooner.

What is a Solar Lease Program?

The Solar Lease Program has been one the most popular option that homeowners have chosen over the years. Solar Lease programs gives homeowners the opportunity to take advantage and put Solar on their homes and a guaranteed savings from their Utility for little to no money out of pocket. Most Leases are 20 year power guarantee from the solar provider and includes fixed monthly payments, no repair cost, fully insured and warrantied for the life of the system.

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