A monocrystalline solar panel is a solar panel comprising monocrystalline solar cells. These cells are made from a cylindrical silicon ingot grown from a single crystal of silicon of high purity in the same way as a semiconductor. The cylindrical ingot is sliced into wafers forming cells. For your solar Solution Reach Gensolar
Monocrystalline solar panels have the highest efficiency rates, typically in the 15-20% range. This high efficiency rate means they produce more power per square foot, and are therefore very space-efficient. Monocrystalline solar panels tend to be more efficient in warm weather.
The standard size of a monocrystalline solar panel is: The size of a solar panel with 60 cell configuration is 39 inch X 66 inch (3.25 ft X 5.5 ft). The size of a solar panel with 72 cell configuration is 39 inch X 77 inch (3.25 ft X 6.42 ft).
Look of Monocrystalline Solar panel
Monocrystalline solar panels are characterized by their black PV cells with rounded edges. They have a higher conversion efficiency than polycrystalline panels, which means they produce more kilowatt-hours of electricity.
| Factor | Monocrystalline Solar Panels | Polycrystalline Solar Panels |
| Silicone Arrangement | One pure silicon crystal | Many silicon fragments melded together |
| Cost | More expensive | Less expensive |
| Appearance | Panels have black hue | Panels have blue hue |
| Efficiency | More efficient | Less efficient |
| Lifespan | 25-40 years | 20-35 years |
| Temperature Coefficient | Lower temperature coefficient, making them more efficient in heat | Higher temperature coefficient, making them less efficient in heat |
Efficiency and Temperature Coefficient
As mentioned above, monocrystalline solar panels have a higher efficiency. However, this does not mean that polycrystalline solar panels are inferior products — you can find high-quality solar panels of both types. Here are a few more facts about efficiency:
- When a solar panel has a higher efficiency, it converts a larger percentage of sunlight into electricity.
- As of 2021, polycrystalline panels have typical efficiencies below 20%, while the best monocrystalline panels are approaching 23%.
- You will need more polycrystalline panels to reach a certain kilowatt-hour output per month, since their efficiency is lower.
- All solar panels suffer a temporary efficiency drop when their temperature increases, but monocrystalline solar cells are less affected by heat.
The temperature coefficient indicates how much solar panels are affected by temperature. All solar panels are factory-tested under the same Standard Test Conditions (STC) to ensure a fair comparison.
In general, polycrystalline solar panels tend to have higher temperature coefficients, which means they lose more productivity when they heat up. However, as technology improves, there are now solar panels of both types with similarly low temperature coefficients.
Solar panel efficiency is not a critical factor when you have plenty of space available. Since polycrystalline panels have a lower price, installing more to compensate for the lower efficiency is not a problem. However, when you have limited space, installing more panels is not an option, so monocrystalline panels will maximize electricity production in the available area.
