What is a monocrystalline solar panel?

Monocrystalline solar panels have black-colored solar cells made of a single silicon crystal and usually have a higher efficiency rating. However, these panels often come at a higher price. Polycrystalline solar panels have blue-colored cells made of multiple silicon crystals melted together.

What is a polycrystalline solar panel?

Polycrystalline solar panels are also made from silicon. However, instead of using a single silicon crystal, manufacturers melt many silicon fragments together to form wafers for the panel. Polycrystalline solar cells are also called "multi-crystalline" or many-crystal silicon.

Are monocrystalline solar panels more efficient?

In general, monocrystalline solar panels are more efficient than polycrystalline solar panels because they're cut from a single crystal of silicon, making it easier for the highest amount of electricity to move throughout the panel.

What percentage of solar panels are monocrystalline?

Monocrystalline solar cells now account for 98% of solar cell production, according to a 2024 report from the International Energy Agency. This compares starkly with 2015, when just 35% of solar panel shipments were monocrystalline, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Should you switch to monocrystalline solar panels?

Additionally, they reported instances where home owners have had to rip up all their thin film panels and sell those at a loss in order to boost the size of their solar power system when they switched over to monocrystalline solar cells to produce more electricity as their usage increased over the years.

Who makes the most efficient solar panels?

Currently, SunPower (USA) manufacturers the most efficient monocrystalline solar panels - with an efficiency of 22.5 percent. In June 2010 they broke the world's record for commercially produced solar cells at 24.2%.