Monocrystalline
- Made from a single crystal of silicon, with higher crystalline purity than polycrystalline cells
- Black in appearance, with octagonal cells
- Higher spectral response and energy production
- Efficiency typically 16% to 24%
Polycrystalline
- Cells made from many fragments of silicon melted together
- Lower crystalline purity
- Dark blue in appearance, with square cells
- Efficiency typically 14% to 20%
Thin film
- Made by depositing a thin layer of material such as cadmium telluride (CdTe) or amorphous silicon (a-Si) on a metal or glass substrate
- Performs well in the short and medium wavelengths of the solar spectrum; used where silicon modules cannot be fitted
- Suits sites with a high share of diffuse light from frequent cloud, heavy pollution or dust
- An active area of research, alongside heterojunction cells
Next: New technologies for higher module efficiency
