How Are Solar Panels Made?
But first things first…
What is a Solar Panel?
A solar panel is an integral part of a comprehensive residential or commercial power generation system. It’s designed to convert the sun’s energy into a form that can power appliances such as TVs, freezers, fridges, laptops, Wi-Fi, and whatnot.
The solar packets that the sun shoots onto the surface of the panel (aka photons) are transformed into electrical energy for domestic and commercial consumption. This energy conversion happens through a process known as photovoltaic effect.
How Are Solar Panels Made?
Solar panels are typically made in factories and then installed by homeowners or certified technicians. Below is how a solar panel is made step by step so you can have a clear understanding of how every component and process comes together into a fully functioning PV panel system:
Making Silicon Ingots: the First Step
The solar panel making process begins with the production of silicon ingots. These ingots are produced by melting high-purity silicon at extremely high temperatures, causing it to crystallize.
They then add in boron or gallium to make p-type or n-type cells that have all the characteristics of semiconductors.
To make p-type cells positively charged, companies add boron to the bottom layer and phosphorus to the top layer. And to make n-type cells negatively charged, they add phosphorus to the base layer and boron to the upper one.
Slicing the Ingots into Wafer-like Sheets
The ingots are then sliced into very thin sheets with a thickness of about 160 micrometers. Then, the sheets go through certain treatments that include applying a sunlight-absorbing coat to create p-type and n-type solar cells. Next, manufacturers make thin, deep silver lines into the surface of the wafers.
But Why is Silicon so Special?
Did you know that silicon is the third most abundantly found element on Earth besides oxygen and iron? It’s even more abundant than carbon.
One reason silicon is the most common semiconductor for microelectronic circuits is that it’s possible to prepare it into an extremely pure crystalline form.
What’s more, this element can easily be doped with impurities to form the so-called p-n junction, without which there’s no electric power generation. Boron/gallium and phosphorus are the impurities critical to the completion of the solar cell formation process.
N-type vs. P-type Cells
N-type solar cells demonstrate a greater level of efficiency compared to p-type cells. Aside from that, n-type solar cells stand up to light-induced degradation better. Light-induced degradation is a smarter-sounding way of saying that the cells stay more or less stable in terms of outputting power even after exposure to extremely bright sunshine.
The vast majority of solar panels today are made from p-type cells. N-type cells are normally used to produce high-end panels that demonstrate a super high level of efficiency. Someday soon, research and development in the green energy space could result in lower-priced n-type cells and more efficient p-type cells.
Electricity Production: How Solar Cells Work
The silver lines mentioned above act as pathways that the electrons follow as they flow within the cells. When this flow of electrons happens, the solar panel is pretty much a semiconductor at that point. The process through which solar cells capture photons from the sun and electrons start moving around and generating voltage is referred to as the photovoltaic effect.
This flow of electrons creates the electric current (in DC form) that powers your home or office. But your TV and other home devices run on alternating current or AC and not direct current. And this is where a reliable and correctly sized sine wave inverter helps.
Also, you need a decent-sized solar storage battery for when your system is operating at below capacity, such as on cloudy or rainy days.
What Are the Most Common Types of Solar Panels?
There are 3 kinds of common solar panels in the PV panel market. These options include:
- Monocrystalline solar panels: Quite efficient, high-quality, and durable.
- Polycrystalline solar panels: Not as efficient as monocrystalline panels, but still pretty efficient and long-lasting. Besides, they’re more cost-effective.
- Thin-film solar panels: More lightweight and easier to install than the monos and polys, but less efficient and less durable. These ones power your small pocket calculator. They also make RV living a whole lot more convenient.
Monocrystalline vs. Polycrystalline vs. Thin-film Solar Panels
To make monocrystalline solar panels, manufacturers use a single silicon fragment. These panesl are super efficient, space-saving, and normally black-colored. They’re usually designed for commercial and residential use. Small wonder they’re the most common solar panels along with polycrystalline ones. Below is how these 3 common solar panel types stack up against one another.
Monocrystalline |
Polycrystalline |
Thin-film |
|
| Cost | Most expensive | Cheaper | Cheapest |
| Construction Method | Made from one silicon fragment | Made from many fragments | Made from pairing non-crystalline silicon or other materials with a substrate such as glass or plastic |
| Efficiency rate | Most efficient | Not as efficient as monos but more efficient than thin-film | Least efficient |
| Longevity | Most long-lasting | Less durable than monos but more long lasting than thin-film | Least durable |
| Size, Weight, and Rigidity | Smaller in size than polys | Heavier, bigger, and more rigid than monos | Lightest, thinnest, and most flexible: easiest to install |
| Appearance | Black | Blue | |
| Where used | Homes and commercial properties | Homes and commercial properties | Solar farms, RVs, and pocket calculators |
| Space required | Least roof space needed | Most roof room required |
As for thin-film solar panels, these are low-efficiency options. Tons of them must be installed to generate the required amount of electric power. On top of that, thin-film varieties aren’t long lasting. Some don’t last more than a few weeks or months.
The upside is they’re cheaper to construct compared to other kinds. These definitely aren’t the kind of panel system you want to install for powering your home.
What Are Solar Panels Made of?
Solar panels are made of 60-72 solar cells that are linked together. These panels are in turn connected to others to form a complete power generation system. The cells are typically made from silicon mixed with phosphorus or boron. Other materials used to make solar cells include amorphous/non–crystalline silicon, cadmium telluride, and copper indium gallium selenide.
Another integral part (probably the most important) of solar panels is the junction box. The junction box houses all the electrical wire connections that keep the system functioning properly. The wires hide there, away from adverse weather conditions and human tampering.
Can You Make Your Own Solar Panels?
If you know how to size a solar system right, have good electrical wiring skills, can access a high-quality solar kit from a major solar panel supplier, won’t make installation mistakes that can lead to an unsafely installed system, and are OK with spending more time, energy, and money on the project, then you can build your own DIY solar panel system.
But if you’re wanting to put together any project that involves connecting to the grid, it’s best to find a pair of qualified technical hands.
Solar panel technology’s come a long way over the years. And you can find good quality pre-manufactured modules that perform beautifully at a fraction of the cost you’d incur if you purchased bargain counter panels and handled the soldering and encapsulation yourself.
If you opt for the DIY solar panel route, there’s the added cost of laminating, soldering, and weatherproofing the panels. Also, there’s getting your system UL listed.
4 Reasons Not to Build Your Own Solar Panel System
- Electrical wiring faults might compromise system safety: If you’re not highly technical, there’s always the odds that your improperly installed system might heat up and catch fire upon exposure to sunlight.
- Soldering: this exercise requires a decent level of expertise and knowledge to complete successfully. Unless you’re a qualified electrical engineer, a qualified technician, or have considerable experience in the solar panel industry, it’s easy to mishandle soldering.
- Material quality: If you don’t know much about solar panels and mounting, there’s a chance you might create a low-quality system that will utterly fail the test of performance and longevity.
- Cost: A few years ago, you could cost-effectively put together a fully functioning solar power system. But you’ll almost always spend more money if you go the DIY route these days. It’s pretty much like what happens when you choose to buy parts and build a smartphone, a hoverboard, or whatever.
Do you still think that cobbling together your own PV panel system is a good idea? Only you can answer that question. But whatever you do, avoid mistakes that could render the entire installation useless.