The latest trends in solar panel design and efficiency, and how they are improving energy production

The solar industry has been in a constant state of innovation over the last few decades as a result of the ongoing and growing interest in the uses and advantages of solar technology. This innovation has improved the advancements in solar design technology, solar efficiency, and more. Here are some of the latest trends in solar panel design and efficiency.

Monocrystalline solar panels

These are made from a single silicon crystal and are the most efficient type of solar panels. These are the most efficient and expensive types of solar panels in India. They are used in large-scale solar power plants and residential rooftop installations.

Passivated Emitter Rear Cell (PERC) technology is being used to improve the efficiency of both monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar panels. PERC technology reduces the recombination of charge carriers and increases the efficiency of solar cells.

The size of wafers used to make monocrystalline solar cells is increasing from 156mm to 182mm, which increases the power output of the panel.

Polycrystalline solar panels

These are made from multiple silicon crystals and are less efficient than monocrystalline panels. They are widely used in India for residential and commercial rooftop installations.

Monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar panels are widely used in large-scale solar power plants and residential rooftop installations. Their high efficiency enables these installations to generate more electricity per unit area and help meet the increasing demand for electricity in the country.

Multi-busbar technology is being used in both monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar panels to increase their efficiency. This technology reduces the resistance losses in the panel and increases its power output.

Thin Film Solar panels

This is the most recent type of solar panel. Because of its distinctive flexibility and technique, it ranks as the most flexible among the above solar panels. Thin-film solar panels are made of lightweight, flexible materials such as cadmium telluride and copper indium gallium selenide. These cells are becoming more efficient and cost-effective, and they are used in a range of products, including portable solar chargers, building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), and solar-powered wearables.

Bifacial solar panels

Researchers in India are working on developing more efficient bifacial solar panels that can capture more sunlight and generate more electricity. These panels use advanced materials and designs to increase the amount of light that can be absorbed and converted into electricity.

Traditional solar panels absorb sunlight from only one side.  Bifacial solar panels can capture sunlight from both sides of the panel, making them more efficient than traditional solar panels. These panels are becoming more popular in commercial and utility-scale solar installations because they can generate up to 27% more energy than traditional solar panels.

PERC solar panels

Advanced solar cell technology called Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell (PERC) adds a reflective layer at the rear of each solar cell to boost the efficiency of solar panels. Because of its ability to produce higher energy and better performance in low-light conditions, this technology is growing in popularity. 

Concentrated Solar Power

Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) technology uses mirrors or lenses to concentrate sunlight onto a small area, creating heat that can be used to generate electricity. This technology is becoming more popular in large-scale solar installations, and it has the potential to produce electricity even when the sun isn't shining.

BIPV Solar Technology

India is promoting the use of building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) to generate clean energy from building surfaces. Building-integrated photovoltaics solar technologies meld smoothly into the building infrastructure and can take the shape of curtain walls, roofs, terrace floors, facades, canopies, and skylight systems. You may reduce your spending on building materials, electric power, and panel mounting by using BIPV solar panel systems.

How they are improving energy production

These trends in solar panel design and efficiency are improving energy production by increasing the amount of energy that can be generated from a given amount of sunlight, reducing costs, expanding the range of applications for solar technology and improving the durability of solar panels. This is helping to accelerate the adoption of solar energy and move towards a more sustainable energy future.