What goes into a solar panel? Are those components good for my home or business?
These are crucial questions to ask when investing in solar and one key thing to consider is what your solar panel cells are made of!
What Makes a Solar Panel?
Solar panels are made of groups of multiple solar cells, or photovoltaic cells (PV), all oriented in one plane. When you look at a solar panel you might notice that they have grids on them, like the one to our right. The individual squares within that grid are your solar cells.
Solar cells are typically made of silicon semiconductors that serve to absorb sunlight and convert that into electricity. There are three types of solar cells each with varying efficiencies.
- Single-crystal cells (most efficient and cost effective)
- Polycrystalline cells (second most efficient)
- Thin film cells (least efficient)
Copper vs. Aluminum Backed Cells
Copper backed cells are the premium solar cells. The copper backing on the solar cells allows for higher conductivity and cell longevity. Compared to copper, aluminum has just 61 percent of its conductivity! Aluminum also lacks the same resilience as copper, becoming more susceptible to weather damage over time as the cells expand and contract with the changing weather. The strength of copper allows it to withstand the intensities of wear and tear, as opposed to aluminum. Coppers thermal conductivity is also about 60 percent greater than that of aluminum, meaning that copper can remove heat faster than aluminum, helping the system to operate more efficiently. All in all, copper backed cells are better conductors that are built to last and deliver the most bang for your buck.
Now that you know the best type of solar cells out there, where do you go to get these types of solar energy panels?
That’s where SunPower by SolarTech comes in!
The SunPower Difference
As a SunPower master dealer we couldn’t be prouder to offer the best solar energy systems for your home or business. SunPower solar panels are the ONLY solar panels on the market that are built with copper backed cells. Overtime, conventional solar cells lose their power because of corrosion and breakage, but SunPower’s unique design eliminates 85% of the reasons conventional cells fail. Unlike conventional cells, the Maxeon cell technology that constitutes SunPower’s panels add incredible strength, making them virtually impervious to corrosion. Thick connectors in the copper backing of their cells allow them to expand and contract from daily temperature swings with ease. Conventional cells are typically built with thin and week connections, leading them to often fail over time.
Not only that, SunPower is the ONLY solar manufacturer that provides all-in-one systems, meaning that everything from the racking to the solar panels themselves come from SunPower. Other companies outsource their products from other manufacturers, meaning that if anything goes wrong with a competitors’ panels it could take ages to get replacement parts in as there are heaps of hoops to jump through to figure out where to get those parts. SunPower on the other hand manufactures every part of their solar panel systems in house, never outsourcing, meaning that you know EXACTLY who to contact.
If you are considering going solar then look no further than SunPower by SolarTech. Call SolarTech to receive a free solar analysis and start the discussion about adding premium SunPower panels to your home or business.
Call (619) 743-9193 or click the link below to receive your free solar quote!
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