Are you planning on buying portable solar panels that work both for your home and camping trips? If you are and you are new to the whole idea of solar panels then you must be confused about choosing the best solar panel for both. Not to worry because you have come to the right place.

Today in this article we are going to be looking at the different types of solar panels that are available in the market and what benefits each one has to offer to the users. Understanding each panel will help you find the best-suited one for your needs. So let us go ahead and jump right into it then.

Types of Solar Panels

There are two major types of solar panels which are further divided into different types. Each type has its own set of benefits and drawbacks which affect the decision of the buyer. Here is an overview of the types of solar panels.

1. Crystalline Silicon

Almost 90% of the photovoltaic is made up of silicon.  The silicon molecules are aligned in different ways to convert the sunlight into useable electricity. It is said that the more aligned the silicon cells are in a solar panel, the purer it is which means more electricity but also more expensive. Crystalline silicon panels are further divided into two types.

Monocrystalline

Mono-crystalline silicon solar panels are made up of silicon ingots. Since the ingots are in cylindrical shape thus are cut from the four sides to form the perfect silicon wafer. The good thing about them is that they are made out of the purest of silicon molecules thus offer the highest efficiency but at the same time, they are also the most expensive out of all.

Polycrystalline

Polycrystalline silicon solar panels, on the other hand, are made from raw silicon which is melted to make the square shape. They are most cost-effective as compared to mono-crystalline panels and are much simpler to use as well. But they do require a large surface area and have a lower efficiency to offer.

2. Thin Film

Thin-Film solar panels are made up of thin-film photovoltaic cells. Different photovoltaic materials are used to manufacture different types of thin-film solar panels. They are able to reach efficiency between 7 to 13% based on the technology used for production. They are much cheaper and more flexible than the crystalline solar panels. Plus are also effected less by high temperature and shades thus give extra flexibility to the campers.

Final Words

So there is no simple and straightforward answer to whether crystalline or thin-film should be your go-to choice. Each one has its own benefits to offer and comes with its own drawbacks as well. But if you want our personal view then we would suggest that you go with the portable mono-crystalline silicon panels. So, look for the Rockpals solar panels for sale along the solar panel chargers to save some electric cost.