What Do You Need to Know About Thin-Film Solar Panels

Solar panels are some of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to generate renewable and clean energy for your home or business. 

Since becoming more widespread in the late 90s and early 2000’s, it’s become increasingly more common to see these large panels covering the roofs of many buildings. 

Traditionally, solar panels have been made predominantly using silicon. However, thanks to new technologies, we’re starting to see a new wave of solar panels that are being manufactured using thin film technology.

In this article, we’ll be discussing what thin film solar panels are, how they work, and whether they are the most effective way to generate electricity in a sustainable way.

What Are Thin Film Solar Panels?

Thin film solar panels are panels that are manufactured using solar cells made up of thin, light-absorbing film layers. These layers are much smaller than a layer of silicon which makes thin film solar panels much lighter, but still with the same levels of durability.

The main types of thin film solar panels include:

• Amorphous solar panels
• Cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar panels
• Copper gallium indium diselenide (CIGS) solar panels
• Organic photovoltaic cells

Each of these panels are manufactured in different ways, but the most popular today are Cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar panels as they are a cost-effective option and are able to absorb sunlight close to an ideal wavelength which makes it easier for them to generate more electricity than other types of solar panels.

Thin film solar panels are made using a physical vapour deposition process where thin layers are deposited onto a solid surface like glass, plastic or metal. There are a few different methods of deposition including magnetron sputtering, thermal vapour deposition, beam evaporation or plasma deposition.

How Do Thin Film Solar Panels Work?

Thin film solar panels are made up of one or more layers of photovoltaic materials that are laid onto a solid surface that have built-in semiconductors. They work by absorbing sunlight and using it to generate electricity that can be used to power homes, vehicles, or other electronic devices.

Many people and companies are now turning to thin film solar panels because they are much more efficient than conventional solar panels. For one, they are much more lightweight and cost a lot less.

They also don’t require large amounts of silicon which can have a big impact on the environment. These types of solar panels also come with a lower installation cost as they are much easier to install.

Because of this, thin film solar panels are becoming more popular in large-scale areas rather than domestic installations. This is because they are a much more cost effective option, and can provide a range of cost savings for businesses that choose to implement them.

Final Thoughts

In this article, we’ve told you everything that you might need to know about thin film solar panels. We’ve taken you through what they are, how they work, and what some of the most common types of thin film solar panels are used for different purposes.

Do you think you would use thin film solar panels?