Polycrystalline silicon and monocrystalline silicon are two different substances, polycrystalline silicon is a chemical term commonly known as glass, high-purity polycrystalline silicon material is high-purity glass, monocrystalline silicon is the raw material for making solar photovoltaic cells, and also the material for making semiconductor chips. The raw materials of silicon ore for the production of monocrystalline silicon are scarce and the production process is complex, so the output is low and the price is high. So what is the difference between monocrystalline silicon solar cells and polycrystalline solar cells, and which is better?
First, the difference in appearance
From the appearance, the four corners of the monocrystalline silicon cell are arc-shaped and have no pattern on the surface; while the four corners of the polycrystalline silicon cell are square and the surface has a pattern similar to ice flowers; the non-crystalline silicon cell is what we usually Speaking of thin-film modules, unlike crystalline silicon cells, the grid lines can be seen, and the surface is as clear and smooth as a mirror.
Second, use the above difference
For users, there is not much difference between monocrystalline silicon batteries and polycrystalline silicon batteries, and their lifespan and stability are very good. Although the average conversion efficiency of monocrystalline silicon cells is about 1% higher than that of polycrystalline silicon cells, since monocrystalline silicon cells can only be made into a quasi-square (four sides are arc-shaped), there will be a part of the area when forming a solar panel. Can not fill; and polysilicon is square, so there is no such a problem, their advantages and disadvantages are as follows:
Crystalline silicon modules: The power of a single module is relatively high. Under the same footprint, the installed capacity is higher than that of thin-film modules. However, the modules are heavy and fragile, with poor high temperature performance, poor low light performance, and high annual decay rate.
Thin-film modules: The power of a single module is relatively low. However, the power generation performance is high, the high temperature performance is good, the low light performance is good, the shadow shading power loss is small, and the annual attenuation rate is low. Wide application environment, beautiful and environmentally friendly.
Third, the difference in manufacturing process
The energy consumed in the manufacturing process of polycrystalline silicon solar cells is about 30% less than that of monocrystalline silicon solar cells. Therefore, polycrystalline silicon solar cells account for a large share of the total global solar cell production, and the manufacturing cost is also lower than that of monocrystalline silicon cells. Therefore, the use of polycrystalline silicon solar cells will It will be more energy-saving and environmentally friendly!
Which is better for monocrystalline silicon or polycrystalline silicon solar cells?
The photoelectric conversion efficiency of monocrystalline silicon solar cells is about 15%, and the highest is 24%, which is the highest photoelectric conversion efficiency among all types of solar cells at present, but the production cost is so high that it cannot be widely used and Commonly used. Since monocrystalline silicon is generally encapsulated by tempered glass and waterproof resin, it is strong and durable, and its service life is generally up to 15 years, up to 25 years.
The production process of polycrystalline silicon solar cells is similar to that of monocrystalline silicon solar cells, but the photoelectric conversion efficiency of polycrystalline silicon solar cells is much lower, and the photoelectric conversion efficiency is about 12%.
In terms of production cost, it is cheaper than monocrystalline silicon solar cells, the material is simple to manufacture, power consumption is saved, and the total production cost is lower, so it has been greatly developed. In addition, the service life of polycrystalline silicon solar cells is also shorter than that of monocrystalline silicon solar cells. In terms of cost performance, monocrystalline silicon solar cells are slightly better.
The production process of polycrystalline silicon solar cells is similar to that of monocrystalline silicon solar cells, but the photoelectric conversion efficiency of polycrystalline silicon solar cells is much lower, and the photoelectric conversion efficiency is about 12%. In terms of production cost, it is slightly more expensive than monocrystalline silicon solar cells, the material is simple to manufacture, power consumption is saved, and the total production cost is lower, so it has been greatly developed. In addition, the service life of polycrystalline silicon solar cells is also shorter than that of monocrystalline silicon solar cells. In terms of cost performance, monocrystalline silicon solar cells are slightly better.
Generally speaking, the solar cells on the market still use more single crystals. Basically, the technology is mature, the market is large, and maintenance is much more convenient.
Post time: Dec-30-2022