- Monocrystalline silicon
Construction: Made of cells cut from a cylindrical silicon crystal. Efficiency: The PV systems of the highest performance of 14%.
Cost: The highest among the available types due to the complexity in their construction.
- Polycrystalline silicon
Construction: From bars of melted and recrystalised silicon.
Efficiency: Equal to 12% due to the simpler process required for the construction compared to that of mono-crystalline systems.
Cost: Lower than that of mono-crystal systems.
- Amorphous silicon
Construction: Made of a thin layer of silicon put in a uniform way on an appropriate base.
Efficiency: Equal to 6%. Despite the fact that amorphous silica has higher effectiveness in light absorption, its efficiency is lower than that of crystal systems.
Cost: The cost is low. The specific type of panel is ideal for applications not requiring high performances.
The material is selected based on the need, the space available and the user’s financial capacity.