Amorphous and Thin Film Solar Panels

Amorphous solar cells represent the future of solar panel technology.
Amorphous silicon panels are a thin-film technology, made with a layer of photovoltaic material applied to the panel’s substrate. Unlike silicon-wafer cells, which have light-absorbing layers that are traditionally 350 microns thick, thin-film solar cells have light-absorbing layers that are just one micron thick. This leads to a significant cost saving. Another advantage of reducing the silicon used in a solar panel is that it takes less time for the panel’s output to match the energy used in its construction – its energy payback time. Silicon has a high amount of energy associated with its production.
Thin-film panels are not as sensitive to partial shading as crystalline panels. Their layer of photovoltaic material allows more flexibility in the layout of the electrical contacts.
The most common and popular type of thin film solar panel is the flexible laminate type. That’s because they’re the most versatile. Their thin film allows them to be applied to almost all surfaces and to take up a lot less space than a traditional panel. They’ve even been used as a type of roofing material. Unlike rigid panel types, they don’t stand out, blending in better with the roof itself. They can actually be used instead of steel or shingles for roofing, creating an entire roof that generates power from sunlight.