Equipment and components
Polycrystalline panel
Also known as: poly, polycrystalline silicon, blue panel.
Definition
A polycrystalline panel is made with silicon of several crystals, with a bluish, mottled appearance. Historically it was cheaper and somewhat less efficient than monocrystalline; today its use has declined as the latter's prices have fallen.
In its manufacture, molten silicon solidifies forming many small crystals. The boundaries between those grains impede the movement of electrons, which translates into somewhat lower efficiency: for the same capacity you need a few more square metres of roof than with monocrystalline modules.
For years that penalty was accepted in exchange for a lower price. That argument has steadily dissolved: large-scale production of monocrystalline reduced its cost to the point where polycrystalline's economic advantage no longer offset the efficiency loss, and supply has shifted almost entirely.
Coming across a quote with polycrystalline panels today is not in itself an alarm signal, but it does deserve a question: it is worth understanding why that technology is being proposed, comparing the price per watt with monocrystalline proposals and checking the roof space it requires.
The essentials of Polycrystalline panel
- Multi-crystal silicon: a streaked blue appearance.
- Lower efficiency: it takes up more surface for the same capacity.
- Its price advantage over monocrystalline has almost entirely disappeared.
- A declining presence in the Colombian commercial offering.
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Frequently asked questions about Polycrystalline panel
Is a polycrystalline panel bad?
It is not bad: it is a mature, reliable technology that has worked for decades. It has simply been displaced because monocrystalline offers more efficiency at an already very similar price. If a proposal includes it, the sensible thing is to compare its price per watt and the space it needs against a monocrystalline alternative.
Can I mix polycrystalline and monocrystalline panels?
It is not advisable within the same string connected to a string inverter: modules with different electrical characteristics limit each other and the group works at the pace of the weakest. With microinverters or optimizers the problem is contained, but keeping things homogeneous is still better.
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