Solar technologies
There are two main types of solar technologies, involving different solar panels and goals...
Two main types of solar panels and technologies
Solar technologies are associated with the two main types of solar panels:
1) Solar modules for solar electric production
2) Solar thermal collectors for water-heating systems and air conditioning.
Above: Kyocera scheme of a PV Solar Panel for electricity production
Flat plate and evacuated-tube technologies
Thermal collectors involve two main technologies: the flat-plate technology and the evacuated-tube technology. This last is one is a more recent technology, able to respond to more demanding applications and to the needs of colder climates.
The prices of evacuated-tube collectors are higher than those of flat-plate, but the gap is decreasing rapidly, and evacuated-tube technology may well be the final winner in a near future, replacing flat-plate technology in most of its current uses.
PV solar modules technology
Solar modules are at the core of any Solar Photovoltaic System (for electricity production) and are based on solar (photovoltaic) cells, which are made of special materials called semiconductors.
There are two main solar electric cell technologies: polycrystalline and monocrystalline. Monocrystalline technology is based on a silicon crystal grown in only one plane, while polycrystalline technology involve a silicon crystal grown in multiple layers.
Another more recent solar electric technology is the thin film one. It involves virtually unbreakable panels, with an efficiency of about 50% of the monocrystalline technology (which is less efficient than Polycrystalline).
See, for details:
Solar PV Photovoltaic Basics
Solar modules
PV Panels (Electricity production) and Silicon technology
The growth of PV solar power industry depends deeply on silicon for its panels (around 90% of solar PV panels use silicon based technologies), but current demand is much stronger than the supply. That shortage has caused silicon prices to reach high prices.
Some companies (BP Solar or Sharp, the world's major producer of PV solar panels) are making panels thinner to overcome the silicon constraint.
Other companies are trying to develop non-silicon technologies, namely the CIS (Copper Indium di-Selenide), a rather untested technology.
The production of silicon will double in 2010 relatively to 2005 levels, and that and the expected technological improvements and economies of scale, may make solar electricity increasingly competitive.
For a wide list of Solar Manufacturers, see:
Solar Power Systems Manufacturers
See also: