In an industrial scenario that is increasingly “going green” by continuing to invest in solutions capable of reducing the carbon footprint of business operations, solar panels are today a key technology. Today's complex and advanced systems designed to guarantee top performance and maximum efficiency deserve the best finishing technologies.
Just think of the role played by the thin layer of anti-reflective coating (commonly shortened to ARC). It is an optical coating applied to solar panels in minimal quantities, such as to be considered nanometric applications. This treatment improves the efficiency of the solar panel as less light is lost through reflection. Just think that with this treatment 3% to 4% more energy is supplied - by capturing the light that would otherwise be lost through reflection. These optical gains can help recover any capacity lost due to normal module degradation. We already mentioned that anti-reflective finishes are nanometric applications: for this reason, the treatment must be applied so as to ensure the highest possible uniformity.
In this feature we will review different types of solar panel, and then focus on advanced optical treatment solutions for solar panels, developed based on Cefla Finishing's expertise.
Innovation and sustainability in solar panels: advanced technologies and energy efficiency
The solar panel market offers a diverse range of technologies suitable for several applications - from residential rooftops to large solar parks. Understanding the characteristics and benefits of the different types of solar panel (monocrystalline, polycrystalline, thin-film and bifacial) is essential in order to make informed investment decisions.
Below is an overview of the current range configuration, showing the intended use and benefits of each product.
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Types of solar panel and their applications
Solar panels, the main technology using photovoltaic energy, can feature different structures and materials, each with distinct characteristics suited to many types of application.
Monocrystalline solar panels
Monocrystalline solar panels, for example, have a single continuous crystalline structure, usually silicon. They are easily recognisable as they are uniformly dark in colour with rounded edges, which indicates the high degree of purity of the material used in the production process.
This type of solution ensures the highest efficiency rates, often exceeding 20%. This makes them ideal for situations where roof space is limited. Thanks to their long life (often exceeding 25 years), microcrystalline solar panels are highly suitable for installation in urban environments and particularly on the roofs of residential buildings.
Polycrystalline solar panels
Polycrystalline panels are made up of multiple silicon crystals fused together. Precisely because of this type of processing, which generates multiple crystalline structures, these panels have a characteristically blue spotted appearance.
Generally, these panels are cheaper to produce than monocrystalline panels, but their efficiency rates are also lower and generally range between 15% and 20%: these values, while being not as high as monocrystalline panel ones, are still suitable for many applications.
In fact, thanks to their lower cost, these panels are often used in large-scale solar projects with particularly large surface areas and are highly in demand for covering fields or for remote installations.
Amorphous silicon modules
While also less efficient than monocrystalline panels, amorphous silicon modules are extremely flexible. Solar panels of this type are an excellent solution for creating photovoltaic systems in areas where solar radiation is weaker due to unfavourable climatic conditions - maximising the output from high temperatures or diffused light. From an aesthetic point of view, they stand out for their uniformly dark colour, while in terms of performance they offer versatility and lightness. Thanks to their low production costs and other characteristics, they are ideal for implementing highly verticalised applications, particularly in the architectural field.
Thin film panels
Amorphous silicon is also used to make thin-film panels by coating an underlying surface with a thin layer of photovoltaic material (cadmium telluride and copper indium gallium selenide in addition to silicon). This approach provides flexibility and lightness and makes thin-film panels the ideal solution for covering structures with non-linear shapes. They generally perform better in low-light conditions than the other panels listed above and are therefore used in conjunction with building components such as windows and roofs.
Advanced optical treatment of solar panels in the Cefla Finishing LAB
Regardless of the type of solar panel and application, the use of photovoltaic energy offers companies numerous advantages: energy savings, tax incentives, energy self-sufficiency, increased company value and improved sustainability reputation. To maximise these benefits, however, it is essential to be able to rely on quality products, capable not only of offering excellent performance whenever and in whichever way they are used, but also of maintaining this standard of performance over time. In other words, solar panels need to have a finish that's up to the task.
In our Cefla Finishing LAB, we have developed an ad hoc process, which includes the application of ARC using a very special roller machine called Solarcoater, able to guarantee excellent uniformity in the application of the ARC layer which, as we said before, is measurable in nanometres .
After application, the glass panel is fed through a drying oven to cause the ARC material to completely evaporate before the glass is tempered. It should be noted that there are two types of ARC, and the most common one requires glass tempering to permanently fix the coating. The other less common type only requires fixing of the coating at high temperature in the ovens.
Cefla Finishing and ARC application on solar panels
With its 60 years of experience in creating industrial finishing solutions, Cefla Finishing has developed an innovative range of machines for the application of ARC on solar panels.
Thanks to the industry-specific expertise of a team of specialists able to identify the most suitable technologies to meet any need, we can analyse the product, requirements and business objectives of manufacturers with a view to starting a long-term relationship based on a personalised roadmap.
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