Three factors that affect solar panel price are worth knowing

When many customers choose solar panels, they will wonder why solar panels that look the same have different prices for solar panels? Some solar panels cost only 3 yuan/watt, while others cost nearly 20 yuan/watt. What is the reason for such a large gap?

The effect of weight on solar panel prices

When RVs leave the factory, RV manufacturers limit the weight of RVs to comply with state policy. For example, the dead weight of the trailer/RV, various household appliances and daily necessities take up a lot of weight. The lighter the better while maintaining the efficiency of the solar panel, and the lighter the solar panel, the higher the price of the solar panel.

Currently, the total weight of lightweight solar panels using ETFE encapsulation material on the market is 400 kW at 12 kg, which is only 30% of the weight of ordinary glass panels. Despite being lighter, its durable impact resistance remains stable in RV mobile outdoor environments, and the glass components won't break.

The effect of temperature on solar panel prices

Many consumers believe that the more sunlight a solar panel hits, the hotter the solar panel and the more electricity the battery can produce. When the temperature of the solar panel is 25°C and the light is 90°, the power generation efficiency is at its highest. When the temperature exceeds 25°C, the power generation of the solar panel decreases by 0.3% for every 1°C increase in temperature. When glass is used as a packaging surface, the temperature of the battery will be greatly increased due to the light-transmitting and thermal-conducting properties of glass, which will affect power generation.

Picture When the temperature is high in summer, the glass surface of the solar panel is in a high temperature state, and you can almost "fry an egg". In this case, the power generation was lower than the customer expected, despite the sunshine and high outside temperature.

The impact of crystalline silicon cells on solar panel price

Solar panels consist of "crystalline silicon cells", which are then formed through an encapsulation process. Therefore, the type and quality of the "invisible battery" is one of the important factors that determine the power generation efficiency of solar panels. Batteries are classified into monocrystalline silicon and polycrystalline silicon by type. As the technology matures, monocrystalline silicon has gradually become mainstream due to its solar panel price and efficiency advantages.

Because the battery cells that make up the battery plate are graded, so is the battery plate, and the battery sheet includes three grades of A, B, and C.

A-grade batteries are basically free of any flaws and may be slightly scratched;

Class B battery chips may have defects such as leaked solder paste, grid cracks, phantom prints and other defects;

C-class battery chips are mainly recycled battery chips, which may cause virtual printing, edge collapse, etc.

The price and power generation effect of solar panels of different quality grades are different. The service life will vary, but as qualified products, Class B and Class C battery chip solar panels are inexpensive and will be used by some businesses. This also explains the huge difference in market solar panel prices for the same 100-watt solar panel.

The silicon material used in solar cells is very fragile and easily damaged, so the packaging process also affects the integrity of the cell.

After the solar panel completes the encapsulation process, it needs to be fully inspected by EL test equipment. Cracked, black plexiform panels are Class B or Class C solar panels according to EL testing, these black shades are shattered cracks and broken grids.

Invisible to the naked eye, many customers will feel no difference between these solar panels, but in actual use, the two will be very different in terms of power generation efficiency and lifespan. Fragments and fragments will not only affect the efficiency and use of power generation, but also cause safety hazards due to short-circuiting of local battery currents.