Monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar panels are both made using silicon solar cells, but they differ in terms of performance, appearance, and price. We’ve summed up the key differences between the two in the following table: * Estimated using a 350 watt (W), 2 m², monocrystalline panel as the basis for calculation
What differs monocrystalline cells from polycrystalline cells is that monocrystalline panels are made of a single pure silicon ingot. Making a single pure silicon ingot was really hard until Czochralski discovered this brilliant way. First, you dip a seed crystal, which is a small rod of pure single crystal silicon into the molten silicon.
Polycrystalline solar panels are also made from silicon. However, instead of using a single silicon crystal, manufacturers melt many silicon fragments together to form wafers for the panel. Polycrystalline solar cells are also called "multi-crystalline" or many-crystal silicon.
In order to produce monocrystalline solar panels the silicon is formed into bars before being cut into wafers. The cells are made of single-crystal silicon which means that the electrons have more space to move around and can therefore generate more energy.
Having a single-crystal structure means the electrons that produce electricity have more room to move around, making monocrystalline solar cells highly efficient. This increased efficiency also means that monocrystalline panels can easily achieve a higher power output than polycrystalline panels, using fewer cells.
These wafers have a black appearance to them, which tends to look more aesthetically pleasing than the blue hue you find in other panels. Having a single-crystal structure means the electrons that produce electricity have more room to move around, making monocrystalline solar cells highly efficient.