Subscribe to the Blog
Solar Power Tucson
Solar Gain: [Solar Power Energy Tucson] Systems in Tucson, AZ
Alternative Energy Questions:
Why aren't solar power panels cheaper?
I live in Tucson,AZ. Where it's sunny 300 days of the year if not more. I would like to build my own home, completely off the grid.
Solar cells are made either with single crystal silicon or polycrystalline silicon, with the latter being much cheaper & most common.
The single crystal material is used for all standard chips, so large quantities have been used for a long time. It is still quite expensive because it is very difficult to make. The impurities are in the parts per billion level or less. Also, the enormous single crystals must be made very slowly in a furnace.
The polycrystalline stuff eliminates the slow crystal growing stage. Also, Dow chemical has a new material & process developed to dramatically reduce the cost of the polycrystalline material. I think they blend a lower quality & cost silicon feedstock with a higher quality one, & still get it to work OK.
Finally, I don't know of any solar cell that is 40% efficient that is in production. The current champ is the Sunpower cell at about 17% efficient.
