How are Solar Panels Made: Everything you Need to Know

 

 Solar panels, which bring us clean energy, are now essential to our effort to live sustainably. As technology advances, the process of creating these solar panels has evolved. Let’s dive into the details of how Solar Panels have made their environmental impact and future trends.

What are Solar Panels?

A crystalline silicon solar panel, by weight, consists of about 76% glass, 10% plastic polymer, 8% aluminum, 5% silicon, 1% copper, and less than 0.1% silver and other metals, according to the Institute for Sustainable Futures. It’s interesting to note that silicon, a key component, is derived from silicon dioxide in beach sand.

Before being utilized in a solar panel, silicon dioxide must undergo a transformation into pure Metallurgical Grade Silicon – MGS. This energy-intensive conversion process requires 14-16 kWh of power to produce 1 kilogram of metallurgical grade silicon—equal to running your home oven for seven hours. But, it’s worth highlighting that, over their lifespan, solar panels emit 25 times less carbon dioxide per kilowatt hour compared to coal-powered electricity.

So, despite the initial energy investment, solar panels prove to be a cleaner and more sustainable energy source in the long run.

How Solar Panels Made

1. Building Solar Cells

Silicon ingots are melted and mixed with gallium or boron to form wafers. Phosphorus is added to give silicon its electrical capability. The silicon is then cut into thin sheets, coated to reduce reflection, and lines are cut into the cells to help the flow of electrical current.

2. Soldering Cells

Solar cells, whether monocrystalline or polycrystalline, are soldered together to form a panel. 60 or 72 solar cells are combined to create one panel.

3. Installing Backsheet

A protective back sheet is installed to shield the bottom of the solar cells.

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