Types of Solar Panels
What’s the Difference Between Mono & Poly Crystalline Panels?
Michigan Solar Solutions has sold mono and poly-crystalline panels in the past and we now only offer mono-crystalline. The difference between the two technologies is the orientation of the crystals in the panel. Poly (meaning many) has silicon from multiple manufacturing batches that has been compressed to one wafer, this makes it more difficult for light to pass through . Mono (meaning one) has silicon from one manufacturing batch, allowing electrons to flow easier through the crystal. The result is more electricity is produced in mono crystalline panels.
The vital thing to note is the actual value of the panel or how many watts it is rated to produce. The power rating of a panel is determined under "ideal" laboratory conditions. Weather conditions impact the actual power produced by a panel, time of year, dirt on the panels, voltage drops over copper wires and latitude on the Earth. All of these Real World factors impact the actual production of a panel. Don't be misled by some manufacturer's claims of higher efficiency panels. Most often, these claims only apply under laboratory conditions.
Thin Film Panels
Thin-film solar panels are all but non-existent, except for specific applications such as solar-powered calculators, etc. Standing-seam metal roofs are a great candidate for thin-film solar material between the ribs. Get solar without the traditional look of panels mounted to the roof!
Solar Shingles
Solar shingles replace traditional roofs with a product that has solar panel material built into a conventional looking roof shingle. They have been manufactured by several companies over the past ten years, most notably Michigan's Dow-Corning, out of Midland.
Michigan Solar Solutions was an authorized installer of the RGS PowerHouse Shingles, who is no longer in business. Tesla appears to be pushing this technology forward the fastest, keep an eye out for large scale deployment of this technology as we will surely be on the forefront! We are a Tesla certified Powerwall installer.
Michigan Solar Solutions provides a free solar analysis to help you choose the right solar panels for your home. We visit your home or business when you request us to, and we promise to never ‘high pressure’ sell you anything. We are here to help you, and we will make going solar easy with a complete turn-key system. We handle everything for you!
The Average Return on Solar in Michigan is Over 10% Per Year
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Using only satellite imagery and your most recent electric bill, our solar experts can provide a detailed proposal with up to 98% accuracy. The best part is there’s zero obligation and zero pressure. We’re confident once you see what you can save, you’ll upgrade to solar.