Solar Panels: 101
And Why Lumio Chooses to Partner with Manufacturers of Black Panels
by Caroline Nurse
5 min read - Published on 05/10/2022
The technology for solar panels has existed for over 100 years. It is a simple but incredible process of capturing energy from the sun and converting it into electricity via solar panels. Trees, plants, and flowers have been capturing energy from the sun for billions of years. Humans have fine-tuned this technology so it is being widely adopted as a cleaner and cheaper version of energy across the globe.
Solar panels are made from a collection of photovoltaic cells organized into solar cells that convert sunlight into electricity. These photovoltaic cells are the powerhouse that converts the energy from the sun into an electric current. Photovoltaic (PV) cells or self-generating barrier layers are other examples of PV detectors that convert radiant flux into electricity. Because electricity cannot be produced by heat, PV cells must have sunlight.
Today, there are many types of panels being manufactured due to the advancement of solar technology. There are many options for size, durability, reliability, and efficiency. Lumio installs all-black panels to give your roof a polished look. We use 60-cell panels with a maximum height of just over 5ft and a width of about 3ft.
Lumio does not manufacture these panels. We source them from ethical partners who stand behind their products with industry-leading warranties.
Black Solar Panels
Black panels give your home better curb appeal. If you’re going to sell your home, black panels will be more attractive on your roof than other types. Having solar panels installed on your roof will normally increase the value of your home, but black panels give it a sleek look that buyers can’t forget. Because black panels are more efficient, you need less of them on your rooftop, which means you have fewer panels to finance.
What Are Black Solar Panels?
When we talk about solar panels these days we are almost always referring to the black-looking monocrystalline panels. They are made of a single high-quality silicon crystal. The silicon crystals used in black panels are more pure than the silicon crystals used to make blue polycrystalline solar panels.
How Are Black Solar Panels Made?
Monocrystalline solar cells are used in black solar panels. These monocrystalline solar cells are made using the Czochralski method which involves placing a silicon crystal seed in a vessel of molten silica. The molten silicon is slowly drawn out of the silicon crystal seed, creating a block made from solid crystal silicon. The silicon block is then sliced into silicon wafers that can be used in solar cells for energy production.
The blue and black panels appear almost identical, but light interacts differently with the monocrystalline cells in the black panels than with polycrystalline cells in the blue panels.
Black Solar Panel Highlights
- High-quality silicon with a smooth, black appearance
- Occupy less space and have a longer life span.
- Produced through a very energy-intensive process
- The black color is sleeker and has more curb appeal
Why Black Solar Panels?
More Energy Efficient
These panels are more efficient because of the uniform alignment of silicon crystals within a monocrystalline panel. Black solar panels are more efficient than polycrystalline panels which makes black panels a better choice to produce more energy with the same amount of rooftop space.
Absorb More Light
Black panels are more efficient than blue panels in terms of energy efficiency. Black panels can absorb more sunlight, which means they are more likely to generate more solar power. This results in increased electricity generated for your home.
Performance in Warmer Weather Is Better
In warmer climates, black solar panels are more efficient than blue solar panels. As with all solar cells, the temperature increases will cause electricity production to fall. This output loss is much less in black panels than it is with blue panels.
Best Panels During Low-light Conditions
Black solar panels work better in low-light conditions than other types of panels. On cloudy days, your black solar panels will be able to produce more energy than other types of panels in the same situation. While these conditions may not be optimal for solar energy production, your black panels will still be able to produce some energy when other panels would fail.
Panel Overview
Lumio only installs black solar panels to give your roof a sleek appearance and they are the most energy efficient panels on the market. Our 60-cell panels have a maximum height just above 5ft and a width around 3ft. These panels are not manufactured by Lumio. We source from ethical partners who stand behind their products with industry-leading warranties.
Sound like something you'd like to add to your home? Contact one of Lumio's Solar Experts today!