Solar panels are probably the most critical part of your solar system. The more efficient they are, the more efficient your system will be. The problem is that there are three main types of solar panel offered on the market with different levels of efficiency. The ‘bargain’ that saves you money up-front could easily end up losing you money in the long-term.

1. Monocrystalline (monocrystalline c-Si). Without a doubt, in our opinion, these are the best panels on the market, using proven technology that’s been around for over 50 years. They’re the most efficient, so you need fewer of them to produce a given amount of energy. They degrade very slow too, generally losing only 0.25 to 0.5% of their efficiency per year. Compare that with.

2. Polycrystalline (polycrystalline c-Si). These are like monocrystalline panels, but they’re easier to make, and cheaper. While they’re about as durable as monocrystalline, they’re 11 to 13% less efficient. So, with these, you’d need more panels (if you have the roof space) to produce the same amount of electricity as you could with monocrystalline panels, or settle for producing less power along with less cost savings or income.

3.  Thin-film or amorphous. These are another 5 to 6% less efficient than polycrystalline panels, so they typically require 25% to 50%  more roof space. The most common varieties of thin-film or amorphous panels are: cadmium telluride thin-film panels (CdTe); copper indium gallium selenide thin-film panels (CIGS); and amorphous silicon thin-film panels (a-Si).

It won’t surprise you, then, that EKO Energy only offers a choice of the best long-term proposition: monocrystalline solar panels.

Our own EKO brand manufactured in China and tested in Germany to comply with the same strict quality standards as the German panels we also source from time to time. Click here to read more about them.

When you choose our EKO panels you can rest assured you are buying a reliable system made from quality components that exceeds the highest standards on the market today.

You’d be back in black without an inverter

AC/DC isn’t just a band. It’s a problem solved by our inverters. You see, solar panels produce a direct current (DC). But your home’s electrical system and the grid are built for alternating current (AC). That’s why you need an inverter to convert the DC into usable AC electricity and get everything rocking on together. Click here to learn more about our inverters