What are the features of Shingled Perc?
What are solar shingles?
Shingled perc functions in a similar way to solar panels, which are often good to use to power homes today. The main difference between them is in the assembly. While traditional solar modules mount over an existing roof, solar tiles are a complete part of the building structure and look just like a conventional roof.
It is worth noting that solar tiles are a special type of roofing material that not only protects the structure from precipitation, but also uses solar energy. It is made from photovoltaic cells that, when sunlight receives, convert it into electricity that can power the inside of a building.
Distributes energy between consumers throughout the house
Depending on the conditions, it is recommended to install a shingled perc that converts direct current to alternating current for efficient operation of the system.
It is worth bearing in mind that the amount of energy received from the sun is directly dependent on the amount of light that the tiles receive. Also, when creating a project with a photovoltaic roof, it is worth considering the climate and geographical location of the building.
Solar tile device: maximum efficiency
To obtain maximum efficiency, it is important to keep the energy generating roof surface clean on a regular basis. In addition, when choosing a solar tile, you should pay attention to the type of installation. It is recommended to choose shingles that lie flat and do not overlap. It is to avoid shadow areas and therefore inefficient roof operation.
When can shingled perc be installed?
The installation of solar tiles is recommended in cases where the building is being built from scratch and in the process of creating a project. You can take into account the features of its installation.
This type of roof is more expensive than usual and can pay off within 5-7 years. But in the end, solar tiles provide an opportunity for a household to save on electricity, and sometimes completely disconnect from the central power grid and become autonomous.
Advantages:
- Solar tiles are a source of renewable energy. It is most beneficial to use it for people living in the southern regions. However, modern technologies allow shingled percto install in northern countries;
- Today there is a wide variety of types of solar tiles. Depending on the budget, you can choose both standard and more interesting – from layered stone or ceramic tiles.
Disadvantages:
- The cost of solar tiles is more expensive than traditional solar panels;
- Today there are not many companies on the market that produce an innovative product.
Photovoltaic panels: components of the photovoltaic system
Photovoltaic panels are one of the 2 main components of the photovoltaic system together with the inverter.
The shingled perc makes up of photovoltaic cells that are able to transform solar energy into electricity. In a photovoltaic panel the number of cells is variable. It depends on the brand and technology good to use. In any case, the number of cells can vary from 48 to 96.
The efficiency of a cell is therefore of a photovoltaic panel depends on how much solar energy it manages to transform into electricity. The technology is constantly improving and therefore the data varies quite frequently. At the moment we can say that the efficiency of a photovoltaic panel is about 20%.
Shingled perc can be:
Monocrystalline: oriented in the same direction
The silicon crystals all orient in the same direction. This allows for maximum power to obtain with perpendicular light. Their efficiency ranges from 18 to 21%.
The silicon crystals come in a random order. This means that with perpendicular light they do not have the same efficiency as the monocrystalline but they are able to better intercept the sunlight during the day. The efficiency ranges from 15 to 17%. Polycrystalline is cheaper than monocrystalline.
There is a third type which is that of photovoltaic modules in amorphous silicon. They form by a layer of glass or plastic on which a very thin layer of silicon lay. Their efficiency is very low so to produce the same amount of energy produced by a monocrystalline or polycrystalline it is necessary to have a shingled perc.
Which panel to choose between monocrystalline or polycrystalline?
Lately the panels proposed on the market are mainly of the monocrystalline type since, having a higher efficiency. They allow producing more power for the same space occupied.
However, there is no ideal type: for example, if we have space available on the roof, we can also consider using a polycrystalline panel. This allows us (with a few more panels) to produce the same energy and perhaps making us spend less.
In any case, as already mentioned, a general discussion is difficult to make. It is necessary to evaluate the type of shingled perc on a case-by-case basis on the basis of: the needs of our home, technical characteristics of the materials, space available and available budget.
Finally, the efficiency of a system does not depend only on the efficiency of the panel but also on other elements such as:
- orientation of the plant, the ideal one is to the South
- inclination of the pitch on which the system will install, the ideal one is about 35%
- efficiency of the inverter (which physiologically has losses when transforming the current from direct to alternating)
- panel temperature: if the panel overheats (this can happen in summer) the efficiency decreases
- any shading that can reduce the efficiency of the system
What are the criteria for choosing the most suitable shingled perc?
The criteria for choosing a photovoltaic panel are:
- its power (a panel can have a power ranging from 320 to 400 W)
- warranties on the product and production (on the product it can be 12/25 years, on the production it is usually always 25 years)
- the technology good to use: some panels have better technologies but also higher costs
Having said that, the choice of a panel must be made within a more comprehensive assessment that involves the other components of the system (primarily the inverter) but also other factors such as the space available on the roof or any shading that does not they can eliminate (trees, etc.).
Furthermore, the choice of a shingled perc as a whole should first of all start from an economic prospectus. It includes the costs and benefits of the system and which takes into account the needs of the individual family.
