The most common among the modern-day solar cells are made out of silicon solar cells. They are the ones that are most commonly used even if there are actually different kinds of solar cells. The primary function of solar cells is to produce electrical power, which will supply the power to the whole house, from the light energy of the sunlight. Covering them with a semi-conductor is required for them to be as efficient as possible. They are often covered with silicon, and are connected in series, which are, then, connected to form arrays that will produce voltage. Once these are properly assembled, they are put behind a glass to “get” the sunlight. Once light is absorbed, the electrons get “excited”. Energy is produced and then converted into direct electricity current as a result.

There are three types of silicon solar cells. These types are the ingot, the ribbon, and the wafer. They are quite thick and are very appropriate to use. A lot of people opt to use these cells because they can fit in anyone’s budget. Anyone wants to put up his own solar panels, but is conscious and strict of their budget, will be left with no choice but to use this type of cells. They work well, but not as efficient as other types of cells do. Maybe it is because of the relatively cheaper materials that are used in making them.

Truth be told, there are various generations of silicon solar cells types. Silicon cells are sliced into wafer-like shapes and piled on top of each other to create the first generation. This type is the most common type, as it is strong and large. The second generation is another type. Even though they have a complex composition, cells that are of these kinds prove to be much more effective. The third generation is known for not using silicon as a semiconductor. On the other hand, solar cells that do not use silicon are still not available for mass consumption.

You will find that there is stiff competition between the two, if you compare silicon solar cells with organic photovoltaic cells. As for production efficiency, the latter has the upper hand. In a short period of time, there are more photovoltaic cells and polymer cells produced. Compared to the number of silicon cells made in a year, there are bigger square meters of solar cells produced in an hour. However, if in terms of efficiency of performance, then silicon solar cells are much better. The lifespan of these cells and their durability serves as the foundation of this. It has also been discovered that silicon cells do not lead to harmful environment effects, like temperature change and oxidation, and that their lifespan are ten times longer than that of photovoltaic cells.

In hopes of reducing the cost that one has to cover when buying solar cells, silicon solar cells were developed. Further research led them to the development of thin film solar cells. However, these proved to be less efficient. As of now, it is a challenge to increase the performance of these cells, as they do not seem to be competitive enough against other solar cells.

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