Have you ever wondered how the solar panels that save your bill and our natural resources are made? What goes inside the slim solar panel that converts the sunlight into electricity for your home? This blog will help you understand the process and how solar panels are made with advanced technologies like TOPCon or bifacial designs.
Solar panel manufacturing process
The solar manufacturing process is highly controlled to maintain a certain efficiency and provide better ROI.
The broader process includes:
Creating solar wafers
- Creating solar cells
- Assembling the solar panel
- Testing and certification
However, there is a lot more going on between these steps. So, let’s take a look at the detailed solar panel production process!
Producing silicon wafers
Silicon wafers convert the sunlight into electricity. Therefore, they are the core components of the solar panel and producing the silicon wafer is the most critical task in the process.
Silicon is made from quartz. These quartzes are heated in the furnace to create metallurgical-grade silicon. However, they can’t be used to create solar cells. The Siemens process is used to convert his silicon into trichlorosilane gas. The gas is further refined to develop pure silicon.
The pure silicon is then melted at high temperature to create cylindrical or rectangular ingots. These ingots are thinly sliced to create the silicon wafers.
When wafers are created from a single quartz, they create high-efficiency monocrystalline wafers. However, if more than one quartz is used, polycrystalline solar cells with comparatively lower efficiency are created.
Creating solar cells
Solar wafers need to be processed further for effective solar energy production.
The following are a few steps to converting the solar wafers into cells:
- The first step of the process is doping the wafers with boron or phosphor exposure. This creates a positive and negative junction of the wafers responsible for the energy conversion.
- The solar wafers are given a chemical bath to create a textured surface that traps the sunlight for conversion.
- Other chemicals, like sodium nitride, are deposited on the wafer to make it anti-reflective. This step ensures that the sunlight doesn’t get reflected from the solar wafer and facilitates the solar energy conversion.
These solar cells, also known as photovoltaic (PV) cells, convert sunlight into electricity. Once the solar cells are ready, they undergo a thorough quality assurance test to identify any faulty cells. This testing is important as it helps you reduce the chances of creating faulty solar panels.
Stringing the solar cells
A solar panel includes several solar cells to create more output. However, you must connect these solar cells to generate the desired energy.
Stringing is the process of connecting a series of solar cells using a metal ribbon. Here, the cells are kept at a very short distance to create a compact setting for a solar panel. The number of PV cells can range from 60 to 72 in normal panels and 120 or 144 in half-cut panels.
Encapsulating the solar cells
The solar cells must be compactly arranged and locked in place for better efficiency and safety. Therefore, the PV cells are sandwiched between the Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) sheets. These sheets protect the cells from moisture, damage, and excessive UV rays in the sunlight.
Adding other layers for PERC and TOPCon solar panels
This is the step in which solar panels use different techniques to improve efficiency.
You can add a passivated layer on the rear side of the solar panel to create PERC solar panels. The passivated layers reflect the sunlight on the PV cell to increase output.
In a TOPCon solar panel, a thin Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact layer is added to reduce the loss of electrons and increase electricity production.
Laminating the solar cells using glass and a back sheet
The encapsulated solar cells are still susceptible to damage. Therefore, they are laminated using tempered glass and a backsheet. The glass is on the top while the back sheet covers the rear of the encapsulated cells.
In bi-facial solar panels, there is glass on the top and back of the panel to increase the sunlight exposure. Therefore, they have better efficiency and output.
Framing the solar unit
The laminated solar panels are fitted in a frame to provide more protection (especially the corners) and make installation easier. The frame has the necessary features for mounting, grounding, and more. High-quality aluminium frames are the best and commonly used solar panel frames.
Junction box attachment
The junction box is small and attached to the back of the solar panel. It connects with the metal ribbons to the terminals. The junction helps manage the electric flow in the solar panel.
Once the junctions are set, the side of the solar panel is sealed to avoid any damage from moisture, dirt, or harsh movements. This increases the durability and lifecycle of the panel.
Electrical testing & visual inspection
The visual inspection helps us identify any visual fault, such as cracks, chipped glass, or any problem with the encapsulation. The damaged pieces are removed to ensure that only the best products reach the market. The solar panels are exposed to artificial light to check their performance parameters like output, voltage, and efficiency.
Certification of the solar panel
Certification from a reputable organization is essential to show the quality of the solar panel. In India, BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) certificates are mandatory for all solar manufacturers. You can also get the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) certificate to ensure the quality of your solar panels and gain customers’ trust.
Packaging solar panels for delivery
The certified solar panels are packed with protective padding to avoid any damage when shipping.
At Sunora Solar, we have strict quality standards to ensure that all our products have consistent quality. We can manage small residential projects to large commercial ones and everything in between. Contact us for a consultation now!
Conclusion
The solar panel manufacturing process starts with creating silicon wafers from quartz. These wafers are coated with chemicals to capture the rays for better conversion. The solar cells are connected with metal ribbons. Then they are sandwiched between EVA sheets to prevent damage and arranged compactly. Other layers can be added on the sheets to create advanced solar panels before covering them with glass on the top and back sheet on the rare side. A junction box is attached to manage the electricity flow. After careful testing and certification, your solar panels are ready to be shipped! Contact Sunora Solar for consultation.
FAQ
What raw materials are used in a solar panel?
Silicon is the most important raw material in solar panels, as they convert sunlight into electricity. Additionally, glass, aluminium frame, EVA sheets, metal ribbons, and a junction box are necessary materials for manufacturing a solar panel.
What are the challenges of solar panel production?
A few common challenges of the solar panel manufacturing process are:
- High machinery cost
- Cost of importing raw materials like silicon wafer
- Setting up quality control for efficiency
- Damaged cells leading to loss
- Creating safe packaging for shipping
What is the process of solar panel production?
The solar panel production process includes:
- Producing or importing solar wafers
- Creating solar cells
- Connecting the PV cells through stringing
- Encapsulating the cells
- Laminating the cells using glass and a back sheet
- Adding a junction box attachment
- Testing the solar panels’ performance
Where to find the best solar panels in India?
Sunora Solar is the best place to find solar panels with BIS certification. Our solar panels are made in our highly equipped facilities under the watch of an experienced team. All our solar panels undergo rigorous quality control to ensure that you get the best efficiency and ROI. Contact us for consultation.
