How to distinguish good and bad photovoltaic panel glass

Why is clear solar panel glass a good choice?

Without a high degree of transparency and solar radiance — a measurement of how much solar energy can pass through the glass — durability doesn’t matter all that much, as energy production will fall steeply. High-quality, clear solar panel glass can transmit nearly 100% of the light that hits it, which is ideal for PV panels.

Is glass a good choice for solar panels?

Glass is highly transparent and lets up to 99.95% of all light pass through it. 2 This means the large majority of the sunlight hitting the face of your panels will be transmitted to your solar cells for energy production. Glass varies in degrees of transparency, but most types of clear glass are suitable for PV panels.

How durable is Photovoltaic Glass?

It’s important for photovoltaic glass to be durable, but it also needs to transmit light to the PV cells. Without a high degree of transparency and solar radiance — a measurement of how much solar energy can pass through the glass — durability doesn’t matter all that much, as energy production will fall steeply.

What type of glass does a solar panel use?

Different solar panels have different glass widths depending on their goals. A thin-film solar panel is the cheapest type of solar panel on the market so it uses a relatively thin layer of standard glass. Crystalline solar panels commonly use 4 mm glass, making them more durable and stable. But what exactly does this layer of glass do?

Why is solar glass better than ordinary glass?

Particularly in direct sunlight, solar panels can receive rather hot. Under those circumstances, ordinary glass might bend, discolor, or even fracture. By contrast, solar glass is made to withstand these extreme temperatures without losing any of its quality.

Why is tempered glass better than plate glass for solar panels?

Intense thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, tropical storms and hail storms can all put your rooftop panels at risk of damage, so a higher degree of durability is an essential factor when producing PV panels. As mentioned above, tempered glass is the superior option over plate glass for solar modules.