Solar energy is booming across India. As more homes and businesses explore solar power, it’s important to understand the types of solar panels (solar pv panels types) available, how they differ, and which ones best suit different use cases. In this blog, we’ll dive into 10 different types of solar panels, their costs, efficiencies, and where they are typically used from small rooftop systems to big commercial setups.
Why Knowing Solar Panel Types Matters
Choosing the right solar panel isn’t just about slapping some modules on your roof. Your decision impacts:
- How much electricity you can generate
- How long your system lasts
- The total cost (installation + maintenance)
- Whether you go for an On-Grid Solar System or Off-Grid Solar System
- How well your rooftop (or land) space is utilized
What Are the 10 Types of Solar Panels?
Based on current technologies widely used or emerging in India, here are the 10 types of solar panels you should know about, along with their costs, efficiency, and ideal use.
1. Monocrystalline Solar Panels
Overview:
These are made from a single silicon crystal. They have high purity, and their cells are usually uniform and black.
Efficiency:
Generally around 18–22%, depending on the panel.
Cost (India):
About ₹35–₹45 per watt as of 2025.
Lifespan:
25–30 years or more.
Best For:
Residential rooftops where space is limited and efficiency matters most. Because they generate more power per square meter, they are highly suitable for commercial rooftop systems or dense urban areas.
Pros & Cons:
- Pros: High efficiency, long lifespan, sleek design.
- Cons: Higher initial cost, slightly more expensive installation.
2. Polycrystalline Solar Panels (sometimes called multi-crystalline)
Overview:
Made by melting multiple silicon fragments and forming them into wafers. They typically look speckled blue.
Efficiency:
Generally between 15–17%.
Cost (India):
Around ₹25–₹32 per watt, though some sources mention up to ₹38 per watt.
Lifespan:
About 20–25 years.
Best For:
Larger rooftops, ground-mounted solar farms, and off-grid solar PV systems where land or space is not a constraint.
Pros & Cons:
- Pros: Budget-friendly, well-tested technology.
- Cons: Lower efficiency, needs more space, less ideal for tight rooftop areas.
3. Thin-Film Solar Panels
Overview:
Thin-film panels are very different from traditional silicon panels. They use very thin layers of photovoltaic material (like amorphous silicon, Cadmium Telluride, or CIGS) deposited on a substrate.
Efficiency:
Typically lower: in the range of 6%–13% depending on the material.
Cost (India):
Often ₹20–₹28 per watt, making them one of the cheaper options.
Lifespan:
Roughly 10–20 years, depending on the specific thin-film technology.
Best For:
Large industrial roofs, flexible or curved surfaces (like vehicles, glass facades), or temporary setups. They’re less common for standard home rooftops because of the lower efficiency.
Pros & Cons:
- Pros: Lightweight, flexible, low cost, good in diffuse light.
- Cons: Requires more area, lower power output, often shorter warranty/lifespan.
4. PERC Solar Panels (Passivated Emitter Rear Contact)
Overview:
PERC is actually a cell technology rather than a completely separate panel type. PERC cells include an extra passivation layer on the rear of the cell, which helps reflect unused light back into the cell and reduce recombination losses.
Efficiency:
Often more efficient than standard mono or poly, around 19–23%, depending on quality.
Cost (India):
This depends on the grade and type, but PERC panels are in the “medium to high” cost bracket compared to basic mono.
Lifespan:
Often around 25+ years.
Best For:
Roof spaces where you want higher efficiency without moving to super-premium module types. Good for both residential and small commercial systems.
Pros & Cons:
- Pros: Improved efficiency, good performance in low light, better energy yield per panel.
- Cons: Slightly more expensive than basic monocrystalline; cost may not always justify for very large installations if space is not limited.
5. Bifacial Solar Panels
Overview:
These panels generate power from both the front and back sides. The rear side captures reflected light (albedo), which increases total output.
Efficiency:
When installed optimally, bifacial panels can effectively reach up to ~22–27% (combined), depending on how much reflected light they receive.
Cost (India):
Generally higher than regular mono or poly. For instance, some sources mention bifacial modules costing ₹55–₹70 per watt.
Lifespan:
Long, often 25+ years.
Best For:
Commercial rooftop systems, ground-mounted systems, or open-space PV farms where sunlight can reflect off a surface (like white concrete) back onto the panel. Also increasingly used in on-grid solar system setups to maximize output.
Pros & Cons:
- Pros: Higher energy yield, more efficient land or roof usage, better ROI in right conditions.
- Cons: Need special mounting, more expensive, performance depends heavily on installation design and albedo.
6. Mono-PERC Half-Cut Panels
Overview:
These are PERC panels where each solar cell is “half-cut”, meaning the cell is cut into two smaller pieces. That reduces resistive losses and improves durability under shading or partial coverage.
Efficiency:
Typically similar or slightly better than full-cell PERC, often around 20–22% or more depending on manufacturing.
Cost (India):
Because of the advanced design, these cost more than standard PERC or mono panels. Exact prices vary by manufacturer and module wattage.
Best For:
Rooftops with partial shading (trees, chimneys) or for maximizing output on limited roof area. Also useful in commercial rooftop systems where module failure risk needs reducing.
Pros & Cons:
- Pros: Better shade tolerance, slightly higher reliability, improved performance under real conditions.
- Cons: More expensive, slightly more complex to manufacture, may require good-quality inverters.
7. Mono-PERC Half-Cut Bifacial Panels
Overview:
This is a combination: half-cut PERC cells + bifacial design. You get the advantages of both technologies. It’s one of the more advanced and efficient solar pv panel types.
Efficiency:
Very high potential efficiency, sometimes up to ~22.5% or more, depending on setup and albedo.
Cost (India):
Higher-end among solar modules. Since you’re paying for bifacial + half-cut benefits, the cost is usually premium.
Best For:
Ideal for high-output residential systems, commercial rooftop systems, and ground-mounted systems where maximizing power per square meter is crucial.
Pros & Cons:
- Pros: High energy yield, better shade handling, longer-term value.
- Cons: Costlier, needs good design, may require careful mounting to maximize bifacial benefit.
8. N-Type TOPCon (Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact) Panels
Overview:
TOPCon is a very advanced cell technology. Instead of P-type silicon cells, N-type silicon can further reduce recombination losses, and the TOPCon structure helps passivate the contacts. This leads to very high performance and low degradation.
Efficiency:
Very high: TOPCon modules can reach 22–24% or more depending on cell and design.
Cost (India):
Among the most expensive silicon-based modules. According to some sources, these could be ₹65–₹100 per watt depending on wattage, quality, and brand.
Lifespan:
Long life, often 25–30+ years. Degradation rates are lower than older silicon technologies.
Best For:
Premium residential installations, commercial rooftops, and utility-scale projects where ROI justifies higher upfront cost.
Pros & Cons:
- Pros: Best-in-class efficiency, longevity, lower degradation.
- Cons: Very high cost, may require high-quality balance-of-system components.
9. Perovskite Solar Panels
Overview:
Perovskite is a next-generation (or third-generation) solar tech still being researched. These cells use perovskite-structured materials that are cheaper and potentially more efficient to manufacture.
Efficiency:
In lab conditions, perovskite cells have shown 25–35% efficiency in some research setups.
Cost (India):
Not mainstream yet. Because they are still under development and not widely commercialized, cost data can vary significantly. But they have potential to be cheaper in mass production.
Lifespan:
Currently limited, often just a few years in practical setups, though research aims to extend this.
Best For:
Pilot projects, research labs, or experimental solar installations. Not yet very common in mainstream residential or commercial solar systems in India.
Pros & Cons:
- Pros: High theoretical efficiency, lightweight, potentially lower manufacturing cost in future.
- Cons: Stability issues, shorter lifespan currently, limited commercial deployment.
10. Concentrated PV (CPV / HCPV) Solar Panels
Overview:
Concentrated Photovoltaic (CPV) systems use lenses or mirrors to focus sunlight onto very small, highly efficient solar cells. When cooled or tracked properly, these systems can produce a lot of power relative to cell area.
Efficiency:
Very high, lab / field systems have reached up to ~41% under concentrated sunlight.
Cost (India):
Because of optics, tracking systems, and cooling, CPV systems are complex and expensive to build and maintain. Not widely used in residential rooftops.
Lifespan:
20+ years if maintained properly, but because of complexity, operational costs can be high.
Best For:
Utility-scale solar farms in regions with high direct sunlight (deserts), research setups, or specialized commercial installations where space is not an issue and cost can be justified.
Pros & Cons:
- Pros: Extremely high efficiency, maximizes cell performance.
- Cons: Very high initial cost, mechanical complexity (tracking), not practical for most rooftop systems, maintenance overhead.
Real-World Considerations for India
Here are some practical examples and insights from Indian solar market:
- Subsidies and Cost:
- The Indian government offers subsidies for rooftop solar, especially for residential systems.
- These subsidies can significantly reduce the effective cost per watt.
- Panel Pricing Trends:
- According to Usha Solar, monocrystalline panels cost ~₹40–₹55 per watt, and bifacial / TOPCon panels can go up to ₹65–₹100 per watt.
- Delta Power also reports similar pricing for advanced panels like TOPCon.
- Durability & Warranty:
- For long-term investments like commercial rooftop systems, choosing panels with long warranties (25+ years) makes sense.
- For large, open-area solar farms or utility-scale projects, bifacial panels or CPV can improve yield significantly.
- Space Constraints:
- In urban homes, roof area is often limited. Using high-efficiency panels (like monocrystalline, PERC, or TOPCon) helps generate more power in smaller areas.
- In rural or industrial setups where space is abundant, lower-efficiency but cheaper panels (like polycrystalline or thin-film) may be more cost-effective overall.
Summary: How to Choose the Right Type of Solar Panel
To decide which solar pv panel type is right for you, consider the following:
- Budget: What is your price per watt target?
- Roof / Land Space: How much area do you have?
- Usage: Is this for a commercial rooftop system, a residential on-grid system, or an off-grid system?
- Long-Term Goals: Do you want to maximize output? Or minimize upfront cost?
- Local Conditions: How much sun do you get? Are there reflective surfaces? Is the roof shaded?
Final Thoughts
Solar energy is not one-size-fits-all. In India, where incentives are rising and technology is rapidly evolving, understanding the types of solar panels is more important than ever. Whether you go for traditional monocrystalline, high-efficiency TOPCon, or even experimental perovskite, your choice will shape your cost, efficiency, and long-term benefits.
By picking the right panel for your needs and aligning it with the right system type (On-Grid Solar System or Off-Grid Solar System), you can make solar power a smart and sustainable investment.
FAQs
1. Which type of solar panel is best for home use in India?
Monocrystalline and Mono-PERC panels are the most preferred for homes because they offer high efficiency and better performance in limited rooftop space.
2. What is the cost of solar panels in India per watt?
Depending on the type, solar panels usually cost ₹25 to ₹100 per watt, with polycrystalline being cheaper and TOPCon/bifacial being premium options.
3. Which solar panel is best for commercial rooftop systems?
Bifacial, Mono-PERC, and TOPCon panels are ideal for commercial rooftops due to their high efficiency and better long-term energy yield.
4. What is the difference between On-Grid and Off-Grid systems?
On-grid systems connect to the utility grid and allow net metering, while off-grid systems use batteries for storage and work independently of the grid.
5. How long do solar panels last?
Most modern solar panels last 25–30 years, with slight variations depending on panel type and maintenance.