Although residential solar customers want systems with the highest power ratings for maximum utility cost savings, aesthetics still reign supreme when it comes to solar panel choice. If even a sliver of an array will be seen by neighbors, homeowners will usually pick all-black modules for a sleek, finished system.
There aren&#;t many differences between &#;traditional&#; solar panels and their all-black counterparts. Traditional panels use white backsheets and silver frames, while all-black modules use &#; you guessed it &#; black backsheets and black frames. They&#;re manufactured the same way through the same processes, except black adhesives may be used around junction boxes and other electronics on all-black modules.
The major difference between the two is their efficiency ratings. All-black modules run a bit hotter and offer fewer opportunities for reflected light absorption, so their efficiencies are slightly lower.
&#;When white backsheets are used, the empty spaces or gaps between and around the solar cells provide a reflection of the unused light and increase the likelihood of &#;light trapping,&#; resulting in an increased generation of photocurrent,&#; said Geoff Atkins, executive advisor of North American panel manufacturer Silfab Solar. &#;All-black modules have a more aesthetically pleasing look but lose the benefit of reflection and light trapping, resulting in a lower photocurrent &#; up to 3% less than a white-backsheet module. Three percent less current means about 0.5% lower absolute efficiency.&#;
To even out this major difference, companies like Silfab will use higher efficiency solar cells in its all-black modules. The company also uses a back-contact design &#; wherein all busbars and electrical connections are moved to the back of the solar cells &#; along with a flexible, conductive backsheet to more effectively spread the heat produced by a module. This lowers the nominal operating cell temperature of Silfab modules, providing a higher module efficiency.
But a 0.5% efficiency loss isn&#;t especially noticeable to the average residential customer, so often these extensive production efforts aren&#;t made on all-black modules.
When Silicon Valley solar panel startup Aptos Solar Technology began making panels in , CEO and co-founder Frank Pham knew his company&#;s role as a newcomer in the industry was to stick to the mainstream &#; and that meant providing both white- and black-backsheet modules. Aptos wants to be competitive and innovative, but Pham said he can&#;t ignore customer desire for attractive systems.
&#;The biggest advantage of all-black vs. white is the aesthetic. It&#;s exactly why you would pay Tesla [more] for an electric car over a Chevy Bolt. It&#;s the same electric car performance, but it&#;s about aesthetics. It&#;s not about performance,&#; he said. &#;We know that white backsheets will out-perform the black backsheets, but the key is to make sure the aesthetic is good while maintaining a very good panel output.&#;
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Aptos Solar&#;s white- and black-backsheet modules are identical in specs, except for that less-than-0.5% efficiency difference. Pham said that difference is moot when residential rooftop systems use microinverters. If the microinverter is power-rated for less than what the module will produce, it doesn&#;t matter if the back of the module is black or white &#; might as well go with the more aesthetically pleasing option.
&#;If you&#;re going to clip 30% of the power anyway and you&#;re running a silver frame, you&#;re just wasting it,&#; Pham said. &#;You throw on something that is ugly? You&#;re just wasting power and throwing ugliness up on the roof.&#;
Customer demand reinforces the all-black trend. Many residential solar installation companies across the country now offer all-black modules as standard. Washington-based Northwest Electric and Solar works on both residential and commercial projects but keeps things simple for homeowners.
&#;We started offering all-black modules years ago for customers that had aesthetic concerns, and now they&#;re part of our standard offerings,&#; said Ian Robinson, energy program manager. &#;We pitch ourselves as a company that installs premium products and refuses to sacrifice on quality. Part of that is offering the best-looking modules possible. For that reason, we offer Solaria&#;s all-black modules to all our customers.&#;
Robinson said Northwest Electric and Solar will finish the project with black rails or rail-less mounting systems for the most visually pleasing array. But Pham with Aptos said all the major racking providers look good with all-black modules, as long as installers take time to finish the system in an attractive way.
&#;If you take special care, the installation will look just as good as any other,&#; Pham said.
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