Flexible Solar Panels: What they are, Advantages and Prices

The industry of renewable energy It has undergone constant changes over the years. The industry that is responsible for creating solar panels is not lagging behind, thanks to the new flexible panels.

Flexible Solar Panels: What they are, Advantages and Prices

The flexible solar panels They are so called because they are adaptable to any surface where you want to install. Also, many of them are made with organic materials and with graphenewhich makes them even more efficient.

The only requirement that must be met for its operation to be fully effective is that these panels receive a sufficient amount of solar radiation for its transformation into energy.
About this type of flexible plates, their characteristics and their priceswe will talk to you in depth in this article.

What is a Flexible Solar Panel

When we talk about solar panels flexible We mean a type of highly malleable portable device. Therefore, it can be placed on any surface, including curved surfaces, such as factory ceilings.

Are flexible photovoltaic panels have an internal system that allows their silicon cells capture solar radiation without the need for a rigid structure.

Their structure is thin and flexible. Normally, it is made of aluminum or plasticcovered by silicon, a transparent conductive layer. Finally, it is laminated with Teflon or a similar material, to prevent the module from being damaged by moisture.

For the most part, they are also monocrystalline panels, characterized by their black cells with rounded edges. These are much more efficient than polycrystalline, blue-colored, straight-edged plates, which also cost less.

For more information on this, we leave you this article on how to choose a photovoltaic panel depending on your types and your needs.
Flexible solar panels are therefore a revolutionary option suitable for transporting. They are perfect for use in means of transport such as boats, cars or even for self-consumption in campsites or motorhomes.

In addition, these types of panels are perfect for placing on surfaces where it is difficult or impossible to install a conventional solar panelwhich is why they are more in demand every day.

Available with a wide range of powersthere are several types of flexible solar panels which we will talk about next.

Types of Flexible Solar Panels

First, we can find the flexible solar panelswhich are those who, curved, they adapt to both rigid surfaces and surfaces that are not so stable.

Thanks to its design, can work on surfaces where vibrations occur without damaging their structure. The opposite happens with the semi-flexible panelswhich may break if not placed on fully rigid surfaces.

Of course, despite being flexible, both types of plate have a maximum radius of curvaturenormally about 30 degrees, which means that if you force it when bending it, it would break.
In this video you can see how the different types of panels behave when being folded.

On the other hand, we can talk about several types of flexible photovoltaic panels according to the support material in which they are placed.

• Fabric Backed Panels. This type of support allows better transport of the panels. In many cases the structure can even be rolled up without the plates suffering any damage.

• Panels on plastic supports. Plus resistant than fabric ones, they are perfect for supporting photovoltaic panels.

semi-rigid panels. They can’t be rolled up completely, but they are Fully adaptable to surface curvatures.

Advantages of Flexible Solar Panels

As we have already seen, flexible photovoltaic panels have a series of very favorable characteristics to decide on your installation in multiple places. Among its advantages we find:

• high resistance. Despite being flexible, these panels They are very resistant to adverse weather conditions and durable.so its useful life is guaranteed between 25 and 40 years, thanks to the quality of its materials.

• Lower raw material consumption. Fewer materials are used in its manufacture than in the case of conventional panels. Therefore, It is a very sustainable and environmentally friendly option..

• Economic system. In itself, they will already mean a saving in the electrical consumption of the home but, in addition, its installation is very economical and faster than that of traditional solar panels.

• Retrench of space. Being thinner and fully adapting to curved shapes, do not require as much space as conventional photovoltaic panels. In addition, its final appearance is much more aesthetic thanks to its adaptation to different contours and surfaces.

• Lightness. flexible solar panels weigh up to 75% less than a conventional panelwhich makes them perfect for roofs that cannot support large amounts of weight or to be transported and used in other spaces, as mentioned above.

Maintenance. Like the usual panels, its maintenance is very simple. In addition, its performance does not decrease over the years.

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Price of Flexible Solar Panels

The price of flexible solar panels will be determined by several factors such as the material in which it is made or its power.

In the market, for example we can find 100w flexible solar panels for less than 200 euros.

If we go to other powers, 150w photovoltaic panels have a price that can reach 300 euros. If we refer to a 300w flexible solar panel, it will have an approximate price of about 150 euros.

Of course, there are many more prices, and that is plates can be found for only 60 euros. These are perfect for example to charge small electronic devices such as mobiles or tablets.

There are companies that can even custom make your flexible solar panel. If you are looking to buy one of them, we recommend you visit our business guide.

If you also want to go a step further, you can ask for budget at solar panel installation and sales companies that you can find on our website.

As you can see, produce energy economically, sustainably and with some flexible solar panels that you can adapt and take anywhere, it is already possible and totally recommended.