Solar color efficiency

[seth feldman]

I believe that classically blue solar panels, such as on luna were the less efficient poly crystalline type. Just curious if these were polycrystalline or how much less efficient they would be since they reflect blue light.

[Len Nowak]

They have always said monocrystalline solar cells but everything is being validated. The upcoming Gamma vehicle should touch in this.

• This reply was modified 1 month, 1 week ago by  Len Nowak.

[Paul Carlucci]

Traditionally blue polycrystaline panels are better than the black monocrystaline panels at capturing light off-axis, but otherwise the monos will overall outperform the polys. Polys may be a bit cheaper to produce, but in addition to the better overall performance people also prefer the look of the black ones. The cost difference is truly inconsequential for a mere 700 Wp of PV especially when they’re working hard trying to squeeze in every cell possible.

Personally I like the blue panels and I think they’d look great on Luna, but there’s so much else at play here with these cells. They’re possibly not even monocrystaline cells as it is, for what we know so far they could instead be thin film. Remember, these things have to have curve in two directions.