Monocrystalline Solar Cells – Most Efficient Single Junction Silicon Cells,Major Cell Suppliers,Cost of Monocrystalline

Monocrystalline  Silicon Solar Cells is the dominant Solar Cell Manufacturing Process in which a highly purified form of Polysilicon is converted through a series of process into a small Solar Cell capable of converting solar energy into electrical energy.Note Monocrystalline Silicon Solar Cells are closely related to Mutlicrystalline Silicon Solar Cells differentiated only in terms of efficiency and cost.Monocrystalline Solar Technology uses a single crystal of Silicon which means less defects and higher efficiency in solar cells built from Monocrystalline Solar Wafers.

Monocrystalline Solar Cells Efficiency

Solar Cells Efficiency can vary from 18% to 24% for the normal monocrystalline silicon technology.Note solar cell manufacturers are constantly improving efficiency in order to lower their costs and get ahead in this competitive solar industry.Sunpower makes the highest efficiency crystalline solar cells on a commercial scale.Sanyo is the other company which makes the most efficient Monocrystalline cells .Most major Solar Manufactures ship Monocrystalline Solar Panels.Its very difficult to buy individual Solar Cells,most are generally used,defective solar cells that are sold online.

Monocrystalline Solar Cells Cost

Monocrystalline Solar Cells also cost higher than normal silicon cells.Depending on the company in the international market its possible to buy Monocrystalline Solar Cells for around $1.25/watt.Note no major manufacturer of Solar Panels is going to sell Solar Cells in small quantities to DIY enthusiasts.Anyway you don’t save money or time buy buying Solar Cells.You are much better off buying Solar Panels themselves.Leave the DIY Solar Panel Stuff to the hobbyists.

Monocrystalline Solar Cell Manufacturers

Here is a list of monocrystalline Cell Manufacturers,note most won’t sell Solar Cells but sell Solar Panels.

1. JA Solar – This Chinese company is not only the biggest solar cell producer in the world but is also the lowest cost one as well.The company has grown much faster than the industry due to its low costs and good quality.The company is looking to ship more than 2 GW of Solar Panels and Cells in 2011 with  50% growth.The company has small wafer and module facilities as well but continues to be primarily a solar cell producer
2. Sunpower – Sunpower is a vertically integrated solar energy company known more for its highest efficiency solar panels.The company bought Powerlight a few years ago to enter the solar systems market and has bolstered the business constantly to become a major global installer.Sunpower is present in all 3 segments of the solar sytems business namely a)residential b)commercial and c) utility. It is one of the largest US installers and has recently won a number of large utility contracts for building solar farms.
3. Sharp – Sharp,the Japanese Zaibatsu known more for its Electronics Products is also the world’s No 1 Company in terms Solar Module Revenues.Sharp has been the solar world leader since the past 4-5 years despite stiff competition recently  from upcoming Chinese Crystalline Solar (c-Si) players and Thin Film Leader First Solar
4. Sanyo-Panasonic  – Sanyo plans to invest more than  70% of its total investment over the next  3 years in its renewable energy and energy storage segments.Sanyo has never been as successful in the hyper competitive electronics market as other Japanese companies like Sony or Sharp.However its lithium batteries and solar panels possess cutting edge technology.Its solar panels with proprietary HIT technology rival the best  in terms of efficiency and quality.
5. Kyocera – Kyocera is Japan’s second largest solar panel producing company.The company recently won a major contract to build a solar farm in Thailand.Unlike other companies it has been slow off the blocks and unless  it perks up its game,it is likey to become a even smaller company in the global scheme of things.
6. Suntech – Suntech was  the world’s biggest producer of solar panels in 2010 and was one the first companies to set up operations in China.Its example was followed by a host of other Chinese companies.Suntech has been slow to expand compared to the fast growing small companies in China and has lost marketshare to them.It has started to vertically integrate in order to meet the low cost challenge from Trina and Yingli.Suntech makes one of the best quality Solar Panels in China.
7. Yingli Green Energy – Yingli Green Energy is one of the oldest Chinese companies and is completely integrated from polysilicon.The company has been expanding rapidly and has one of the lowest cost structures in the industry.Yingli Green Energy has been sponsoring Football in Europe and has started a new line of high efficiency “Panda” Solar Panels.Yingli is the second biggest producer of Solar Panels in China
8. Trina Solar – Trina Solar is one of the lowest cost manufacturers of Solar Panels in the World right now and also sells it at a very low price.This is the reason that the company in a span of few short years has managed to acquire a substantial  global marketshare.The prices the solar panels being sold are around $340 per 200 watt module.Trina Solar.Like Yingli and Suntech,Trina Solar Panels are one the best quality in China
9. Gintech – This Taiwanese company has become the biggest solar cell producer in the country overtaking Motech.The company continues to expand aggressively as it uses its high quality to win more contracts from Japanese and European customers.
10. Motech – The company which used to be a pure play cell producer has expanded into polysilicon,modules and wafers.It is one of the oldest solar cell companies in Taiwan and faced tough times in 2008 post the GFC.TSMC owns a stake in this company.
11. Q-Cells – The largest solar producer of cells in 2008 faced a horrendous 2009 running losses of as high as Euro 1 billion.After restructuring it has moved its factories to Malaysia and has diversified into solar modules and systems.The German company has seen its stock price drop more than 95% from the peak levels.It is using Flextronics as an outsourced module producer for its cells.