Panel Encapsulant

Panel Encapsulant

Congratulations on deciding to join those clever people who are using solar power to reduce their energy costs! Truly a noble cause in which all of us can participate.

But why just stop at one or two solar panels? In almost any endeavor, when you tackle something in bulk, the cost per item goes down, doesn't it?

A few examples...groceries...buy in case lots and the cost per item is lower, right? How about car manufacturers? Can you imagine the cost of a vehicle if they were only to build one? Ouch, I can't begin to think what that might cost. Or sporting goods, or clothing, or houses. In fact anything at all you can think of that we all take for granted every day.

It is no different with making your own solar panels. If you buy just enough of everything to make a single panel, the cost is somewhat higher. It is unfortunate, but nevertheless true.

In a recent comparison test using prices from a popular auction site, there was a difference of 97% in the cost of solar cells between enough to make one panel compared to ten panels. Since the fact is that the bulk of the cost of a panel is the cells themselves, this gives you nearly double the amount of panels for the same price.

The cells in question would make a panel producing 64 watts. Therefore 5 panels would make 320 watts and 10 panels would make 640 watts.

Yes, there would be extra costs for the encapsulant, the backing, the plastic covers and so on, but these costs are minor when compared to the solar cells themselves. And as soon as you begin to factor in the cost savings on your electricity bill it literally becomes a no brainer.

By all means do your own cost comparisons for yourself. It becomes a fun exercise to see what you can find at the best possible prices. Be patient and check around carefully, you will be pleasantly surprised at how much you can save by buying in quantity.

You can get much more information about building your own solar panels by going here

Keith Elliott has been living on solar power since 1997. He has helped other design and build their solar systems locally, and now seeks to spread his experience using solar energy via the internet.

solar panel encapsulation