Polycrystalline solar panels are photovoltaic panels made from multiple fragments of silicon melted together to form solar cells. This manufacturing process gives them a distinctive blue-speckled appearance and makes them less expensive to produce than monocrystalline panels. While they generally have slightly lower efficiency (around 15β18%) and a larger footprint for the same power output, they remain a cost-effective and widely used option for solar energy systems.
They are durable, long-lasting (20β25 years or more), and perform reliably in sunny environments, though they are somewhat less efficient in low-light or high-temperature conditions compared to monocrystalline