SunRecent translates solar jargon into plain English. Learn what is inside a panel, how inverters and batteries fit together, and what newer technologies like perovskite cells and floating solar really mean - without the hype.
Read the Explainers Compare Panel TypesA simplified model showing how bill size, sunshine and roof area interact. It is a teaching tool, not a quote.
The three main photovoltaic technologies, how they are made, and the trade-offs between efficiency, cost and flexibility.
Made from single silicon crystals. Highest efficiency and longest lifespan.
Made from multiple silicon fragments. Good balance of cost and performance.
Thin layers of photovoltaic material on substrate. Lightest and most flexible option.
Where solar technology is heading, explained without the hype.
An accessible look at perovskite solar cell technology — why it's generating excitement and what challenges remain before it reaches the market.
Read the guide →How large-scale battery storage is transforming the electrical grid and enabling higher penetration of solar and renewable energy.
Read the guide →Floating photovoltaic systems are growing rapidly worldwide — how they work, their unique advantages, and where they are being deployed.
Read the guide →How combining solar panels with agriculture creates synergies that benefit both crop production and energy generation.
Read the guide →An overview of career opportunities in the solar industry — from installation to engineering, policy, and finance.
Read the guide →A rooftop solar installation looks simple from the street, but it is a small power station with several distinct parts. Understanding each one makes quotes, datasheets and technology headlines much easier to read.
Each panel is a grid of solar cells laminated between glass and a backsheet in an aluminium frame. Most home panels today use monocrystalline silicon cells, often cut in half to reduce electrical losses. The panel comparison above summarises the main cell types and their trade-offs.
Panels produce direct current, but your home and the grid run on alternating current. The inverter does the conversion and also manages safety shutdowns and monitoring. The choice between one central inverter and panel-level electronics affects performance under shade and how easy the system is to troubleshoot.
A battery lets a system keep working after sunset or during an outage. Home batteries and grid-scale storage use related chemistry at very different scales; read our explainer on advances in grid-scale batteries to see where the technology is going.
Research is pushing in several directions at once: new cell materials such as perovskites, new locations such as floating solar and agrivoltaics, and better integration with storage and smart grids. We try to explain each development with its limits, not just its promise.
SunRecent is an independent explainer site. We do not sell or install solar equipment, and nothing here is financial or engineering advice. See our disclaimer.