Types of Glass Solar Panels

Solar panels come in many forms and are made from multiple components. The glass components of solar collectors vary in form and function. These factors depend on the panel's intended use, whether it is for heating or photovoltaic solar power. In addition to conventional flat glass solar panels, panels can be made from glass tubes and transparent, window-like glass panels that connect to multiple small solar cells.
Silicate Glass and Silicon Nitride
Silicate glass is useful in the construction of solar panels because it does not reflect solar rays. When placed over silicon nitride, the glass absorbs and traps solar energy in a process similar to the greenhouse effect, maximizing the energy that acts on the silicon nitride panels. Glass is used in this manner to construct what are traditionally thought of as solar panels, which are large arrays of smaller solar collectors with visible metallic surfaces.
Solar Concentrators
A solar concentrator, or solar panel glass, is a type of solar glass pane developed at MIT that boasts an increased efficiency over traditional solar panels of up to 100 percent. This glass is infused with special dyes that absorb light, which is then pushed to the edges of the pane and harnessed by small solar cells there. Solar panel glass is currently used most often in office buildings and other structures with large numbers of windows, where the glass and collectors can be installed to utilize the surfaces of the building as vast solar arrays.
Evacuated Solar Tubes
Evacuated solar tubes differ from other types of solar panels primarily in their shape. Glass cylinders are used instead of flat panels to provide a full 360-degree angle of exposure to sunlight. These long tubes are placed parallel to each other in a long series, creating a plane of evenly spaced cylinders. This plane can then be mounted in an area of optimal exposure to sunlight. The solar tubes are connected at their tips to additional components that transfer heated fluids (such as water) from the tubes to the heating system of a building.