Amorphous or crystalline - which is a better solar panel for a narrowboat?

Hi, we live on a narrowboat (currently on a Winter mooring in Paddington basin) & have been looking around at alternative energy sources for a while.  I'm interested in either the Unisolar ES62 (probably x2) or Kyocera 130.  It seems the amorphous are probably better suited for UK conditions but I'd be interested to know your opinion on which would be better for our application.

We currently charge via the engine & have 4 x 270Ah batteries & a Sterling regulator but before I get into figuring out what extras I would need, I have to decide on which type is best for us.

Regards, Allan

Hi Allan,

In terms of output there is not a great deal to choose between the two types. You will get slightly better performance from the ES62's in overcast light - perhaps overall about 10% more power per watt rating over the course of the year.

On the other hand, the KC130 is slightly more than double the ES62's rating anyway, so it does make very little difference overall.

There are two other differences to consider when making your decision. Firstly, the ES62s have a plastic coated front, rather than glass, which makes them a little less susceptible to vandalism (though having said that, the KC130s use toughened glass and damage is really very rare). Secondly, the amorphous panels are considerably larger for a given power output compared to crystalline panels. A single ES62 panel is only fractionally smaller than a single KC130 panel - so if space is at a premium on your roof, the KC130 might be better.

Hope that helps. To be honest I think you will find either type works very well, and it will be lovely not having to charge from the engine all the time!