Well rectangular, actually. Solar panels are exciting in many ways ‒ free energy, zero emissions, sustainability ‒ and they’ve come a long way in aesthetic value. But in terms of shape things remain fairly stringent. Are we doomed to the 3′ x 5′ panel? I would venture no, not necessarily. But I would also venture that in today’s sense of the solar panel, things are unlikely to change.

First to the circular, ovate, or even heart-shaped solar panel. I certainly believe these are possible. I mean, cylindrical panels already exist and the flexibility of solar technology is always increasing. Experts in electronics are currently working on solar panels that could bend, stretch, and twist. The possibilities and the technology to make them reality is here now. What is lacking is the practicality.

The fact is that the function of a solar panel is still its number one draw because costs are still too high to warrant such customizing. The problem of aesthetics, a big hurdle for the solar industry in its infancy, was largely a misconception contrived by people afraid or ignorant of change in their neighborhood. On the bright side, that spawned building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), which serves a valuable purpose. Still the solar industry is doubling every few years thanks to those same rectangular panels that people were so afraid would cause horrible glare and cave in their roofs. Those misconceptions have been dissolved, as have the technological barriers to custom panel design.

Nonetheless, manufacturing and purchasing solar panels is expensive and putting the puzzle that is a solar panel together is delicate work. Therefore solar manufacturers rarely venture widely from their proven formula; that good ole rectangular, skylight-looking solar panel that graces so many roofs today.

These same manufacturers are always experimenting with new designs that increase both function and aesthetics, and I have little doubt that in the near future many new panel designs will surface and be spread the world wide. But the solar panels will be much different than those you see today. They will be very thin, very flexible and so building-integrated that you may not even know they’re there.

Now with such flexibility, sure you can have your circular or heart-shaped panel ‒ you may even be able to paint it on if that suits you. In the meantime, it’s just not cost or energy effective to make custom solar panels. Just give it a year or two…

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Posted on December 11th in Going Solar by Dan.