Flexible Panels

[bimmel20]

It looks like Renogy has discontinued their flexible panels. Are flexible panels something to avoid, even from other companies? Or have most had good luck with them?

 

[Canine]

Part of the reason they aren't as popular is they don't last as long. Rigid panels have glass and glass doesn't scratch near as easy as the plastic coating. Plastic also will yellow over time, but I bet 3M or someone will make a killer plastic that doesn't yellow yet allows lots of light into the panels.

The cells in flexible panels are more likely to suffer microfractures. The individual cells that make up a solar panel are quite fragile. Any kind of flexibility is hard on them.

I believe the warranty on them was one year compared to 10 to 25 years for a rigid panel.

They are light and can be mounted and move so much more easily than rigid panels. I don't have any first hand experience with them, but they do last a while if you baby them and if you use them in an application that doesn't leave them exposed to the elements for years at a time.

 

[AuricTech]

Part of the reason they aren't as popular is they don't last as long. Rigid panels have glass and glass doesn't scratch near as easy as the plastic coating. Plastic also will yellow over time, but I bet 3M or someone will make a killer plastic that doesn't yellow yet allows lots of light into the panels.

The cells in flexible panels are more likely to suffer microfractures. The individual cells that make up a solar panel are quite fragile. Any kind of flexibility is hard on them.

I believe the warranty on them was one year compared to 10 to 25 years for a rigid panel.

They are light and can be mounted and move so much more easily than rigid panels. I don't have any first hand experience with them, but they do last a while if you baby them and if you use them in an application that doesn't leave them exposed to the elements for years at a time.

These 50-Watt Sunpower flexible PV panels have a 5-year materials and workmanship warranty.  At $99.99 each, that's pretty competitive, assuming that your intended use can benefit from the light weight and flexibility of these panels.

 

[BradKW]

Flexi panels-

Pros: lightweight, can be glued or velcro'd into place, stealthy, conforms to irregular surface without need for stand-offs.

Cons: more expensive (2x?), less performance due to heat (air can't circulate under), less durable...hard to say how much less, as have seen people post theirs is 6+yrs and working fine.

Renology likely either couldn't overcome the technical difficulties they were having, or simply choose not to bother competing in a niche segment that was giving them headaches. I wouldn't necessarily impune the tech based on their problems...

 

[Gideon33w]

Solar panels need to dissipate heat. Mounting directly to a roof surface will lower the output and life thanks to increased internal resistance.