This website contains affiliate links, we may earn a small commission to recommend certain products. We greatly appreciate your support!
Triangular Solar Panels (All You Need To Know)Image source: todoensolarTriangular Solar Panels (Everything to know about)
Solar panels are available in two forms: rectangular and square. Although there is no issue with that, conventional solar panels in these shapes may not be the optimum way to use roof area.
Also, not all roofs are shaped perfectly square or rectangular. So, if you have a triangle roof and want to cover it with conventional rectangular-shaped solar panels you will have to leave gaps at the edges. This is not an efficient use of roof space, and you will miss out on the maximum power production that your solar panels could potentially deliver.
Triangular solar panels are specially designed to cover roofs with no gaps left at the corners or along any edge. The result being all available surface areas can be used for power generation and you do not lose any power.
What is a Triangle Solar Panel?
A triangle solar panel is a solar panel that has been specially designed to match the shape of triangle roofs and complement the unique angles and shapes on various roofs. It is a great way to cover the roof space that couldn’t be covered with rectangular solar panels.
There are so many roofs that have chimneys, skylights, and other obstacles that make it difficult to install rectangular solar panels. Triangular solar panels can be installed in these cases with nearly zero gaps to maximize roof usage and corresponding energy production.
There is a misconception that triangle solar panels are not as efficient as rectangular ones. The truth is that they work exactly like any other standard panel despite their shape.
Because they work based on the same principle, the only difference is that they are shaped differently to match your roof. They are designed to be aesthetically pleasing and blend into the roof seamlessly without any gaps or edges sticking out.
Can you use triangle solar panels with rectangular solar panels?
Yes, you can use them together. You do not have to choose one or the other. The triangle solar panels are capable of working in tandem with standard rectangular ones without any compatibility issues. They basically work as additional units to give you more power.
Triangular solar panels are available in various sizes, shapes, and formats depending on the needs of your roof’s design. You can use them anywhere where there is a triangular-shaped portion that cannot be covered by standard rectangular panels.
Can you cover your roof using triangle solar panels only?
You can use triangular solar panels alone to cover your entire roof without any gaps left at the edges. However, it wouldn’t be the best option to pursue. Because triangular solar panels are more expensive than standard rectangular ones. So, if you can cover your roof with large rectangle panels then that would be the best option for cost-effectiveness.
Ideally, you should cover large unobstructed portions of your roof with rectangular panels and use triangle panels to cover smaller triangular areas. This way, you will minimize the number of standard panels, installation, and maintenance costs.
How much do triangular solar panels cost?
Triangular solar panels are not standard solar panels and there are not many manufacturers of them. By late 2021 there are still no triangular solar panel products available on Amazon.
What that means finding out triangular solar panel products and compare them for the price, efficiency, etc is difficult.
However, there are still some manufacturers who make triangular solar panels and their products are available on the market.
The Italian company Trienergia produces triangular modules both in black and anodized red colors.
Their product is a monocrystalline photovoltaic module with 21 cels M4 (162,75 x 162,75mm) and is best to combine with their rectangular modules. The company offers a 90% performance warranty for 12 years and an 82% performance warranty for 30 years. The 100 Watt models cost around 150$ depending on the marketplace you are buying them from.
What Are the Benefits of Triangle Solar Panels?
Here are the benefits of triangle solar panels:
Triangular solar panels allow covering the unused areas on roofs that cannot be covered by standard rectangular panels. This allows an increase in the total amount of solar energy generated.
Triangular solar panels are designed to blend into the roofs seamlessly without any gaps or edges sticking out. They work as additional units while maintaining the design of your rooftop.
What are the Drawbacks of Triangle Solar Panels?
The most important drawbacks of triangular solar panels are:
At the moment, there are only a few companies that produce triangular solar panels. This makes it difficult to find the products and compare their prices, efficiency, etc.
Triangular solar panels are more difficult to manufacture than standard ones. Because the triangular shape is more complex to produce due to its geometrical properties.
Triangular solar panels are more expensive than standard rectangular ones. This is because they are not standard-sized products and requires different manufacturing techniques. It requires more time time to produce and needs special machines for manufacturing, which drives up their cost.
There is a lack of long-term warranty data on triangular solar panel products compared to their rectangular counterparts. There are no reliable third-party warranty reports on the triangular solar panels available.
Should I install Triangular solar panels?
Unless you are looking to cover the entire roof with solar panels, it is not recommended to install triangular ones. Because they are difficult to find, upkeep and replace since there are a limited number of manufacturers.
And they are more expensive than standard rectangular solar panels. So, if your goal is to increase the amount of energy you produce from solar then it would be a better idea to cover as much space with rectangular ones and leave the area you can’t cover with them empty.
However, if you don’t want to leave any empty space on your roof then you can look into covering the triangular areas with triangular solar panels. But, if possible it is better to find a company that manufactures both rectangular and triangular-shaped solar panels so you will have more options when looking for replacements or repairs in the future.