Different type of Solar PV technologies
The various types of commercially available solar PV modules, including their appearance, maximum efficiencies, manufacturers and possible module designs
| Module technology | Maximum efficiency (manufacturer) | Appearance | Remarks |
| mono-Si | 21.5% (SunPower) | homogeneous dark blue | framed glass-foil and frameless glass-glass or foil- foil laminates |
| poly-Si | 17.1% (Hanwha Q Cells) | speckled blue | framed glass-foil and frameless glass-glass or foil- foil laminates |
| poly-Si / a-Si (HIT) | 19.7% (Panasonic) | dark blue | framed glass-foil or bifacial glass-glass laminates |
| CdTe | 16.7% (First Solar) | reflective dark green to black | frameless glass-glass laminates |
| CIGS | 13.8% (Solar Frontier) | consistent black | rigid and flexible configurations available |
| a-Si | 9.1% (Astronergy) | dark brown | rigid and flexible configurations available |