Is Anyone Still Making Polycrystalline Solar Panels? What the 2026 Market Data Says
Summary
Multicrystalline output is shown at zero at the precision of the cited production chart; that is not proof that no manufacturer anywhere makes it. Fraunhofer ISE's July 2026 Photovoltaics Report puts 2025 production at about 690 GW of monocrystalline silicon and zero multicrystalline, and describes multicrystalline as having effectively vanished from the market. Silicon wafers were about 98% of production, n-type wafers 86% of that, and n-type TOPCon the dominant cell design, with heterojunction behind it. A "multi-crystal module" today is an older panel, used stock or an existing roof; a quote offering one needs a model, production-date and warranty check.
The market, in Fraunhofer's figures
| Measure, 2025 | Figure |
|---|---|
| Monocrystalline silicon production | about 690 GW |
| Multicrystalline silicon production | zero |
| Silicon share of all PV production | about 98% |
| n-type share of silicon wafers | 86% |
| Dominant cell design | n-type TOPCon; TOPCon and heterojunction replacing p-type PERC |
Why it disappeared
Both types start as molten silicon. DOE describes monocrystalline ingots as grown by the Czochralski process, a seed crystal drawn slowly from the melt into one cylindrical crystal, and multicrystalline ingots as cast by directional solidification into a block of many grains. The grain boundaries cost efficiency, and once monocrystalline wafer costs fell, the cheaper casting route lost its only advantage. The p-type PERC designs that ran on both wafer types are now themselves being replaced.
What you will see instead
Residential products are monocrystalline n-type: Qcells' Q.TRON BLK M-G2+ is TOPCon, REC's Alpha Pure-RX is heterojunction. The comparison a buyer makes in 2026 is between those two cell families, and our mono-versus-poly guide walks through it.
How to tell what is on an older roof
Multicrystalline cells show a blue, speckled, grainy pattern from the many crystals; monocrystalline cells are uniform black or dark blue with rounded corners on older designs. If a used panel or an existing system is multicrystalline, that tells you its generation, and that a replacement should be checked for electrical and mechanical compatibility rather than chosen by appearance.
Sources
- Fraunhofer ISE — Photovoltaics Report (July 2026)
- U.S. Department of Energy — Solar Photovoltaic Manufacturing Basics
- Qcells North America — Q.TRON BLK M-G2+
- REC Group — REC Alpha Pure-RX
We have not tested these products. Specs, prices, stock and terms are as published on these pages on the date above and can change; check the manufacturer or retailer before you buy.