In short, shingled solar panels are made of many small, overlapping solar cells and tend to be more efficient but also more expensive than traditional monocrystalline panels. Monocrystalline panels, on the other hand, are made of larger solar cells cut from a single crystal of silicon, making them. In the renewable energy sector, two photovoltaic technologies are gaining traction: shingled solar panels and traditional single crystal modules. While both convert sunlight into electricity, their design philosophies and performance characteristics differ significantly. At Semper Solaris, we install both. Solar panels are mounted on a roof (or the ground), while solar shingles do double duty as rooftop shingles. » MORE: See our picks for the year's.