75 per watt, with total system prices for an average home ranging from $9,000 to $15,000, depending on installation needs. While they have a lower efficiency than monocrystalline panels, they perform better in high temperatures and partial. . These panels typically cost around $0. Thanks to. . Thin film solar panels, also called thin film photovoltaic solar panels, are made by depositing one or more layers of photovoltaic material onto a substrate like glass, plastic, or metal. These layers are incredibly slim, around 1 micron (1µm) compared to 300 microns in traditional silicon wafers. However, thin-film panels are not often used on rooftops because they. .