Amorphous solar panel array. View of an array of amorphous solar panels. These panels were developed at Stuttgart University, Germany, and have an extremely high efficiency. Solar panels convert light into electric currents. When sunlight hits the crystals within the panels, electrons are released which can be converted into an electric current. Solar power can be harnessed as long as the Sun burns, and is hoped to be a major power source of the future. Amorphous as opposed to crystalline solar cells are far cheaper to manufacture. This is because they can be made without clean room conditions.