Energy Efficient Solar Panels

The energy grid is beginning to transition from one based on centralized polluting power stations to an interconnected distributed network of solar energy and battery systems.

Energy efficient solar panels.

The graphic below shows how dramatically solar panel performance has improved over time. Due to the many recent advances in solar cell technology over the last 5 years average panel conversion efficiency has increased from 15 to 20. The average efficiency of solar panels falls between the 17 to 19 percent efficiency range. The highest efficiency solar panels on the market today can reach almost 23 percent efficiency.

In practical terms for two solar panels of the same physical size if one has a 21 efficiency rating and the other has a 14 efficiency rating the 21 efficient panel will produce 50 more kilowatt hours kwh of electricity under the same conditions as the 14 efficient panel. Solar panel efficiency is a measure of the amount of solar energy irradiation which falls on a panel surface and is converted into electricity. A higher solar panel efficiency rating means a panel will produce more kilowatt hours of energy per watt of power capacity. Solar panel efficiency is determined by the production of electricity by solar cells which are in turn influenced by composition electrical configuration surrounding components and more.

If a solar panel has 20 percent efficiency that means it s capable of converting 20 percent of the sunshine hitting it into electricity.