How Important Is Solar Panel Efficiency

However efficiency is important and because it s important potential solar energy consumers want to know at what efficiency their new solar system will be running.

How important is solar panel efficiency.

Sunlight which allows a solar panel to function is free and clean. This is done by capturing the electrical current generated when sunshine interacts with the solar cells in the panel and is transferred through the wiring and busbars to be converted into ac alternating current energy. The efficiency of solar panels is often misunderstood and a value of 20 may seem small when some natural gas power plants are above 50. However there is an important difference.

Lab tests provide a good starting point for understanding solar panel efficiency but until the panels are operating on a large scale there s no way of knowing exactly how well they will perform in order for high efficiency panels to reach their maximum rates they must be in optimal. It is important to know that solar panel efficiency ratings are merely estimates and not guarantees. Solar panel efficiency is one useful metric used to determine how much power a solar panel produces compared to other products. Yes it is very important.

Fossil fuels must be purchased and they produce emissions when burned. Solar panel efficiency is a measurement of how much of the sun s energy a certain panel can convert into usable electricity. As the technology improves and panels become more efficient the greater the efficiency and cost effectiveness can become. The more efficient a panel is the more cost effective it is.

Today the panels on the commercial market are only about 18 efficient maximum.