Efficiency in photovoltaic solar panels is measured by the ability of a panel to convert sunlight into useful energy for human consumption. Knowing the efficiency of the panel is important for choosing the right panels for your photovoltaic system. For smaller roofs, more efficient panels are needed due to space constraints. How do manufacturers determine the maximum efficiency of a solar photovoltaic panel? Read below to find out.
Let's first start by saying that the maximum power, also known as Pmax, 200 watt panels, is 200 watts, regardless of the efficiency of the panel. This is the area that solar panels use to get the 200 watts that determine how efficient the panel is. Panel efficiency determines panel output power per unit area. The maximum efficiency of a solar photovoltaic cell is determined by the following equation:
ηmax (maximum efficiency) = Pmax (maximum output power) / (ES, ssw (incident radius flow) * Ac (collector area)
The flux of incident radiation is best described as the amount of sunlight reaching the surface of the earth in W / m2. The estimated incident radiation flux under standard test conditions (STC), which is used by manufacturers, is 1000 W / m2. Keep in mind that the STC includes several assumptions and depends on your geographic location.
Now we will sample to determine how manufacturers calculate the maximum efficiency of solar panels at STC.
Suppose you have a 400 watt system with an area of 30 ft 2, and you want to determine the maximum efficiency of your solar panels in an STC. The first step is to transform the area of your panels. to units of square meters, which are:
30 ft2 x 1 meter / (10.76 ft2) = 2.79 m2
(In determining the effectiveness, I would personally include the size of frames in your calculations.
Now that you have Pmax (400 W), ES, ssw (1000 W / m2) and Ac (2.79 m2), you can connect your numbers to the efficiency equation, where all devices will cancel and then multiply the value by 100% on give you your percentage of efficiency:
ηmax (in percent) = 400 W / (1000 W / m2 x 2.79 m2) = 0.143 x 100% = 14.3%
This will be the maximum efficiency of your solar panel, so as not to be confused with the minimum that can be found on the specification sheet of the panel.
Therefore, when you determine which solar panels are suitable for you, think about how important panel efficiency is when paying a premium price. Perhaps you have a large roof area that is ideal for placing solar panels, and therefore cheaper and less efficient panels will work for you. If your roof area is limited, you can determine the efficiency you will need for your panels to achieve the desired power output in a limited space.
