Are Solar Panels Efficient

Solar panel efficiency represents how effectively a solar panel can convert solar radiation e g.

Are solar panels efficient.

Most solar panels are between 15 and 20 efficient with outliers on either side of the range. For example if you place a panel that is 20 efficient under 1 000 watts of sunshine it will produce 200 watts of electricity. In this case it may seem that 800 watts are being wasted and solar panels often get criticism for their low efficiency. If a solar panel has 20 percent efficiency that means it s capable of converting 20 percent of the sunshine hitting it into electricity.

The highest efficiency solar panels on the market today can reach almost 23 percent efficiency. The most efficient solar panels commercially available today have solar panel efficiency just under 23. Solar panel efficiency is a measure of the amount of solar energy irradiation which falls on a panel surface and is converted into electricity. The average efficiency of solar panels falls between the 17 to 19 percent efficiency range.

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 graphic below shows how dramatically solar panel performance has improved over time. Solar panel efficiency is a measure of how much sunlight that hits the surface area of a solar panel is converted into usable electricity.