Using the Sun to Its Fullest — Solar Panel Efficiency
Solar panel efficiency is the portion of sunlight that an individual solar panel can convert into electricity. The higher an efficiency rating, the more power the panel generates per sunlight.
This is how efficiency of solar panels change
There are a few variables that determine how effective a solar panel is:
Cell Technology:
Crystalline silicon: The most common type, offered in monocrystalline and polycrystalline variations
Thin-Film:** More flexible and lightweight, but usually has lower efficiency than crystalline silicon.
Perovskite Solar Cells — A new and highly efficient emerging technology
Cell Quality:
As such, here are a few of the considerations when preparing to develop these new technologies:* Material Purity: The increased purity of materials allows for greater efficiencies.
Manufacturing Process: Precision manufacturing processes reduce defects and increase performance.
Cell Design:
*Anti-reflective coatings: These reduce reflection of light falling on the surface and allow more sunlight to be absorbed.
Passivation Techniques: Reduce energy losses in the cell
Operating Conditions:
Temperature : Efficiency drops with increase in temp.
Irradiance:** The amount of sunlight falling on solar panels influences energy production.
Solar Panel Efficiency Enhancement
Scientists and manufacturers have developed numerous methods to increase the efficiency of solar panels:
New materials**: Creating better light-absorbing materials.
Nanotechnology: Using nanotechnology to improve absorption of light and transport of charge carrier.
Tandem Solar Cells — Overlaying one or more solar cells with complementary bandgaps to absorb a greater portion of the solar spectrum.
Novel Cell Architectures: New cell architectures like perovskite solar cells can be used to obtain better efficiencies.
The second way that efficiency impacts solar is how it affects the cost of solar power.
Things that can come from higher efficiency solar panels include:
Land Savings: Smaller solar panels produce the same energy as larger ones, freeing up space for many other possibilities.
Better System Economics: More efficient panels can help make paying for a solar power system less painful.
More Energy**: This translates to more electricty produced for the same sun power absorbed.
As solar panel technology