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Who Has The Most Efficient Solar Panels – If you shop for solar panels, you’ve probably come across the term “solar panel efficiency.” It’s on almost every solar manufacturer’s website in bold: “19% efficiency!” or “Our highest efficiency solar panel!”
But what does the efficiency of solar panels mean? What are the most important things to look for in a solar panel? And what affects how efficiently a solar panel works in the real world?
Who Has The Most Efficient Solar Panels
A solar panel’s efficiency rating tells you how much sunlight that hits the solar panel will be converted into usable electricity. The higher the efficiency, the more sunlight can be converted into electricity.
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So if a solar panel has a 15% efficiency rating, it means that 15% of the sun’s energy is converted into electricity by the solar panel.
You can get a more in-depth explanation of the efficiency of solar panels from founder Andy Sand in this video:
According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), most solar panels installed today have efficiency ratings between 16% and 22%, with an average efficiency rating of 19.2%.
Solar panels with an efficiency rating of over 20% are considered premium efficiency panels and come at a higher price. Some well-known premium efficiency panel brands include Sunpower, LG Solar and REC Group.
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As such a high number, we have actually come a long way in terms of solar panel efficiency. When silicon solar panels were first invented in 1954, a single solar panel was only 6% efficient. Just 10 years ago, the average solar panel efficiency was 13.4%. Now we are at 19.2%! And with exciting new advances like perovskite solar cells, we may be able to achieve efficiency ratings as high as 50%!
*Some commercial solar panels have efficiency ratings higher than listed; This list is intended to represent high efficiency residential solar panels.
** Other models in the Sunpower A series, such as the 400 W, 410 W and 415 W models, have higher efficiencies than the other models listed, however, we wanted to showcase the wide range of premium efficiency panels available on the market.
You can spend anywhere from $27,000 to $30,000 for an 8 kilowatt solar system that uses premium efficiency solar panels, before incentives. By comparison, a solar power system of the same size using standard efficiency panels would cost between $20,000 and $26,000, before incentives.
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There’s no denying it: high efficiency panels will cost you more money to install than standard efficiency panels. However, there are more and more solar panel manufacturers, especially Chinese manufacturers, that are coming out with panels that are more than 20% efficient at much more competitive prices.
Brands like Trina Solar and LONGi now offer high quality panels with efficiency ratings over 20%, but they offer:
Lower prices than companies like Sunpower. They are still a bit more expensive than a standard efficiency panel, but if this trend continues, the prices of high efficiency Chinese solar panels could be as low as the price of standard panels.
Solar panels are made like a layer cake – there’s a front sheet of glass, a layer of encapsulant, solar cells, more encapsulant, a back sheet, and an aluminum frame that holds it all together.
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The materials used to make these layers (primarily the solar cells and support) play a large role in how efficiently a solar panel can convert sunlight into electricity, and include:
One of the biggest determinants of solar panel efficiency is the type of solar cell used. Solar cells are the part of a solar panel that takes sunlight and turns it into electricity. There are three main types of silicon solar cells: polycrystalline, thin film, and monocrystalline.
You really need to know about monocrystalline panels – they are used in almost all solar installations and all high efficiency solar panels on the market today use monocrystalline solar cell technology. Some of the most common high efficiency monocrystalline silicon cell types include:
The way solar cells are connected together can also affect how efficiently they can generate electricity. If you look at the face of the solar panel, you will see fine lines. It is a series of copper or aluminum wires that carry electricity, transferring it from the solar cell to the solar inverter.
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Some solar manufacturers have moved to multi-layer technology, where several ultra-thin buses are used, as opposed to fewer, thicker buses. Thinner busbars reduce the amount of shading of the solar cell and allow it to absorb more sunlight, thereby increasing efficiency.
Sunpower uses Interdigitated Back Contact, or IBC cells, where all the buses and wiring are on the back of the solar cell. This frees up the entire face of the cell to absorb electricity without shading problems. However, IBC cells are difficult and expensive to manufacture.
If you’ve ever looked at a traditional solar panel, you’ve probably seen black solar cells surrounded by white space. This white space is the back sheet of the panel. You may also have seen solar panels that are completely black; These panels may have a black back sheet.
Black backing is popular with homeowners because it gives the panels a really smooth, uniform look by blending seamlessly with the color of the solar panels. However, black-backed panels are slightly less efficient than white-backed panels because it makes the solar panels hotter. The hotter a solar panel is, the less electricity it can produce.
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Everything we’ve talked about so far talks specifically about the efficiency rating of a solar panel. Efficiency ratings are calculated based on standard laboratory testing conditions, and unfortunately, solar panels on your roof will not achieve these ideal settings.
When you buy solar panels, the efficiency rating will be listed on the panel’s data sheet. But how exactly is it calculated? There is actually a fairly simple formula for calculating the efficiency of solar panels:
When solar panels are tested in a laboratory under standard test conditions (STC), they are assumed to receive an insolation level of 1,000 watts per square meter. Knowing this, let’s calculate the efficiency score:
We’ll be honest with you, the panel’s efficiency rating isn’t the most important thing to look at.
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What you really want to focus on is the panel’s power rating. The power rating tells you how much electricity a solar panel can produce. This gives you a better overall picture of what a solar panel can do, while also taking into account the efficiency of the panel.
For example, let’s say you’re choosing between two panels: Panel A has an efficiency rating of 19%, Panel B has an efficiency rating of 17%, and both panels have a power rating of 350 watts. It doesn’t matter that panel A has a higher efficiency rating than panel B because they both have the same maximum power output of 350 watts. Instead of just choosing the panel with the highest efficiency, you should also consider how much the panel costs and whether the cost is worth the value the panel will give you.
Typically, the only scenario where high efficiency solar panels are worth it is if you have limited space under your roof and need each solar panel to produce as much energy as possible.
As we said earlier, premium efficiency panels are probably not necessary for most homeowners. They are typically more expensive than standard efficiency panels without the added benefits.
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So if you have limited roof space or your roof isn’t in an ideal orientation for solar power, you may want to consider high efficiency panels as they can slightly increase your electricity production. Or if money isn’t your concern and you just want the highest tech solar panel system you can get, then be our guest – enjoy premium efficiency panels!
But for everyone else, you should consider which solar modules will give you the best value for money. You need a solar panel that is reliable, good quality and meets your energy needs without breaking the bank. LONGi, LG Solar, and Q. CELLS offer a variety of solar panels, including premium efficiency panels that power your home without spending an arm and a leg, and they made the top 10 best-selling list. Solar panels in 2022.
To get a better idea of how much solar panels can save you, check out our solar panel calculator. From there, you can contact local, trusted solar installers who can help you choose the best brand of solar panels for your roof to start powering your home with cheap, clean energy.
Catherine is a written content manager. He has been researching and writing about the solar industry for four years. His work has appeared in Solar Today Magazine and Solar Builder Magazine and has been cited by publications such as Forbes and Bloomberg.
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