Efficiency Loss Of Solar Panels

Or in other words 40 watts are lost with time.

Efficiency loss of solar panels. Panels 1 3 5 7 9 and 11 are left dirty throughout the experiment. Factors that affect solar panel efficiency. You can optimise your solar system better by caring for your panels the right way. It may seem counter intuitive but solar panel efficiency is affected negatively by temperature increases.

Solar panel efficiency is a measure of how much sunlight that hits the surface area of a solar panel is converted into usable electricity. Tests by the german fraunhofer institute showed that solar panels which are susceptible can lose more than 30 of their rated power through this effect and as much as 90 in extreme cases. Use the solar panel s warranty to compare output loss over time because that is the only output you are guaranteed. Read on to gain knowledge about minimizing loss of solar panel efficiency.

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. Photovoltaic modules are tested at a temperature of 25 degrees c stc about 77 degrees f and depending on their installed location heat can reduce output efficiency by 10 25. 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 highest efficiency solar panels on the market today can reach almost 23 percent efficiency.

For example a solar panel of 200 watts will produce 80 of 200 160 watts in the 25th year from now due to degradation reversible and irreversible degradation with time. When solar panels loose efficiency how does that happen. As the temperature of the solar panel increases its output current increases exponentially while the voltage output is reduced linearly. The average efficiency of solar panels falls between the 17 to 19 percent efficiency range.

So on an average we are losing 40 watts 25 years 1 6 watts per year or 0 8 per year. Energy improvement from clean solar panels. Energy difference from control average. The table below displays the daily energy yield difference between dirty and clean solar panels.

We measured an average 3 5 higher energy yield with the clean solar panels.