If you are considering installing solar panels, one of the most important factors that you have to take into account is their efficiency. Surely on more than one occasion you have heard the word “efficiency” in relation to the qualities of a solar panel, but what exactly is it?
The installation of solar panels takes advantage of the sun’s energy to convert it into electricity, achieving self-consumption that has less impact on the environment and allows us to save in the short and long term on our electricity bill. When choosing which solar panels we want to install, we have to take into account that they are efficient. The higher the efficiency, the more energy and therefore the greater savings.
What is the efficiency of a solar panel?
Buying the most efficient solar panels available on the market can be a great idea, but in many cases, buying the most efficient panels turns out not to be the best option from an economic point of view. In these cases there are some solar panels that, due to their high cost, the investment / savings ratio does not compensate due to their high price.
Solar panels are made up of solar cells linked together. These cells are responsible for converting sunlight into electricity. When sunlight falls on the panel, solar energy is captured and converted into electrical energy that we can use in our homes or businesses. That said, the efficiency of a solar pal is the percentage of sunlight that reaches the panel and that is converted into electricity that we can use.
Evolution of solar panels
Since the 1960s, photovoltaic modules have been evolving. The first solar panels reached a maximum efficiency of 14% and today we can distinguish between 2 types of panels in terms of efficiency. On the one hand, the standard efficiency panels that have percentages between 17% and 18% efficiency. On the other hand, in high-efficiency panels, this value can range between 19% and 23%.
Solar panels cannot achieve 100% efficiency percentages, as they are limited by the type of energy that the sun produces. Solar energy is in a broad spectrum and current technology allows only a part of the spectrum of light to be converted into electricity through the use of solar panels. In turn, research and development teams for solar panels work continuously to achieve the highest percentage of energy in this spectrum. Which means that in the future solar panels will be more efficient than at present.
Typology
Solar energy can be used for different uses and that is why there are different types of solar panels, since each modality has been conceived and manufactured for different functionalities.
Thermal solar panels
These panels are used to obtain heat when the solar energy is transformed. Among its most common uses are to heat water, power heating systems or generate steam that is capable of moving turbines and other industrial applications.
Photovoltaic solar panels
This type of panel is responsible for converting light energy into electrical energy thanks to the photoelectric effect produced by the silicon cells. When the photons hit the silicon, the electrons break, so that some light particles are released and give rise to the electric current. Within the category of photovoltaic solar panels there are: monocrystalline, polycrystalline and silicon panels.
Hybrid solar panels
We speak of hybrid solar panels when the technology of photovoltaic panels and thermal panels is applied. In this case, electricity can be generated and heat obtained at the same time, although its use is less widespread.
Efficient and profitable solar panels
There are three main factors that define the quality and performance of solar panels: absorption coefficient of the light cells, the arrangement of the crystalline structure of the cell material and the cost of production.
If we look in terms of efficiency and performance, monocrystalline silicon panels become a suitable choice for any type of photovoltaic installation, both in homes and in companies. Polycrystalline panels would be the second option, while silicon solar panels are the least recommended option despite the fact that their acquisition cost is lower. In addition, the best performances are achieved with cells made with arsenium and gallium in combination. This material stands out for its stability and does not need to have a great thickness to give an excellent performance.
In the market there are two brands with models of solar panels that become good options if what we are looking for is high efficiency for photovoltaic self-consumption. These are the SunPower and Canadian Solar brands.
Sunpower Maxeon
Within the range of solar panels with greater efficiency at affordable prices we have the Sunpower Maxeon brand, ideal if you have a reduced space to place your solar panels. This brand has been leading the efficiency classification of solar panels for years. Among the models offered by the brand, the SunPower Maxeon 3 monocrystalline silicon solar panel stands out. Its technology is based on high-performance Gen 3 IBC cells with an efficiency that can reach 22.6%, which has been classified as the most efficient residential solar panel in the world.
On the other hand, the SunPower Maxeon 5 AC model, although it has a lower efficiency than the previous model (21.5%), incorporates a microinverter that allows each solar panel to work independently. This makes it easy to convert direct current to alternating current at the same location on the panel. As we said, this option is convenient if we have limited space for photovoltaic installation.
Canadian Solar
If you have more space to install solar panels, those manufactured by the Canadian Solar brand are highly recommended. Within its Hiku series, two good options could be Canadian Solar 450 Wp and Canadian Solar 490 Wp solar panels. Both are made from monocrystalline, split-cell silicon Perc. Plates with high efficiency and technology that can provide 26% more power than other conventional modules, achieving higher performance.
The fact of using split cell technology allows them to improve their performance if the day is cloudy, while generating less losses and chances of generating hot spots or hot spots.