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Renewable energy has been around for many years. However, it has received more attention in recent times due to the impending threat of climate change to the existence of the whole planet. Now more countries and utilities are trying to get behind it. Solar energy is the most sought-after option among all the other choices of renewable energy due to the abundance of sunlight.
However, the solar option is less efficient compared to conventional means of producing energy. In this article, we will discuss what solar efficiency entails, the factors that affect this efficiency, and what is being done to increase the productivity of solar cells and panels.
The intensity of sunlight directly impacts solar panel efficiency. Panels capture more energy when the sun is at its peak, around midday. In the morning and late afternoon, when the sun is lower in the sky, the panels receive less direct sunlight, leading to reduced efficiency.
Cloud cover can significantly reduce the efficiency of solar panels by blocking or diffusing sunlight. Even on cloudy days, solar panels can still generate electricity, but the amount is lower compared to sunny days.
High temperatures can decrease solar panel efficiency. Excessive heat reduces the voltage produced by photovoltaic cells, lowering the overall power output. Proper ventilation can help maintain optimal temperatures.
Around the world, the average solar panel efficiency lingers between 20 to 23%. Scientists and researchers are trying to boost these numbers. In March this year, researchers in Japan set new records to achieve the efficiency of 26.6% of mass-produced solar panels. The previous record of 22.04% was set in 2015 by Tesla.
Japanese researchers used the approach of thin-film heterojunction optimisation to achieve this feat. They accomplished this increased level of efficiency by placing low-resistance electrodes towards the end of the cell, away from the exposed site. This placement helped in maximizing the number of photons accumulated from the front of the cell.
Further progress was witnessed when engineers at the University of New South Wales extended the efficiency of solar cells to nearly its theoretical levels. They reached the efficiency of 34.5% with their photovoltaic cells. The engineers achieved it by embedding a mini-module or cell in a prism for extracting the optimal level of energy from sun rays. The prism carried out this task by dividing the incoming sunrays into four bands.
To test how efficient solar panels are, head to Easy Being Green for a quick demonstration. Go ahead and email us on enquiries@easybeinggreen.com.au or call 1300 994 929 today.
Dane Williams
01 July 2023
Teresa Ziino
01 March 2018
Sam Johnson
12 July 2023
