Factors that affect Solar Power efficiency
31 Aug 2021
Solar power systems are considered a key tool in the energy supply for the present and future generations. Several factors have promoted the development of photovoltaic such as environmental concerns, incentives and tax deductions. A solar cell or photovoltaic cell is a device that converts the sunlight into usable energy. The amount of sunlight that can be converted into electricity is referred to as solar cell efficiency. While this is true, there are a variety of other real-world factors that determine how much energy your system will produce throughout the year.
Some of the important factors that affect Solar Panel Efficiency:
Irradiance – Essentially, irradiance is a measure of the amount of sunlight falling on a given surface. The higher the irradiance on a solar cell, the more energy a cell will produce. The fact is that irradiance varies throughout the day. The angle of the sun, passing clouds, hazy weather, and air pollution can affect irradiance levels. however, the total energy received by the system from the sun remains relatively constant from year to year. Typically, energy from the sun only varies between 5-10% of the average in a given year.
Temperature – The hotter the cell material is, the more resistance there is and the slower the electrons can move through it. For daily production, high temperatures cause a drop in voltage and as a result, drop in power. Power is the product of voltage and current (P = V x I), so although current increases slightly with temperature, the overall power is reduced by a significant drop in the potential difference between the electrons (voltage).
Shading – Ideally solar panels should be located such that there will never be shadows on them because a shadow on even a small part of the panel can have a surprisingly large effect on the output. The reason shade poses such a major problem has to do with how solar panels are wired internally and to one another. In a panel, individual cells are wired in series so as to increase the module’s voltage, but they’re only as efficient as their weakest link. So even if a tiny portion of a module is shaded, the entire array will see a drop in power. This is true for the system as a whole as the panels themselves are connected in series (generally).
Tilting of solar panel – The tilt of solar panels can have a major impact on the overall output of the system. Ideally, it would be better to adjust the tilt of panels throughout the year because the sun is higher in the summer and lower in the winter. However, systems that track the sun are more expensive and require maintenance because they have moving parts. Every fixed tilt system has an optimal angle where it will make the most out of each season, and, while a few degrees may not make a drastic difference in efficiency in a single year the difference over the lifetime of the system could be much more substantial.
Latitude – Latitude also has a major impact on solar system production. Systems installed at higher latitudes will yield lower production numbers solar-panel-production throughout the year due to the tilt of the earth as it spins on its axis.
Cable thickness – More the thickness of the cable, more the voltage drop will take place resulting loss of energy takes place. So, it deteriorate the efficiency of solar panel.
Energy conversion efficiency – The solar module has a different spectral response depending on the kind of the module. Therefore, the change of the spectral irradiance influences the solar power generation. The energy conversion efficiency is increased by reducing the reflection of the incident light.
Soiling – Dirty solar panels produce less electricity. The term “soiling” sounds fancier than it is. all it refers to is dust, dirt, and other debris settling on the surface of the solar panels. This blocks sunlight from reaching the solar cells and reduces solar system performance.
Snow – Snow blocks production of solar energy until plowed or melted. Because snow limits energy production, the effects of snow should be incorporated into any energy estimates. In general, assumptions for performance degradation may range from a minimum of 8% to a maximum of 30%.
Maintenance – Solar panels are very durable, main warranties last for 15-25 years. However, cleaning solar panels is important to maximize the amount of light available to turn into electrical power. Making frequent physical inspections can help solar panels absorbing light effectively. However EverExceed Solar panels are with 25 years performance warranty, which is very much financially viable and suitable performance for EverExceed Off-grid, EverExceed On-grid or EverExceed Hybrid solution.
If you want to know more about EverExceed Solar Panel contact EverExceed today. Our team is experienced for more than a decade on the industry to provide you best solution for your needs.
