Solar Panel Wavelength Efficiency

Wavelength light is composed of photons or packets of energy that have a wide range of wavelengths and energies.

Solar panel wavelength efficiency. Factors that affect solar panel efficiency. The quantum efficiency gives the number of electrons output by the solar cell compared to the number of photons incident on the device while the spectral response is the ratio of the current generated by the solar cell to the power incident on the solar cell. Solar radiation with wavelengths of 380 nm to 750 nm violet to red strike the material with enough energy to knock electrons from their weak bonds and create an electric current. Traditional photovoltaic cells turn a relatively small part of the sun s light spectrum into electricity limiting their efficiency and power output.

Photovoltaic amorphous solar cells. When light strikes the surface of a solar cell some photons are reflected while others pass right through. The highest efficiency solar panels on the market today can reach almost 23 percent efficiency. The wavelengths of visible light occur between 400 and 700 nm so the bandwidth wavelength for silicon solar cells is in the very near infrared range.

The spectral response is conceptually similar to the quantum efficiency. The cell s silicon material responds to a limited range of light wavelengths ignoring those that are longer and shorter. Given the same amount of sunlight shining for the same duration of time on two solar panels with different efficiency ratings the more efficient panel will produce more electricity than the less efficient panel. Solar panel efficiency is a measurement of a solar panel s ability to convert sunlight into usable electricity.

A spectral response curve is shown below. Solar cell efficiency refers to the portion of energy in the form of sunlight that can be converted via photovoltaics into electricity by the solar cell. However these types of solar panels aren t typically used for residential solar installations. What you need to know.

The sunlight that reaches the earth s surface has wavelengths from ultraviolet through the visible range to infrared. The average efficiency of solar panels falls between the 17 to 19 percent efficiency range. The effect of wavelength on photovoltaic cells. The efficiency of the solar cells used in a photovoltaic system in combination with latitude and climate determines the annual energy output of the system for example a solar panel with 20 efficiency and an area of 1 m 2 will produce 200.

Any radiation with a longer wavelength such as microwaves and radio waves lacks the energy to produce electricity from a solar cell. Solar panels have been consistently increasing in efficiency at about 5 annually since 2010. A new solar panel has reached 47 percent efficiency in the lab and nearly 40 percent in the field.