When people talk about solar, there are a few points they are guaranteed to bring up. The first is how much money solar in general can save you and your family on your monthly electric bill. The second, and even more important point, is which panel brand and model will save you the most.
As the solar market is constantly expanding, there are many solar panel options out there. But when all the panels are compared side-by-side, the top choice is clear—SunPower solar. For over twenty years, this San Jose-based manufacturer and its well-vetted dealers have provided homes and businesses all over the world with the most efficient commercially-available solar panels on the planet.
But, what does “efficiency” mean exactly?
Many might be wondering what “efficiency” means with regards to solar panels and their percentage ratings. When you are efficient at work, your employer applauds you for minimizing the time and resources you use to complete your daily tasks. But, in the solar world, efficiency is about more than just saving time. It’s all about power.
More specifically, solar panel efficiency “refers to how efficiently a solar cell or a solar module produces electricity” (1). For example, when a brand claims their solar panels have a 20% efficiency rating, that means their solar cells collect up to 20% of the solar energy they are exposed to, converting that amount into solar energy for your home or business (1).
To many, twenty percent may seem low like a low number, but for years it was the number to beat. Then SunPower built and mass-produced a solar panel with an efficiency of 22.8% (2). Though many have tried, no other company has managed to get a more efficient solar panel out of the lab and onto the mainstream market.
Beating the competition has never been good enough for SunPower solar. Recently, the SunPower team set out to smash their 22.8% record and this summer they succeeded. Verified by the National Renewable Energy Lab in late June, SunPower announced a new solar module with a 24.1% efficiency (2). This record-breaking panel is not yet available for purchase but proves SunPower’s commitment to building better solar every day.
Now, why is higher efficiency so important?
Many may also doubt the importance of a few percentage points. Though it seems insignificant, every extra bit of solar efficiency counts. Those few percentage points actually help panels perform better in hot weather—meaning more power and savings for you (2).
Plus, the higher efficiency the panel, the less panels you have to buy to reduce or cancel out your electric bill. SunPower panels also require less parts and less punctures in your roof than other panel brands. This means it is very unlikely that your SunPower solar energy system would fail ( Only 1 in 20,000 SunPower panels fail) and even more unlikely that the roof underneath your system would leak.
So hopefully you now know everything you wanted to know about solar panel efficiency and why SunPower’s most recent record means so much to future buyers and future generations. SunPower always demands better solar and so should you.
If you have any more detailed questions about SunPower panels or efficiency ratings, feel free to give Green Convergence, SunPower’s first Master dealer, a call today.
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