You may have come across the term “solar panels efficiency” while researching commercial solar panel options. But is it essential? When comparing commercial solar panels, what other characteristics should you look for?
Solar Panel Efficiency: Why It Matters
The efficiency of solar panels’ ability to convert sunlight into electricity is measured in terms of their solar panel efficiency. This is an ideal, laboratory-like setting. A panel producing 15% efficiency would generate power equivalent to 15% of the sun’s energy. The efficiency rates of commercially available solar panels today range from 15% to 24%, depending on their technology.
Efficiency may not be as important as you think. Every commercial solar panel you buy will have a specific rating in watts. How different can boards be?
It is very different. Here’s why: Higher efficiency means greater flexibility. With fewer panels, you can produce the same power with less space. This allows you to maximize the available power output of the general area. You will also save money on installation because there are fewer panels. You don’t have to use every square inch of space initially, but fewer panels make it possible to add more later, should your energy needs change.
Here are four key questions to help you evaluate and compare commercial solar panel efficiency.
- How efficient are the panels?
- How big are the meetings?
- What are the sizes and how many boards are required to produce the energy your company needs?
- It will be so easy to add panels to your future installation.
Although you might save money by purchasing less efficient panels, there are other important things to consider.
Degradation and Durability Rate: Panels You Can Trust for the Long-Term
Your commercial solar panels’ durability is as essential as their efficiency. What is the likelihood that they will continue to perform as you expected when they were first purchased? Durability is critical for significant business investments like solar, which are exposed to daily extremes of temperature, wind, and snow.
We’re not only talking about the cost to repair or replace. It would help if you also considered lost power costs and the time spent on administrative tasks while issues are being resolved. You’re more likely to spend your time filling out claims forms and waiting for panel replacements, which can lead to you missing valuable solar power.
Your solar panels’ degradation rate goes hand-in-hand with their durability. All solar panels will lose their performance over time. It is essential to determine whether the savings you make by purchasing lower-quality panels are worth the increased costs.
You can achieve your financial goals faster by choosing less expensive panels. Remember that even a tiny difference in the annual degradation rate of just 1% can significantly impact the amount of energy your system will produce over its lifetime. You can find out the average degradation rate of the panel you are considering and how much energy you can expect to have 20 or 25 years from now.
Here are four key questions to help you evaluate and compare the durability and degradation of commercial solar panels:
- Do you have features that keep the panels from failing under extreme conditions like high winds, extreme temperature fluctuations, snow loads, and moisture?
- What has been the failure rate of this panel in the past?
- What is the average solar panel degradation rate?
- What effect will the degradation rate have on the energy output of your system over its life?
Performance: Get the Most Energy From Your Panels
The efficiency of a solar panel is determined under laboratory-like conditions. However, reality may be very different. Solar panels will not perform well in low-light conditions or at extreme temperatures. It is essential to understand their actual performance, i.e., the expected amount of energy based on the particulars of your installation and its location.
Installers and solar providers should be able to present you with the performance and location of the panels. This will depend on the weather history of your area, where they are located, and how much sunlight they receive during the year.
Here are four key questions to help you evaluate and compare commercial solar panels’ performance.
- What performance can you expect based on your location and the placements of your panels?
- How many hours can you expect this level of performance?
- What will the panel’s performance be in low-light conditions? Or as the spectrum of the light changes?
- What performance is possible at higher temperatures (above 80°)?
Warranty: What’s covered, who pays for what, and how long
While we’ve covered efficiency, durability, and degradation rate for solar panels, one more important topic is the warranty. It is as essential as any other feature to understand how and when your solar panels will need to be replaced.
All solar panels are covered by a warranty that covers defects and a power warranty that guarantees a minimum power rating.
The warranties can be combined for 25 years (25 years combined) or for different periods (10-year product, 25-year energy) and may or not include service to replace or repair defective panels.
When evaluating the long-term financial impacts of a sunroof investment for your company, ensure you include any potential warranty claims and costs. If they are not concurrent, you can find out which panel’s warranty will cover them once the product warranty expires. Consider the potential short-term savings associated with less expensive boards versus the long-term consequences of higher replacement and return rates. You should also know what to do if a panel needs to be replaced. Fewer surprises are better.
These are the key questions when comparing and evaluating solar panel warranties.
- What are the product and power warranties offered? What is the average lifespan of each?
- What is the warranty covering? What will you have to pay if your panel fails? How long will it take?
- What happens if the security on the solar panels exceeds the product warranty?
- How does the panel replacement process work?
The efficiency of a panel’s solar panels is just one aspect of choosing the right board for your commercial solar system. A panel’s durability and degradation rate, performance, warranty, and longevity are all equally important. These characteristics and the potential financial implications arising from each can help you make better decisions and be more confident.