In our prior article we discussed the effect of high temperatures on photovoltaic cells. After a certain temperature is reached (tests often look at 95 degrees Fahrenheit), solar panels start to operate less efficiently. The measurement of this efficiency loss due to increased heat is called the temperature coefficient. Based on this factor, how do SunPower solar panels — the only kind used by Solaron of Sacramento — compare to the rest of the solar industry?
The solar energy website EnergySage recently published a comparison of temperature coefficients for many different solar panel manufacturers. While we often talk about the industry leading efficiency of SunPower solar panels, do they retain this advantage during the hot summer months in Northern California?
Looking at nine different companies, including powerhouse industrial concerns like LG, Panasonic and Hyundai, SunPower still comes out on top overall! This is despite the fact that SunPower has the second place temperature coefficient at an average of -.34 (meaning a loss of .34% efficiency for every degree above the maximum ideal operating temperature). In the top place for coefficient was the Panasonic brand. Yet, when you compare the ultimate number — energy production efficiency — SunPower still leads all nine manufacturers, with nearly a five percent difference between the lowest and the highest. That’s because SunPower starts at the highest energy efficiency on the market, transforming more sunlight into electricity than any other brand.
Why Argue About Percentages?
Now five percent may not seem like a lot, but when you consider the lifespan of a solar panel, five percent is a tremendous difference! SunPower solar panels are designed to last for 25 years. Over that period, hour after hour, year after year, every photovoltaic (PV) cell from SunPower is making more electricity than its competitors’. And since a solar installation has hundreds of individual PV cells, the difference adds up very quickly. SunPower gives you more power for the same amount of space, and that means more electricity for home electronics, appliances and batteries. Your electric car becomes cheaper to charge, as does every other device in your home that uses a battery.
Benefits like these are why the Solaron motto is “Energy for life.” You need electricity and we help you make it, as efficiently as possible, all year round. For more information about installing solar panels from SunPower on your home, contact Solaron online or by calling 916-631-9293.