Researchers in japan have set a new record for the efficiency of mass produced solar panels meaning even more of the sun s energy can now be converted into electricity.
Highest solar panel efficiency 2015.
Though they will come with a higher price tag sunpower will often be the consumer favorite for anyone concerned with efficiency as a primal metric of interest.
The top honor was claimed by researchers at the national renewable energy laboratory nrel who have developed a new solar cell with an efficiency of 47 1 percent.
Factors that affect solar panel efficiency.
That makes it the most efficient.
The efficiency record for solar panels now stands at 26 6 percent breaking the previous record established in 2015.
For example 12 x high efficiency 360w solar panels such as those from lg or sunpower with a 21 2 conversion efficiency will provide up to 1100w 1 1kw more total solar capacity than the same number and size 270w panels with a lower 16 5 efficiency.
Monocrystalline solar panels have the highest efficiency values of the market with ratings varying between 15 22 2 and a lifespan of 25 30 years.
The highest efficiency solar panels on the market today can reach almost 23 percent efficiency.
Not surprisingly more efficient panels cost more money.
There are a few other solar panel manufacturers that produce premium efficiency panels which all clock in with efficiencies above 20.
Solar panels have been consistently increasing in efficiency at about 5 annually since 2010.
Iconic solar panel manufacturers of monocrystalline technologies are sunpower lg and jinkosolar.
2015 top solar panel products most of the solar panel manufacturers on the following pages say their models have high efficiency and are the best modules yet and this year there seems to be some truth to those claims.
Sunpower nasdaq spwr currently makes the most efficient solar panel at 21 5 efficient versus 14 to 16 efficiency for a commodity panel.
The most efficient solar panels on the market today have efficiency ratings as high as 22 8 whereas the majority of panels range from 15 to 17 efficiency rating.