User:Jlevy.135/SolarPanelSandbox
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Photovoltaic solar panels absorb sunlight as a source of energy to generate electricity. A photovoltaic (PV) module is a packaged, connected assembly of typically 6x10 photovoltaic solar cells. Photovoltaic modules constitute the photovoltaic array of a photovoltaic system that generates and supplies solar electricity in commercial and residential applications.
This article's lead section may be too long. (September 2018) |
Solar PV modules (top) and two solar hot water panels (bottom) mounted on rooftops |
Each module is rated by its DC output power under standard test conditions (STC), and typically ranges from 100 to 365 Watts (W). The efficiency of a module determines the area of a module given the same rated output ā an 8% efficient 230 W module will have twice the area of a 16% efficient 230 W module. There are a few commercially available solar modules that exceed efficiency of 24%[1][2]
A single solar module can produce only a limited amount of power; most installations contain multiple modules. A photovoltaic system typically includes an array of photovoltaic modules, an inverter, a battery pack for storage, interconnection wiring, and optionally a solar tracking mechanism.
The most common application of solar energy collection outside agriculture is solar water heating systems.[3]
The price of solar electrical power has continued to fall so that in many countries had become cheaper than ordinary fossil fuel electricity from the electricity grid by 2012, a phenomenon known as grid parity.[4]