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Learn how solar panel efficiency is affected

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Solar Panel Efficiency and the Factors that Affect it. What’s a typical solar panel efficiency rating? Most solar panels are around 11-15% efficient (check out this handy comparison table ofsolar panel efficiency to see the differences between brands). The efficiency rating measures what percentage of sunlight hitting a panel gets turned into electricity that you can use. The higher the efficiency, the less surface area you’ll need in your solar panels. Although the average percentage may sound a little low, you can easily outfit a typical roof with enough power to cover your energy needs. What are the most efficient solar panels? In the lab, scientists have developed solar panels that are 40% efficient, or even slightly more than that. But there’s a big difference between the lab and the real world. Manufacturers haven’t figured out how to take these experiments and produce economically viable products yet. Waiting for new whiz-bang technology is one of the Top 5 Solar Myths. Out of the solar panels on the market, SunPower makes some of the most efficient–one of their models is 19% efficient. They’ve managed to reach that number by using several techniques, including a reflective coating that can capture more light from an angle. They also offer a line of panels that’s 18% efficient. Sanyo, another solar panel manufacturer, offers efficient models as well. Should I choose the most efficient solar panels available? High efficiency doesn’t mean better, it just means you use less space for the solar array on your roof. Efficiency isn’t usually a critical concern unless you have an unusually small space for your solar panels. In that case, you’ll probably choose to spend a little more for higher efficient panels. The installers we work with usually offer a choice of different recommended panels, including a more efficient type of panel for people concerned about space. If you have a normal amount of roof space to work with, you can focus more on the price and annual expected kilowatt production of your panels. Your installer will be experienced in choosing the best solar panels for your particular conditions; for example, if you live in a hot climate, some solar panels will be better for you. Getting the best power performance In addition to efficiency and size, there are other factors that affect how much power your solar panels will create. It’s important to make sure that the panels are installed in the optimal position, which is why you want to find a skilled, experienced installer . Your installer will decide on the correct orientation for your panels based on the direction and angle of your roof and issues with shading. They’ll also make sure the panels are installed with the proper amount of airflow so they can stay cool– solar panels don’t like it hot, and will produce more power if they’re the right temperature. To learn more, check out this article on how solar panels work. If you just go to the Big Box store and slap on a bunch of panels, you could waste a lot of money. A quality installer designs a system and considers many factors in order to get the most electricity out of every inch of your solar panels. Factors that affect solar array efficiency include: Panel Orientation In the U.K., your roof ideally should face South, but designers can compensate for most other directions. Roof and Panel Pitch The “pitch” or tilt of your roof can affect the number of hours of sunlight you receive in an average day throughout the year. Large commercial systems have solar tracking systemsthat automatically follow the sun’s tilt through the day. These are expensive, however, and not typically used for residential solar installs. Temperature Some panels like it hot, but most don’t. So, panels need to be installed a few inches above the roof with enough air flow to cool them down. Some PV panels are designed to be more efficient in hotter climates. Shade Shade is the enemy of solar. With poor solar design, even a little shade on one panel can shut down solar production on all of your other panels. Installers use special gadgets to instantly reveal any shady spots on your roof, no matter what time of year. Remember: Shade bad. So, trim those nearby trees. Did I mention shade is evil for solar panels? Beware the shade. For more on solar cell efficiency, go back to the Different Types of Solar Panels. Want to know more about what goes into a solar PV system? See our next page. Harish Dabasia UKs most connected person in the PV Solar Power/Energy sector Advocate, Ambassador, Introducer, Influencer, Facilitator and Deal maker. Through Act On Solar compiling the UKs First PV Solar installation Map. Read more at actonsolar.blogspot.com

 

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Britain’s streets to be lit by the power of the sun - even at night

Scotia's SunMast was first installed on the site of the 2009 Copenhagen Climate Conference (COP15)

As we enter into the winter months its hard not to notice the dark nights drawing in, so it’s comforting to know that even as the mercury reaches zero the sun could soon be lighting our way home as the UK is fitted with solar powered streetlights.

New joint venture, Scotia UK Limited, formed by Scotia and KN Network Services Limited, is to offer renewable street lighting to councils and businesses across the UK.

Scotia is the product developer of the SunMast, the UK’s first grid-connected, solar-powered street light which is designed to generate more power than it uses, meaning it has the ability to collect the excess energy and feed it back into the grid. This system enables clients to earn money and reduce carbon emissions, while lighting streets and highways.

“With government cost-cutting, and increasing concerns over rising energy bills, the time was right to join forces with the KNNS to form Scotia UK,” said Peter Vissing, Chief Executive of Scotia. “The government has recently overturned a ban on councils producing their own green energy. Because the SunMast system generates renewable energy as part of the urban environment, it can put councils on the road to energy self-sufficiency.” 

KNNS UK Managing Director Mark Cassidy said, “Together, we’re coupling Scotia’s technical innovation and design to the KN Group’s enormous experience in renewable energy installations, ranging from solar power through to ground heat. This joint-venture agreement is an exciting development for us and it also gives planners and highway engineers in the UK a real breakthrough in renewable energy use.”

The SunMast is being trialed in the UK by the Connect Plus consortium tasked with upgrading and maintaining the M25. “The SunMast’s leading edge in power capacity makes it the only viable solar street light for lighting main roads and highways,” said Vissing. “Generating energy and, therefore, income means that hard-pressed councils now also have a way to cut emissions without compromising safety.

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Industry gathers to fight large-scale solar threat | act on solar power

Industry gathers to fight large-scale solar threat

  Greg Barker's statement against large-scale solar has prompted industry bodies to meet

Following the recent media hype surrounding Greg Barker’s statement in the House of Commons on November 11, which alluded to the possibility that large-scale solar installations in the UK could be under threat, a meeting between representatives of the solar industry, including the Renewable Energy Association (REA), the Micropower council and the Minister has been set up for November 24.

The main objective of this industry meeting is to make the Minister aware of the very wide nature of developments in the market, including the significant amount of 5MW parks announced across the country, so that he could understand the implications of an early review of tariffs.

Several industry associations, bodies and solar companies have been briefed on this issue in order to form a response to this statement and to begin lobbying against it.

A feed-in tariff pre-meeting discussion and reception and speech by Greg Barker will take place tomorrow, November 23.

German developer settles in Birmingham, plans to install 60MW in the UK

  juwi is expected to install large-scale solar projects across the UK over the next two years

Leading German project developer juwi, which announced its entry into the UK solar market in August this year, has named Birmingham as the location for its subsidiary “juwi Renewable Energies Ltd.” Over the next two years, juwi is expected to install over 60MW across the country, predominantly in the south.

The company will mainly develop photovoltaic projects independantly, covering the entire process from acquisition of suitable land to the completion of the power plant. juwi will also develop turnkey projects in which the company will act as the general contractor for the design, engineering and construction of ground mounted and rooftop solar installations.

"The UK currently provides excellent conditions for the solar industry; the country is becoming an attractive European market. We are happy that the United Kingdom jumps on the bandwagon on the way to renewable energies and a comprehensive restructuring of the energy supply. We want to contribute to a further acceleration of this train so that we reach 100 % renewable energies as soon as possible,” said Lars Falck, Head of juwi Solar and Managing Director of juwi UK. The management will be taken over by a British candidate within the next few months.

“If the conditions remain that positive, we will create a large number of sustainable jobs in the UK. At the moment, we plan to hire approximately 60 people until the end of 2012”, said Daniel Parsons, Business Development Manager juwi Solar.

“The feed-in tariff will contribute to a large extent to a security of energy supplies in the UK based on renewable energies,” says Amiram Roth-Deblon, Head of Business Development juwi Solar.

juwi did not comment on the recent news that large-scale solar installations in the UK may be under threat.

Ecotricity to be built first UK hybrid solar park

  Ecotricity plans a 1MW PV power plant at existing wind farm in Lincolnshire

 

The first project to be financed by its Ecobonds proceeds will see Ecotricity use an existing wind farm location in Lincolnshire, to build a 1MW PV power plant, making it the first hybrid renewable energy project in the UK. To be owned and operated by Ecotricity, planning permission by East Lindsey Council has recently been approved.

Groundbreaking on the 4.7 acre (1.9 hectare) site is expected in the next few weeks with grid connection planned in March, 2011. Although other plants have received or are close to receive planning approval, the Ecotricity project could be one of the first utility-scale projects to be commissioned in the UK.

The Ecotricity project is being funded by the proceeds of its new Ecobonds, which allow the public and investors to invest in renewable energy projects.

Ecotricity declined requests from SPP to reveal suppliers of the modules and inverters to be used for the project - citing competitive reasons for the nondisclosure. Project costs or expected output from the plant were also not disclosed.

However, Ecotricity noted that due to the existence of a sub-station at the site as the Wind Farm has been in operation since 2008, the company expects the 1MW plant to be cost effective. The ‘energy payback’ of the site was said to be only two years.

Breaking News: Greg Barker hands the power to the people - updated | act on solar power portal

 Although the UK's solar industry looks positive for small-scale, the industrial plants' future is not so certain

Taking to the stand at the Royal Institute for Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the UK’s Climate Change Minister, Greg Barker, delivered the speech, ‘Energising the Big Society – The Role of Local Energy’ yesterday to a room full of eagerly listening industry experts.

Jumping on to the back of the Minister’s recent comments – threatening the future of large-scale solar parks and possibly cutting the renewable feed-in tariff (FiT) – the industry was sitting nervously in wait for some answers. Barker’s speech was anticipated to respond to this industry nervousness, and there were mixed emotions at the end of the day.

The Minister began by affirming what the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has done so far under the Coalition Government, including providing funding for carbon capture storage, forming the world’s first Green Investment Bank and securing the immediate future for FiTs in the recent Spending Review.

It was made abundantly clear that the DECC continues to support renewable energy generation, aiming to make the sector a norm rather than an exception. “We want to bring ambition to the sector,” explained Barker.

As the speech continued, it soon became apparent that the point is not whether the DECC will support renewable energy generation with subsidization, but which type it will support. Sadly, the news was not good for the large-scale project developers.

The initial pointers were fairly mild, as the Minister claimed that, “We want microgeneration technology to break down the barriers, with consumers becoming active participants in the green energy sector,” so that, “We can literally bring power to the people – to communities and to local businesses.”

However, these placid remarks were soon replaced with some rather obvious statements:

“The coalition is committed to the roll-out of the widest possible range of domestic community-scale renewables,” explained Barker.

“However, there is one problem. The fact is we inherited a system from the previous government that simply failed to anticipate the potential for industrial-scale, stand-alone greenfield solar. And while we will certainly not act retrospectively, large greenfield-based solar parks should not be allowed to extort the funding available for domestic solar technology.

“We want to see an ambitious roll-out of solar panels on Britain’s roofs, but not all over our countryside, and I will not allow the hard-earned funding available to be scooped up by industrial-scale PV farms at the expense of domestic or small-scale PV.”

The message here is clear: the DECC does not want to support large-scale solar.

Barker justified his comments by explaining:

“Economies of green field solar are clearly very different from rooftop installations but that is not reflected in the scheme – this is because the last administration failed to listen properly to the industry. At the moment there is no call for alarm. However, if the current growth begins to get out of hand, I will act.”

This is worrying. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

As we reported on Monday, the industry met yesterday (Tuesday November 23) to discuss the plan of action against the Government’s decision to stop subsidizing large-scale parks. The main consensus from this meeting was that the best plan of attack is defense, and that the industry should come to Barker with solutions rather than complaints.

Towards the end of his speech, Barker said that he will be listening very carefully to the industry roundtable today in a bid to learn from the previous Government’s mistake of calling the shots blindfolded.

Based on the tone of Barker’s speech, it looks like the industry has its work cut out, but here’s hoping that a reasonable, unified decision will be made.

Update

The closed door industry meeting, which took place this morning (Wednesday 24th November) revealed only that the DECC would do its best to suit all of the needs of the renewable energy industry in the UK, but that it had no funding left to add to the pot. Industry stakeholders, including the Solar Power Group, represented by the REA, were reassured that the FiT would be left alone for the foreseeable future. However, the coming weeks will truly tell if the Minister really listened to what the industry needs in order to move forward.