Toshiba Home Solar Power Modules Tops in Efficiency
Source: cleantechnica.com
With so many different companies producing solar cells and solar arrays, it’s a pretty competitive field. Toshiba’s 22.6% conversion efficiency ranks near the top – in the lab. Toshiba has stated its results in the field, so to speak, are at 19.3% conversion efficiency, putting its Residential Solar Module 240W right at the top.
Toshiba’s set-up uses American SunPower solar cells, with a rear contact monocrystalline system. To reduce the loss of reflected light, it uses coated glass, which increases the active area by approximately 3% for a 240W maximum output.
Because more power is generated over the same surface area, Toshiba’s customers can either opt for a smaller array with the same power output or use the same surface area as their competitors to gather a stated 40% power increase over the course of a year. Using the excess energy buyback program, energy costs can go way down.
Source: Clean Technica
http://cleantechnica.com/2011/09/09/toshiba-home-solar-power-modules-get-19-3-conversion-efficiency/
Tags: energy, Energy conversion efficiency, Photovoltaic array, Single crystal, solar cell, SunPower, Toshiba, United States
Latest Post | admin September 12, 2011
2 Comments to “Toshiba Home Solar Power Modules Tops in Efficiency”
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By Pete Kane (@Buildingwell), September 12, 2011 @ 10:11 AM
The Toshiba set-up sounds like an effective option for home and building owners. With regards to either use a smaller area for the system or the same area as a competitor’s, it would seem that it all depends on a few questions. If the owner went with the larger area and thereby produces more energy than anticipated, would this help to further offset their regional utility needs or simply create an excess of energy? If there’s an excess, will this be retained onsite or sold back to the utility? Generally, it would seem that the owner may benefit from using a larger area, creating more renewable energy to then use onsite or sell.
By SolarUniverseCal, January 13, 2012 @ 5:41 PM
Solar power is really the only way to go. We all need to do our part to spread the word. It’s just about getting the word out that solar and going green takes “just about the same effort”.