07/03/2019
SOLAR PANELS FEATURES
A Solar panel is rated by its output voltage and power. However, the output voltage is just nominal as actual output voltage will vary depending on the intensity of sunlight. So, it is possible for a solar panel rated 12V to end-up generating 18V or even more. The maximum current is also usually listed.
Solar panels are available with different power outputs ranging from 10W to 320W. Usually you will have to connect a number of solar panels in series and parallel to deliver the required voltage for the inverter and power required to power your appliances.
Another feature to consider is the efficiency of the solar panel. Usually, this ranges from 7% to 20%. This figure tells how sensitive the solar panel is to light. A high number is always good as it means you can get more output from a smaller panel saving space.
To ensure you take a good advantage of the efficiency of your solar panel, it is a good idea to tilt your solar panel assembly to the same latitude as your installation address.
For example, if you are mounting a solar panel in Trans-Ekulu, Enugu tilting the panel to around 6.484 degrees (the approximate latitude of the area) to the ground will catch the optimum amount of sunlight throughout the day.
You can also install the solar panel with a solar tracker that will automatically tilt the solar panel depending on the angle of the Sun ensuring you catch the highest amount of sunlight irrespective of the time of day. However, such an installation is complicated, costs a lot, and requires frequent maintenance.
A Solar panel can last between 10 and 25 years, however it degrades over time. For example a solar panel could offer 10 years at 90% of rated power, 20 years at 85% rated power, and 25 years at 80% rated power.
This means that if you bought a 200W panel with the degradation rating stated above the panel will offer 180W after 10 years, 170W after 20 years, and 160W after 25 years. Degradation can also be rated in percentage degradation per year. e.g. 1% per year, 1.5% per year, or 2% per year.
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