RSS FeedsWhat is the absolute maximum amount of energy that solar panels can get?
Say solar panels converted 100% of energy from the sun. How much energy would a solar panel get that was, say, 1 square foot? What I mean is how much of the sun’s energy actually gets to the solar panel?
That depends on the solar insolation which varies around the surface of the Earth. At the top of the atmosphere, the insolation is around 1300 Watts per square metre. The atmosphere attenuates a lot of that, though, but that is the absolute maximum. (no atmosphere).
A rough rule of thumb is that on a clear day at the equator, the maximum is about 1000W per square metre, and this will reduce as latitude increases and as cloud cover increases.
I go through the maths here: http://www.howtopowertheworld.com/what-is-solar-energy.html
Also, you can measure the insolation around the world,: there are maps which show this, for example http://maps.grida.no/go/graphic/natural-resource-solar-power-potential
You’ll have to convert the units though.
Hope this helps.
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August 31st, 2009
That depends on the solar insolation which varies around the surface of the Earth. At the top of the atmosphere, the insolation is around 1300 Watts per square metre. The atmosphere attenuates a lot of that, though, but that is the absolute maximum. (no atmosphere).
A rough rule of thumb is that on a clear day at the equator, the maximum is about 1000W per square metre, and this will reduce as latitude increases and as cloud cover increases.
I go through the maths here: http://www.howtopowertheworld.com/what-is-solar-energy.html
Also, you can measure the insolation around the world,: there are maps which show this, for example http://maps.grida.no/go/graphic/natural-resource-solar-power-potential
You’ll have to convert the units though.
Hope this helps.
References :