What is the efficiency of solar panels and How dependable are solar panels, why is this?

Question

What is the efficiency of solar panels and How dependable are solar panels, why is this?

Answer 1

While experimental panels reach 40% efficiencies, the actual panels you can buy are only around 15%. There is no reason why a solar panel can last over 20 years. Maybe much, much longer.

Answer 2

pv panels are 14% to 18% efficient and will last at least 20 years.

Solar thermal panels are 95% efficient and will last 25 to 30 years.

Answer 3

If you look at it in the real world they are 100% efficient.  They require nothing after you install them (cleaned?).  It is nothing to see 30 year old ones working just fine.

If you have 1 acre of land ......

Long after it runs out of coal.

Long after the oil well goes dry.

Long after your nuke stops glowing.

Your 1 acre of land will still be producing solar power.

Over time 1 acre of land will make more energy than ALL other types of energy.

Answer 4

There is not room enough here to write everything about the research being done on solar cell efficiency. There are reports of cells that use 40 - 41 per cent of energy from the sun. Boeing and Honda are but a few. Different methods and technologies that are used have brought the % rate over the 40% barrier and more to come. By increasing the total concentration of sunlight on the solar cell it mutiplies the cell area for greater effeciency. Sorry can't go on, but try CNET news.

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