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Do different types of light affect the amount of energy harvested on a solar panel?

I would like to know if different types of light (That is, UV, X-ray, gamma, and infra-red lights) change the data in any way at all.

Presently yes !!
Different wavelength of light (UV, Xray….etc) are not captured by the PV cells that are used in the solar panel.
Current status of efficiency might be somewhere around 20-25% only

But I believe research is improving the efficiency of conversion. One of the prototype designed by the lead specialist in Renewable energy foundation has somehow managed to achieve a 50% higher capturing & converting methodology. For more details, kindly look into the sources section below.

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 17th, 2009 at 2:13 am and is filed under solar energy panel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

3 Responses to “Do different types of light affect the amount of energy harvested on a solar panel?”

  1. DaveSFV Says:
    December 17th, 2009 at 8:00 am

    Current solar photovoltaic panels are not 100% efficient (they are around 20% efficient) because all the visible light spectrum is not converted to electricity. Only a small band of light and nothing in the higher spectrum, X-ray or gamma rays.
    References :

  2. AltEnergyGuy Says:
    December 17th, 2009 at 8:49 am

    Yup they certainly do. Solar panels are made to be used with visible light only. all the other wavelengths (x-rays, ultra-violet, infrared) have no effect on the production of power.

    Simply put…no photon, no power.

    If you want more detail this is where I got the information.
    References :
    http://www.goinggreenfortomorrow.com

  3. VINOD KUMAR Says:
    December 17th, 2009 at 9:34 am

    Presently yes !!
    Different wavelength of light (UV, Xray….etc) are not captured by the PV cells that are used in the solar panel.
    Current status of efficiency might be somewhere around 20-25% only

    But I believe research is improving the efficiency of conversion. One of the prototype designed by the lead specialist in Renewable energy foundation has somehow managed to achieve a 50% higher capturing & converting methodology. For more details, kindly look into the sources section below.
    References :
    http://solarpanelguides.info/
    http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/build-a-solar-panel-for-an-extra-income-and-to-save-the-earth–1264912.html
    http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/a-natures-gift-wasted-by-human-race-for-centuries-solar-energy-1265482.html

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