What Is The Efficiency of Photovoltaic Modules? What Is The Normal Efficiency?

The core of photovoltaic module efficiency is the photoelectric conversion efficiency, which refers to the percentage of incident solar radiation energy converted into usable electrical energy by the module under standard test conditions (STC). It is the core technical indicator for measuring its photoelectric conversion capability. The specific definition of this standard test condition is the AM1.5 standard solar spectrum, irradiance of 1000W/㎡, and operating temperature of the solar cell of 25 ℃. As a unified testing benchmark in the industry, it can achieve efficient comparison between different components. Its calculation formula is: component photoelectric conversion efficiency=(maximum output power of the component ÷ total optical power incident on the surface of the component) × 100%. In general, the higher the efficiency, the smaller the volume or area of photovoltaic modules of the same power, and the greater the output of electricity under the same installation area, resulting in more advantages in space utilization and power generation revenue.

The current photovoltaic industry has completely eliminated traditional polycrystalline modules, which had a mass production efficiency of only 16% to 18% in the early years, and now there are no new products circulating in the market. At present, the mainstream market is monocrystalline modules, among which P-type monocrystalline PERC modules have become the mainstream choice due to their high cost-effectiveness, and their mass production efficiency remains stable between 22.0% and 23.0%; As the current mainstream upgraded model, the N-type TOPCon component combines the advantages of high efficiency and high stability, with a mass production efficiency of 23.0% to 24.5%. The efficiency of high-end models from top enterprises can further exceed 24.5%; N-type HJT (heterojunction) modules belong to high-performance products and are the core direction of technological iteration in the photovoltaic industry. The mass production efficiency ranges from 24.0% to 25.0%, and products using stacked technology have better efficiency. However, their cost is slightly higher than TOPCon modules, and they are gradually achieving large-scale popularization. It should be noted that all the efficiency data mentioned above are based on Standard Test Conditions (STC). However, in actual outdoor applications, due to deviations from STC standards such as on-site temperature, irradiance, and spectrum, the efficiency of components may slightly decrease. For example, when the temperature rises, the efficiency may experience a small decline.

In addition to commercially mass-produced modules, the high-efficiency photovoltaic modules developed in the laboratory have a much higher efficiency than mass production levels, becoming the core direction of industry technological breakthroughs. Taking perovskite/crystalline silicon stacked modules as an example, the highest laboratory efficiency has exceeded 33%. However, due to factors such as cost control and process stability, such high-efficiency modules have not yet achieved large-scale commercial production.