On: Oxford commercializes its 20% more powerful solar panels in the US

[dambi0]

They claim the panels produce 20% more energy not that they are 20% more efficient.

[AndrewDucker → dambi0]

How do they produce 20% more energy in the same area without being more efficient?

[stouset → AndrewDucker]

Easy! They have a little diesel engine strapped underneath. /s

[JAlexoid → dambi0]

Solar panel energy production is their efficiency in converting solar radiation into electricity.

So yes, they seem to be 20% more efficient in converting solar radiation into electricity.

Though I have to say that this is an iterative upgrade, not groundbreaking. If they increased their efficiency by 20% in absolute terms - that would be groundbreaking.

[dambi0 → JAlexoid]

It’s one measure of their efficiency. We could also talk about their cost efficiency or their area efficiency.

[JAlexoid → dambi0]

Solar panel efficiency is already based on the area, just as solar radiation is measured in W per square meters.

[dambi0 → JAlexoid]

Interesting thanks. So could you have a panel that is slightly more efficient in energy capture than the current best alternative but uses 20% less panel area? I’m entirely unfamiliar with how testing is performed