The solar panel power per square meter is very important to assess and compare solar panels. In the current solar energy market there is an extremely wide and varied range of solar panels. Panel sizes, different powers, types of cells, number of cells, just a number of variables on which solar panels can differ.
In the current market , solar panels are following each other in rapid succession. Technology and developments do not stand still and that is a good sign. The more power we get from a solar panel, the more we can benefit from solar energy.
The disadvantage is that there is no longer a standard solar panel. A solar panel with dimensions of 1650 x 992 x 35mm is no longer the standard and the dimensions between the various brands and solar panels are very different. This makes it increasingly difficult for installers to determine which type of solar panel they should use.
Note the solar panel power per WP
What do you pay attention to when choosing a type of solar panel? There are a number of things you can look at. Consider, for example, the future-proofness of a manufacturer, the product warranty of a solar panel or the power guarantee. It is certainly important to look carefully at the solar panel power per square meter. Also expressed as the number of WP/m2.
Nowadays there are modules on the market with a solar panel power of 440 / 450 watts peak. That sounds like a good solar panel, but is it? It is good to look at the relationship between power and dimensions. This is expressed in power per square meter. A power of 170 Wp/m2 is not special, but a power of over 200 Wp/m2 is good. The higher the power of a solar panel and the more compact the panel is, the more watts peaks you get from a roof surface. In addition, it is not pleasant for many installers to work with very large and often heavy solar panels.
Check the efficiency on the datasheet
The solar panel power per m2 is not always stated on the data sheet. What is stated on almost all data sheets is the efficiency of the module. The higher the efficiency, the higher the power per square meter. In the current market, an efficiency of around 20% or higher is a good performance.