Solar panel is an assembly of photo-voltaic cells mounted in a framework for installation.
Solar panels use sunlight as a source of energy and generate direct current electricity.
A collection of PV modules is called a PV Panel, and a system of Panels is an Array.
Arrays of a photovoltaic system supply solar electricity to electrical equipment.
Efficiency
Each module is rated by its DC output power under standard test conditions (STC) and hence the on field output power might vary.
Power typically ranges from 100 to 365 Watts (W). The efficiency of a module determines the area of a module given the same rated output – an 8% efficient 230 W module will have twice the area of a 16% efficient 230 W module.
Some commercially available solar modules exceed 24% efficiency. Currently, the best achieved sunlight conversion rate (solar module efficiency) is around 21.5% in new commercial products typically lower than the efficiencies of their cells in isolation.
