What is the maximum power a solar cell can provide?
Assuming light of arbitrary intensity is available, what is the limitation of the maximum power a solar cell can provide for a given surface area? What causes this limitation?
Assuming light of arbitrary intensity is available, what is the limitation of the maximum power a solar cell can provide for a given surface area? What causes this limitation? I'm not talking about the 1000 W/m^2 standard solar heat flux. I've seen fresnel lenses intensify this to nearly a point, putting a large area of solar energy into a small cell at a heat flux of hundreds of suns. What are the limits of doing this? Heat is one obvious problem, but are there others?
This has nothing to do with efficiency. Assume an arbitrary (or infinite) number of photons are cheaply available.
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Peak watt (or Watt peak)
Since solar cell output power depends on multiple factors, such as the sun's incidence angle, for comparison purposes between different cells and panels, the peak watt (Wp) is used. It is the output power under these conditions:[1]
1. solar irradiance 1000 W/m²
2. solar reference spectrum AM (airmass) 1.5
3. cell temperature 25°C
PS please award best answer
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WisMaster is somewhat correct, milliwatt/per Sq.square m.m. at 100 would be correct but not achievable in the U.S.
In my experience and (unfortunately no longer due to the economic factors) the highest rating "United Energy Corp" I worked for was in practicality reality was 9%. Silicon composite. (100 photons converted to 9 electron;s) but I have read about Stanford university achieving a whooping 29% with "Gallium Arsenic" solar cell's. I recommend checking there website for more updated and accurate info!
I believe this to be a practical and feasible resource the we need to invest and incorporate for our future and now power applications
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All the energy in the universe–but be careful of the polarity when you hook it up to your new Christmas toys
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As costs of solar products decrease, solar energy is replacing electricity/fossil in many application like lighting, cooking and heating. More information at
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