Solar Energy: Beyond Efficiency

摘要

Even as countless technological advancements in recent years have made utility-scale solar photovoltaics (PV) power generation more viable, one unlikely barrier to further rapid deployment exists outside the scope of engineers and researchers. Determining costs is the key to establishing when peak parity and eventually grid parity will be reached. Traditionally, solar panel efficiency has been the primary means of calculating the total annual cost of the energy produced. But for utility-scale installations, calculating solar panel efficiency alone results in an incomplete cost analysis. The best solar panels for utility power generation are those which deliver the most electricity at the lower cost.