Solar Panel Efficiency Loss Calculator

Solar Panel Efficiency Loss Calculator estimates efficiency loss from temperature, dust, and aging, calculating adjusted power output for renewable energy analysis.

Nominal Efficiency (%):

Temperature (°C):

Temp Coefficient (%/°C):

Dust Loss (%):

Degradation Rate (%/year):

Panel Age (years):

Nominal Power (W):

Irradiance (W/m²):

Formulas Used in Solar Panel Efficiency Loss Calculator

The calculator uses the following formulas for efficiency loss and power output:

Temperature Efficiency:

\\[ \eta_{\text{temp}} = \eta_{\text{nom}} \cdot \left[1 – \beta (T – T_{\text{nom}})\right] \\]

Dust Efficiency:

\\[ \eta_{\text{dust}} = \eta_{\text{temp}} \cdot (1 – L_{\text{dust}}) \\]

Final Efficiency:

\\[ \eta_{\text{final}} = \eta_{\text{dust}} \cdot (1 – L_{\text{age}} \cdot \text{Age}) \\]

Power Output:

\\[ P_{\text{out}} = P_{\text{nom}} \cdot \frac{\eta_{\text{final}}}{\eta_{\text{nom}}} \cdot \frac{G}{G_{\text{nom}}} \\]

Where:

\\( \eta_{\text{nom}} \\): Nominal efficiency (%)
\\( \beta \\): Temperature coefficient (%/°C)
\\( T \\): Operating temperature (°C)
\\( T_{\text{nom}} = 25^\circ\text{C} \\): Nominal temperature
\\( L_{\text{dust}} \\): Dust loss fraction (%)
\\( L_{\text{age}} \\): Annual degradation rate (%/year)
\\( \text{Age} \\): Panel age (years)
\\( P_{\text{nom}} \\): Nominal power output (W)
\\( G \\): Irradiance (W/m²)
\\( G_{\text{nom}} = 1000 \, \text{W/m}^2 \\): Nominal irradiance
\\( P_{\text{out}} \\): Adjusted power output (W)

Example Calculations

Example 1: Standard Case

Input: ηₙₒₘ = 20%, T = 40°C, β = 0.4%/°C, L_dust = 5%, L_age = 0.5%/year, Age = 5 years, Pₙₒₘ = 300 W, G = 1000 W/m²

\\[ \eta_{\text{temp}} = 20 \cdot \left[1 – 0.004 \cdot (40 – 25)\right] = 20 \cdot 0.94 = 18.8 \, \% \\] \\[ \eta_{\text{dust}} = 18.8 \cdot (1 – 0.05) = 17.86 \, \% \\] \\[ \eta_{\text{final}} = 17.86 \cdot (1 – 0.005 \cdot 5) = 17.4145 \, \% \\] \\[ P_{\text{out}} = 300 \cdot \frac{17.4145}{20} \cdot \frac{1000}{1000} \approx 261.218 \, \text{W} \\]

Result: η_final = 17.415%, P_out = 261.218 W, Temp Loss = 6%, Dust Loss = 5%, Age Loss = 2.5%

Example 2: High Temperature

Input: ηₙₒₘ = 20%, T = 60°C, β = 0.4%/°C, L_dust = 5%, L_age = 0.5%/year, Age = 5 years, Pₙₒₘ = 300 W, G = 1000 W/m²

\\[ \eta_{\text{temp}} = 20 \cdot \left[1 – 0.004 \cdot (60 – 25)\right] = 20 \cdot 0.86 = 17.2 \, \% \\] \\[ \eta_{\text{dust}} = 17.2 \cdot (1 – 0.05) = 16.34 \, \% \\] \\[ \eta_{\text{final}} = 16.34 \cdot (1 – 0.005 \cdot 5) = 15.9315 \, \% \\] \\[ P_{\text{out}} = 300 \cdot \frac{15.9315}{20} \cdot \frac{1000}{1000} \approx 238.973 \, \text{W} \\]

Result: η_final = 15.932%, P_out = 238.973 W, Temp Loss = 14%, Dust Loss = 5%, Age Loss = 2.5%

Example 3: Older Panel

Input: ηₙₒₘ = 20%, T = 40°C, β = 0.4%/°C, L_dust = 5%, L_age = 0.5%/year, Age = 10 years, Pₙₒₘ = 300 W, G = 1000 W/m²

\\[ \eta_{\text{temp}} = 20 \cdot \left[1 – 0.004 \cdot (40 – 25)\right] = 18.8 \, \% \\] \\[ \eta_{\text{dust}} = 18.8 \cdot (1 – 0.05) = 17.86 \, \% \\] \\[ \eta_{\text{final}} = 17.86 \cdot (1 – 0.005 \cdot 10) = 16.967 \, \% \\] \\[ P_{\text{out}} = 300 \cdot \frac{16.967}{20} \cdot \frac{1000}{1000} \approx 254.505 \, \text{W} \\]

Result: η_final = 16.967%, P_out = 254.505 W, Temp Loss = 6%, Dust Loss = 5%, Age Loss = 5%

Formulas Used in Solar Panel Efficiency Loss Calculator

Example Calculations

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