Efficiency Of Plants Vs Solar Panels

In terms of environmental impact solar power is a much more optimal resource than fossil fuels.

Efficiency of plants vs solar panels.

Where c 6 h 12 o 6 is glucose which is subsequently transformed into other sugars cellulose lignin and so forth. Factors that affect solar panel efficiency. According to the wikipedia page on photosynthetic efficiency typical plants have a radiant energy to chemical energy conversion efficiency between 0 1 and 2. Monocrystalline solar panels usually have the highest efficiency and power capacity out of all types of solar panels.

The highest efficiency solar panels on the market today can reach almost 23 percent efficiency. In terms of reliable application coal and natural gas have the edge. Because monocrystalline solar cells are made out of a single crystal of silicon electrons are able to flow easier through the cell which makes the pv cell. Coal plants achieve from 33 to 40 efficiency in the best cases with the rest being just wasted heat.

Ultra super critical pressure power plants at 300 bar and 600 600 c can achieve efficiencies in the range of 45 to 48 efficiency. Super critical power plants operating at 220 bar and 600 600 c can achieve efficiencies of 42. Natural gas fired power plants. The average efficiency of solar panels falls between the 17 to 19 percent efficiency range.

Most commercially available solar panels have more than 10 times this efficiency. Determining the relative efficiency of photosynthesis and photovoltaics is not a simple problem by david biello on may 12 2011. The photosynthetic efficiency is the fraction of light energy converted into chemical energy during photosynthesis in green plants and algae. Combined cycle gas plants where the heat is used in addition to the mechanical energy to generate electricity manage to make it up to about 54 efficiency.

Photosynthesis can be described by the simplified chemical reaction 6 h 2 o 6 co 2 energy c 6 h 12 o 6 6 o 2. Guided by common sense we d say that the plants billions of years of experience in capturing and storing energy will win. Both solar cells and plants process sunlight one way or the other but there s a catch. The efficiencies of these plants range from 35 to 38.

The ultimate way to compare solar energy to fossil fuels is by cost where solar has quickly caught up with its non renewable counterparts. Solar panels have been consistently increasing in efficiency at about 5 annually since 2010. Monocrystalline panel efficiencies can range from 17 to 22.