Solar panel sizes ? Same output but smaller ?

[Davebones]

I've been educating myself on solar panel systems . It seems now most of the panels for a home system are roughly 60"x40" give or take . For you guys in the industry have they always been roughly this size ? Do you see the panels getting smaller in the future and still produce as much power ?

 

[jaggedben]

No, I'm seeing panels getting bigger in an arms race to claim more wattage per panel when homeowners are clueless that that it is a minor factor compared to price per watt or wattage per square foot.

For about 10 years the def facto standard format (not including Sunpower of course) was 60 6" cells in residential and 72 6" cells in commercial. That's about 66×40" when you account for the frame and space between cells (not 60" like you said). But now we are seeing 66 cell panels taking over in residential, 11x6 arrangement, about 73" long. So right now it's a mix of the 60 and 66 cell sizes, and also a lot more volatility in what's available (which is annoying because if you need to change panels after you have a design, there are fewer options of similar size.)

All dimensions mentioned above are give or take a couple inches.

 

[BandGap1.1eV]

We have not seen a noticable jump in cell efficiency in a few years. They are all hanging in the 20-21% range with SunPower/Maxeon in the 22+% range. So instead to brag that YXX manufactture has the highest power available, they are simply adding more cells. There are 550W modules available now. They are bifacial, weight 80 lbs, and are the size of a sheet of plywood, but they are very high wattage.

 

[pv_n00b]

Eventually, you will just send the roof measurement to a module manufacturer and the manufacturer will make a single PV module to size to fit on the roof. You will install it with a crane.

 

[winnie]

Or it goes the other way, teeny tiny panels that the 3d printer can install after it finished the house

 

[pv_n00b]

Or it goes the other way, teeny tiny panels that the 3d printer can install after it finished the house

Of just make the shingles into PV modules.

 

[drcampbell]

I'm looking forward to the price of solar panels falling (or the price of Diesel fuel rising) to the point where the roof of every truck and trailer is covered with panels and solar power provides some of the motive power.

 

[jaggedben]

The problem with any form of BIPV such as solar shingles is that a problem with one thing is always a problem with the other thing. i.e. if you have a leak, you need a solar electrician to come fix it, and if you have a solar production issue, you need a roofer to come fix it. Basically nobody except the original installer who is familiar with exactly that product and installation will want to touch it, or really be qualified to. And if that company becomes overwhelmed in their service department, like Tesla (why not name names?), then you're pretty much effed. Since there's also no meaningful cost savings, I personally believe it's an idea whose time will never come.

 

[pv_n00b]

BIPV is 100% for aesthetics. It's less desirable on every other metric of a good PV system. But if you want that "look" you pay the price.

 

[gadfly56]

I'm looking forward to the price of solar panels falling (or the price of Diesel fuel rising) to the point where the roof of every truck and trailer is covered with panels and solar power provides some of the motive power.

Planning to live forever, are you?

 

[drcampbell]

Planning to, no. Not even hoping to.
But I'm still going to put the idea out there in hopes that somebody will do it.

Unfortunately, one of the big problems that will prevent it from happening is that trucks and trailers are rarely owned by the same corporation. Trailer owners won't implement because they don't buy fuel, and truck owners won't implement it because they wouldn't be able to retain their investment.

 

[winnie]

Given the power requirements needed to move a truck, I don't think it makes sense to plaster solar panels on the vehicles.

But I've thought for a while that it makes sense to use the airspace over roads for solar panels. They would gather energy while keeping rain and snow off the road surface.

Trucks would then have pantograph systems to grab power from overhead lines.

-Jon

 

[gadfly56]

Planning to, no. Not even hoping to.
But I'm still going to put the idea out there in hopes that somebody will do it.

Unfortunately, one of the big problems that will prevent it from happening is that trucks and trailers are rarely owned by the same corporation. Trailer owners won't implement because they don't buy fuel, and truck owners won't implement it because they wouldn't be able to retain their investment.

It's hard to get buy in when the costs are all on one party the benefits go to another. "Welcome to the collective, comrade."