Efficiency Of Plants Vs Solar Panels

Photosynthesis is less efficient than solar panels.

Efficiency of plants vs solar panels.

Monocrystalline solar panels usually have the highest efficiency and power capacity out of all types of solar panels. Factors that affect solar panel efficiency. Most commercially available solar panels have more than 10 times this efficiency. 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.

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. Which are better to capture solar energy. 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. The efficiencies of these plants range from 35 to 38.

Coal plants achieve from 33 to 40 efficiency in the best cases with the rest being just wasted heat. In terms of environmental impact solar power is a much more optimal resource than fossil fuels. According to the wikipedia page on photosynthetic efficiency typical plants have a radiant energy to chemical energy conversion efficiency between 0 1 and 2. Where c 6 h 12 o 6 is glucose which is subsequently transformed into other sugars cellulose lignin and so forth.

Natural gas fired power plants. 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. The photosynthetic efficiency is the fraction of light energy converted into chemical energy during photosynthesis in green plants and algae.

The highest efficiency solar panels on the market today can reach almost 23 percent efficiency. The ultimate way to compare solar energy to fossil fuels is by cost where solar has quickly caught up with its non renewable counterparts. In terms of reliable application coal and natural gas have the edge. Both solar cells and plants process sunlight one way or the other but there s a catch.

Monocrystalline panel efficiencies can range from 17 to 22. Guided by common sense we d say that the plants billions of years of experience in capturing and storing energy will win. One of them is more efficient.