Pv Solar Panels Ptc Ratings

The stc and ptc ratings of solar panels are one of the ways of comparing the performance of one brand and or type of solar panel to another.

Pv solar panels ptc ratings. Every panel is assigned a nameplate power output value which is measured using stc standard test conditions. The ptc of solar panels with stc rating of 260 watts varies in the gosolarcalifornia table. Ptc power rating power ratings measure a solar panel s power output in watts. So what is ptc rating on a solar module and how is it used.

Stc stands for standard test conditions. The jinko solar jkm260p 60 watts polycrystalline module has a ptc rating of 238 2 watts and an stc rating of 260 watts. The percentage drop off depends largely on the type of solar panel materials used and the manufacturer. As the panel heats up as they all do in the real world its output goes down.

Pv panels nominal ratings and real production. Their ptc ratings varied from 217 1 watts ptc stc 0 835 to 239 8 watts ptc stc 0 922 the canadian solar panel referenced above is at the high end of the scale ptc stc 0 919 it s important to note what the ptc testing reveals not all panels with the same stc rating perform the same. Each pv panel is rated at 215 watts under stc conditions and 187 watts under ptc conditions. Stc ratings are always higher than ptc because they are based on the modules instant output under ideal conditions.

What are solar panel ptc ratings. The ptc rating represents a more real life condition of 1 000 watts per square meter solar irradiance 1 5 air mass and 20 degrees c. Because the stc rating is a measurement calculated under ideal laboratory conditions it s not always a useful metric for designing your system. If you want to know how photovoltaic panels will perform in the real world look for their ptc ratings.

For the sake of example if you are getting 5 hours of direct sunlight per day in a sunny state like california you can calculate your solar panel output this way. Meaning the normal expected pv condition expected on a utility scale project. Thus the output for each solar panel in your array would. Ambient temperature at 10 meters above ground level and wind speed of 1 meter.

How much energy does a solar panel produce. They are very important when more than one solar panel is to be used together in an array. Ptc is often referred to as pvusa test condition but more explicitly it is photovoltaics for utility scale applications test condition. 5 hours x 290 watts an example wattage of a premium solar panel 1 450 watts hours or roughly 1 5 kilowatt hours kwh.

In the 1990s the national renewable energy laboratory nrel developed a set of pv test.