Efficiency Of Plants Vs Solar Panels

Which are better to capture solar energy.

Efficiency of plants vs solar panels.

Most commercially available solar panels have more than 10 times this efficiency. Photosynthesis is less efficient than solar panels. Natural gas fired power plants. The photosynthetic efficiency is the fraction of light energy converted into chemical energy during photosynthesis in green plants and algae.

Ultra super critical pressure power plants at 300 bar and 600 600 c can achieve efficiencies in the range of 45 to 48 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. Determining the relative efficiency of photosynthesis and photovoltaics is not a simple problem by david biello on may 12 2011. Guided by common sense we d say that the plants billions of years of experience in capturing and storing energy will win.

Coal plants achieve from 33 to 40 efficiency in the best cases with the rest being just wasted heat. The highest efficiency solar panels on the market today can reach almost 23 percent efficiency. Solar panels have been consistently increasing in efficiency at about 5 annually since 2010. The efficiencies of these plants range from 35 to 38.

Super critical power plants operating at 220 bar and 600 600 c can achieve efficiencies of 42. Both solar cells and plants process sunlight one way or the other but there s a catch. One of them is more efficient. Monocrystalline solar panels usually have the highest efficiency and power capacity out of all types of solar panels.

In terms of environmental impact solar power is a much more optimal resource than fossil fuels. 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. Where c 6 h 12 o 6 is glucose which is subsequently transformed into other sugars cellulose lignin and so forth. 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.

In terms of reliable application coal and natural gas have the edge. Factors that affect solar panel efficiency. The average efficiency of solar panels falls between the 17 to 19 percent efficiency range.