SolarCity produces most efficient rooftop solar panel in the world

American solar provider SolarCity have unveiled a rooftop solar panel with a module efficiency of over 22 percent - making it the most efficient residential solar panel in the world.

The panel was tested by the Renewable Energy Test Center and showed an impressive 22.04 percent module-level efficiency. Not only does the panel produce 30-40 percent more energy than traditional solar panels but it also works well in higher temperatures meaning it can continue being extremely efficient even it hot climates where other solar panels may not perform as well. SolarCity have also explained that the panels are created under a 'proprietary process' which reduces the manufacturing cost compared to other high efficiency technologies.

How efficient are solar panels normally?

The majority of residential rooftop solar panels are between 11-15 percent efficient according to Pure Energies. This illustrates how big a leap SolarCity's new panel is, especially considering it matches the size (and amount of space needed for installation) as many other panels.

When will they hit the market?

The company will start producing the panels in smaller quantities this month but expects to be producing between 9,000 – 10,000 higher efficiency panels on a daily basis in the future. SolarCity has also stated that they expect to implement these new panels in homes and businesses but that they would also be ideal for utility scale solar projects.

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