Different module sizes - different efficiencies

When planning a PV system, you probably will be confronted with a countless number of different solar modules. This variety in design, size and efficiencies raises questions that need to be answered in order to select the solar module type that fits best to your project.

PV plant is not PV plant. Clearly, the size of the future PV plant is a key indicator on what kind of module shall be chosen. A smaller, private plant differs from a large-scale project. This also has an impact on the substructure used. Apart from general properties, there are also some soft facts that might the selection of solar modules: Special snow/wind load zones also require respective modules.

Very important characteristics in order to distinguish between the different types of modules are: the module efficiency, the efficiency per square meter, the size and last but not least the price.

A smaller and a bigger module with the same wattage figure differ in efficiency. Therefore, it is recommended to look at the wattage peak per square meter. Planning with the largest modules is not automatically the most efficient solution. In addition to the efficiency per square meter, the costs for the installation and the needed accessories (such as the substructure, etc.) also play a role in the price of a solar plant. Therefore, depending on the design, it might make sense to use smaller dimensions in order to achieve an optimal roof utilization, optimized costs and the highest possible efficiency.

Here you can find a comparison of different module dimensions and their watt peaks per square meter: