What is more effiecient? a solar thermal system or a solar photovolaic system?
d.c. wattage
That depends on the panel.
The power output of a solar panel is measured in watts, not kilowatts. A typical residential solar panel can produce about 250-400 watts. To calculate kilowatts, divide the wattage by 1,000.
500 volts!!
It wouldn't produce any electricity.
Actually you can. A photovoltaic cell (a.k.a. solar panel) does precisely that.
A solar panel produces electricity through a process called the photovoltaic effect. When sunlight hits the solar panel, it excites the electrons in the silicon cells, creating an electric current. This current is then captured and converted into usable electricity for powering homes and devices.
One solar cell will produce 0.6 volts at up to 4 amps. This would be a total wattage of about 2 watts. There are a great number of variances that could make this number higher or lower, but is a good basic reference.
a solar panel
A solar panel produces energy by converting sunlight into electricity through a process called the photovoltaic effect. When sunlight hits the solar panel, it excites the electrons in the silicon cells, creating an electric current. This current is then captured and converted into usable electricity for powering homes and devices.
The amount of power generated by a solar tracker depends upon the type of tracking system used. A fixed tracker will produce less electricity than an active tracker because a fixed tracker only creates maximum energy when the sun is directly in line with the panel. Active trackers follow the sun and produce consistent electricity as the sun moves through the sky. The size of the panel also affects how much power is produced, as large solar installations will obviously generate more electricity than a small panel on a house. Solar panels usually have a number listed on the back that shows the power output you can expect in ideal conditions, but this is not usually what is actually produced. Generally, a standard solar panel on a house can produce about 200 watts of power each day.
The only thing that lies with in the casing of the solar panels are the photovoltic cells which are used to produce the electricity.