How to determine the power output of a solar panel?

Although it may seem obvious, the best way to find out how much power a solar panel provides is to consult the manufacturer's data sheet. You can also find this out by looking on the reverse side, where the technical characteristics of the module are usually listed. The power shows the capacity of a solar panel, i.e. the maximum capacity it has for generating energy.

To establish the power output of a solar panel, it's important to keep in mind that the power output is the result of multiplying the voltage by the current of each panel. When calculating the generation capacity that a solar panel has, aspects such as the weather, the time of year, hours of exposure to solar radiation (including possible shade) or the inclination and orientation, among others, will also be key.

The unit of measurement for the output of a solar panel is a kilowatt peak or kWp. The kWp measures the peak power, which is the maximum power that a panel can generate under standard conditions. The kWp is also used to compare the power output between solar panels and is always used in reference to the solar photovoltaic field.

Finally, if you want to find out how effective solar panels are, you should bear in mind that the type of installation also determines the capacity a solar panel has. Holaluz’s solar panel installations are shared self-consumption, meaning our clients can enjoy up to €710/kWp of power. That’s more than traditional self-consumption, which only offers €600/kWp.