What is Efficiency?

The efficiency of any electrical device is defined by the ratio between the useful work produced by the total energy consumed. Efficiency can also be considered in terms of the power used and outputted by a device.

The symbol η is often used to denote efficiency.

For example, a lightbulb is designed to emit light by consuming electrical power.

Incandescent lightbulbs are considered to be inefficient devices as they produce very little light for the amount of power they consume. A lot of the power consumed is wasted as heat.

Electrical devices, such as a lighbulb, power consumption can be calculated.

Efficiency of Solar Cells

Despite solar cells producing power, they still have an efficiency associated with their operation. The basic efficiency of a solar cell is the power it can produce from the incident light hitting the cell.

In comparison to a simple device, the efficiency of photovoltaic cells depend on several different factors.