The discussion centers on the efficiency of photovoltaic solar panels, specifically noting that a solar panel with a 13.1% efficiency converts photons into electrical energy, while 86.9% of the energy is lost as thermal energy. This thermal energy is not considered "lost" in the traditional sense, as it is absorbed by the panel material or reflected. The efficiency metric is defined as the ratio of electrical energy output to the total solar energy incident on the panel, highlighting the importance of understanding energy conversion in solar technology.
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It is not exactly lost because it was never captured by the solar panel cells. The efficiency of a solar panel would be the ratio of electrical energy output to the solar energy incident on the panel. The solar energy not converted to electrical energy would be absorbed by the panel material as heat, or reflected as heat or light.xharville said:Would it be safe to say that the energy not converted to electricity by a photovolatic panel is lost as thermal energy. Therefore if a solar panel has a 13.1 % efficiency at converting photons into electric energy then 86.9% is loss as thermal energy.