SunPower has again set a new solar power panel efficiency record, as validated by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). After achieving 22.8% efficiency for its X-Series solar panel earlier this year, SunPower has reached 24.1% efficiency – surpassing the previous world record for the highest efficiency of a solar panel using silicon cells.

"With greater efficiency, we can fit more watts on the roof with the outstanding reliability of the SunPower X-Series solar panel," said Peter Cousins, SunPower senior vice president, research, development and deployment. "SunPower's world record efficiency panels offer customers the best value for energy and superior aesthetics due to our unique architecture."

NREL rigorously evaluates renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies and maintains the industry's accepted chart of records. This module was made using laboratory solar cells of 25% mean efficiency and builds on the commercially available SunPower X-Series architecture, pushing the design to the next level.

"SunPower's X-Series panel was tested by our lab under standard test or reporting conditions," said NREL scientist Keith Emery, manager of the PV cell and module performance laboratory. "The module measured 11310.1 cm2 (aperture area) and had a power of 272.5 Watts. We recorded 24.1 percent efficiency, which is a new record for silicon module efficiency."

SunPower has a proud tradition of raising the bar on efficiency. In February, NREL tested and verified that a SunPower® X-Series solar panel reached 22.8% efficiency – a new world record among panels in production. Compared to conventional solar panels with efficiencies that range from 15 to 18 percent, a SunPower X-Series solar panel produces up to 70% more energy in the same space over the first 25 years.

(Photo Credit: SunPower's blog)