With so many different panels from hundreds of different manufacturers, which one should you buy?  Are they all the same, or do some work more efficiently than others? This is a question that we at Apollo have studied for a long time. Two panels with the same claimed outputs and the same physical appearance can, in the real world, generate totally different amounts of electricity; one may generate up to 15% more than the other.

How is this possible? If a panel has been designed and built with cost as the main factor, then this panel will perform well at standard test condition. However in the real world standard test conditions rarely exist. In the UK light levels equivalent to standard test conditions typically account for less than 1% of daylight, meaning that over 99% of daylight in the UK is lower than the light levels used in standard test conditions. So if all panels are tested at standard test conditions how do we know which panels will work best in the UK?

If a panel has been designed and built to perform well in the Northern European climate then it will perform best at light levels lower than standard test conditions. This type of panel is best suited to the climate in the UK. But in order to scientifically determine which panels will work best in the UK, independent test data is required. After extensive research in to this subject we have found that the only independent and trustworthy testing of solar panels undertaken in northern Europe is conducted by the Photon laboratory Gmbh. Furthermore with the climate at the Photon test site in Germany being similar to that of the UK, it is an excellent indicator of which panels will work best in the UK. Please click the following to read more about the PHOTON test.

The PHOTON Laboratory