At the onset of California's solar rebate program, the California Energy Commission wanted to level the playing field for solar panel manufacturers, so they hired an independent testing laboratory called PVUSA to test and rate every solar panel that was to participate in the State's rebate program.

For example a solar panel that had a manufacturer provided STC (Standard Test Condition) or labeled rating of 100 Watts would have their panel tested by PVUSA and might be given a PTC rating or PVUSA rating of 89.4 Watts. It wasn't that the manufacturers were being dishonest it's just that PVUSA uses different parameters that they feel represent more real world conditions.

So the higher the PTC rating, the more power you'll get from a solar panel.

Here's a comparison of the Mitsubishi PV-MF170EB3 170 Watt solar panel PTC rating to the PTC rating of several other manufacturer's 170 Watt solar panel as listed on the California Energy Commission's website.

A higher PTC rating means better real world performance !

And Mitsubishi uses no lead in the construction of their solar panels !

Sharp Corporation

NE-170U1

170W Multisilicon Module

149.9

NA

BP Solar

BP4170S

170W 24V Single Crystal Module (universal frame), new AR, Multicontact

150.7

NA

Powerlight Corp.

PL-BP-485L Double Module

170W Powerguard Roof Tile (Two BP-485L modules)

148

NA

AstroPower, Inc.

AP6-170

170W Single Crystal Module

150.1

NA

 Visit the State's website and compare Mitsubishi's performance for yourself !                 

http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/cgi-bin/eligible_pvmodules.cgi

The difference in PTC rated wattage may not seem like much, but add up the difference over 365 days per year for the next 25 years and the difference is obvious !

 

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