Most solar panels that you purchase contain in the region of thirty six solar cells of various sizes and will influence the watt or amperage of the panels.  Panels are constructed on a sturdy backing board and the solar cells which are constructed from moncrystalline or polycrystalline cells are used to produce the panels.

Monocrystalline solar cells are manufactured from a very thin silicon sheet is around one millimetre thick and is brought into being from a single silicon crystal.  Monocrystalline panels are much more productive than their polychrystalline counterparts.  In polychrystalline cells, the crystals are multifaceted and are less effective.  They do however cost a fair deal less and are often used for domestic solar panels.

If you live in the northern hemisphere, then it is important to place your solar panels facing south and visa versa for those living in the southern hemisphere in order to take advantage of the maximum amount of sunlight.

When it comes to the calculation of electricity units, solar energy is measured n kilowatts with one kilowatt equalling one thousand watts.  While it may be true that one square meter of the earth surface has the potential to produce a thousand watts of electricity in a day, solar panels are only around 10-15 percent efficient and the amount of energy they produce is only relative to the quality of the panels themselves and the quality of direct sunlight, with clouds, rain and other inclement weather conditions playing an adverse role in the production of electricity.

Under the most stringent of conditions, even the very best solar panels are only around 40% efficient making it impossible to improve this with the present technology, but considering that the energy is both clean and renewable, the loss in efficiency is a small price to pay.