BP 340 Makes a Mark in Solar Energy

BP global, founded in 1901 as an oil rigging company with exclusive drilling rights in Persia, has always been a major player in the energy production business. In 2004, BP's solar energy group reported its first profit and the company doubled its manufacturing capacity for solar panels. BP continues their commitment to alternate power and solar energy sources with an annual sustainability report.

One of BP's most profitable product lines is the solar panel line. With capacities ranging from 5 to 200 watts, the back bone of this line is the BP 340, a 40 watt photovoltaic solar panel.

The panel is robust and trustworthy. Providing 12 volts of current at just 12.65 pounds, its dependability makes it appealing to recreation vehicle enthusiasts for their off grid electrical needs. It is also suited for remote control panel operations such as oil and gas drilling, field telecommunications and battery charging. The panel comes with a junction box pre-wired, making installation a snap.

One of the finest features of this line of solar panels is BP's warranty. The warranty combines a 12 year warranty at 90% output (or 36 watts); a 25 year warranty at 80% output (or 32 watts) and 5 year manufacturer's guarantee, ensure that the panels are free from defects. Stringent testing requirements insure that every panel is as strong as possible. The BP 340 panel is often referred to as a workhorse.

This particular panel uses polycrystalline cell technology. The collector cells are coated in tiny crystalline grains that create a film. This film covers the panel and absorbs energy from the high end of the light spectrum. This end of the spectrum produces light energy with the highest charged photons, thus creating more energy per foot of panel.