system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
What happens if you reflect more sunlight on to a solar cell with mirrors?

Will it generate more electricity or are they pretty much maxed out in their regular set up?
gpt
The solar panels' power increases more-or-less linearly with the amount of light falling onto them. Using concentrators (lenses or mirrors) is a good strategy for increasing power output cheaply. There are a few hitches though:

Temperature: Solar cells' efficiency drops as they heat up. More light on the same area of solar cells causes them to run hotter, and be less efficient. The diminishing returns effect isn't too bad, it is quite possible to go up to 1000 times amplification without too much ill effect. (I am not responsible for accidental eye damage and death rays if you try this at home).

Aim: Concentrators only work if the system is properly aimed toward the source of light. A little skew and you get nothing. Same goes for diffuse lighting: a little haze reduces their power dramatically. Regular cells power only drops off as a cosine of mis-aim, and still produce significant electricity on cloudy days.