Comment by DoctorOetker

1) yes solar panels should be cooled, but this is feasible with thermal radiation (yes it takes surface area)

2) pointing the panels straight at the sun for a sun-synchronous orbit is not exactly unobtainium technology

3) through 6) agreed, these issues need to be taken into account but I don't see how that meaningfully invalidates my claim that a solar panel operated at 25% efficiency turns ballpark ~75% of incident photons into heat. Thats basic thermodynamics.