Het zonnepaneel wekt meer stroom op.

Because zonnepaneel is a het-word in Dutch. Nouns in Dutch take either de or het, and this is something you usually have to learn with each noun.

So:

• het zonnepaneel = the solar panel

A useful tip: many compound nouns keep the gender of the last part. Here the main noun is paneel, and het paneel is correct, so the full compound is also het zonnepaneel.

It is a compound noun:

• zon = sun
• zonne- = sun-/solar-
• paneel = panel

So zonnepaneel literally means solar panel.

The -e in zonne- is a linking sound that often appears in compounds. English does this differently, but Dutch makes new nouns very freely by joining words together.

Because the full verb is opwekken, which is a separable verb.

• opwekken = to generate / produce
• in a main clause, it often splits:
  • Het zonnepaneel wekt meer stroom op.

So:

• wekt = the conjugated part
• op = the separable particle, which moves to the end

This is very common in Dutch. Compare:

• Ik sta op. = I get up.
• Hij belt me op. = He calls me up.

The subject is het zonnepaneel, which is third person singular, so the present tense form is wekt.

From opwekken:

• ik wek ... op
• jij wekt ... op
• hij/zij/het wekt ... op

So:

• het zonnepaneel wekt ... op

You do not normally say opwekt in this sentence, because in a normal main clause the separable verb splits.

In a normal Dutch main clause, the finite verb usually comes early in the sentence, and the separable prefix goes to the end.

Pattern:

• subject + finite verb + rest + separable prefix

So:

• Het zonnepaneel = subject
• wekt = finite verb
• meer stroom = object
• op = separable prefix at the end

But when the verb is not split, it stays together:

• Het zonnepaneel kan meer stroom opwekken.
• Omdat het zonnepaneel meer stroom opwekt...

Literally, stroom can mean current, flow, or electricity, depending on context.

In this sentence, meer stroom opwekken is most naturally understood as:

• generate more electricity
• or produce more power

In everyday Dutch, stroom is very often used where English would simply say electricity.

So while the literal sense is related to electrical current, the natural translation is often broader.

Because stroom here is being used as an uncountable noun, like English electricity or power.

So Dutch says:

• meer stroom = more electricity / more power

Just like English says:

• more water, not more waters
• more electricity, not more electricities

Meer means more. It is the comparative form related to veel/veel(e) in meaning.

So:

• veel stroom = a lot of electricity
• meer stroom = more electricity

The sentence implies a comparison, even if the thing being compared is not stated explicitly. For example:

• more than before
• more than another panel
• more than expected

Dutch often leaves that comparison unstated if the context makes it clear.

It means the solar panel generates more electricity. The word meer clearly adds a comparative meaning.

However, Dutch does not have to mention the second part of the comparison if it is already understood from context.

For example, it could mean:

• more than the old one
• more than yesterday
• more than another model

If you only wanted to say The solar panel generates electricity, you would say:

• Het zonnepaneel wekt stroom op.

Yes, that is possible. It means almost the same thing.

• stroom opwekken is very natural for electricity generation
• stroom produceren is also understandable, but opwekken is often the more idiomatic choice for generating electricity, power, heat, and similar things

So opwekken is a very useful verb to learn in this context.

In a subordinate clause, the separable verb usually stays together at the end.

Main clause:

• Het zonnepaneel wekt meer stroom op.

Subordinate clause:

• Ik denk dat het zonnepaneel meer stroom opwekt.

Notice the difference:

• main clause: wekt ... op
• subordinate clause: opwekt

That is a very common pattern in Dutch and one of the key things learners need to get used to.