Are you thinking about installing a solar panel system and wondering how the weather affects their efficiency?
For most of us, we are used to regular conventional power that is part of the big grid. Most of us aren’t accustomed to building a system to harness energy for ourselves based on the largest energy source available, the sun!
So the question is, what happens in times such as the winter or on rainy seasons?
In actuality, solar panels are a reliable, renewable resource even in the cold climate and year round.
Solar panels actually produce electricity more efficiently in cold weather as heat actually decreases solar panel electricity production!
The energy for solar panels are made from the sun’s light, not the sun’s heat.
Although the cold weather is better for solar panels with panels losing their efficiency around 77 degrees Fahrenheit, it is possible the angle of your solar panels may have to be changed in the winter to harness more of the sun’s light.
Snow, on the other hand, can become an issue since heavy snowfall can block the panels from their energy source. So if you are in an area where heavy snow is common in the winter, it may be best to install heavy duty panels. In addition, it is likely you will have to think ahead to how you will clear snow from the panels in the event they become blocked by snow.
Solar energy is really on the rise. Some cities are even providing incentives for those who are utilizing solar energy as their energy source!
Rain is also not an issue for solar panels. The sun is going to rise everyday and deliver energy to your solar panels even through rain clouds. The density of the clouds plays a factor, but the sun will still deliver energy regardless.
In addition, rain is helpful to solar panels because it washes away dust and other particles that have settled there!
This is all to say, although the certain weather can sometimes be an adversary for us, it’s never an adversary for the sun itself. The energy from the sun can break through the barriers set before it to deliver you the energy you need to keep your life going in your home!
Solar panels are great for the planet and over time, pay for themselves! Do your research and consider how solar panel energy can benefit you!
