Do Solar Panels Work Effectively Over The Winter Months?
Solar panels have become a huge topic of interest amongst both businesses and homeowners, as installation prices continue to decrease and their value for money continues to increase with more efficient photovoltaic cells.
One of the biggest barriers in the way of wider adoption of solar power is misconceptions about their capabilities. For example, there is a belief that solar panels do not work at all in winter, not only is that not the case, but there are times when it can generate power more efficiently.
The reason for this is that solar panels are powered by light rather than heat, which means that solar panels will work in any daylight hours, as long as the panels are not obscured by shadows.
Therefore, on a sunny winter day, a solar panel could actually work more effectively, as the solar panel does not overheat and generates less energy as a consequence.
The chilly temperatures reduce electrical resistance, boosting the capacity to generate power.
This helps to offset the most obvious negative aspect of winter when it comes to solar panels, which is that there are far fewer daylight hours than there would be around the time of the summer solstice when the days are at their longest in the year.
As well as this, the sun tends to be lower in the sky, which can affect the optimum angle of power generation and force light to face more atmospheric resistance before it reaches the solar panel, as well as end up blocked by nearby trees or buildings.
Finally, there is snow, rain and cloud cover, all of which can potentially reduce the power generated by a solar panel. However, in the case of snow and rain, having the panels tilted will help naturally guide the debris off of the panels, reducing the need to remove it manually.
