Do Solar Panels Produce More In Summer Than Winter

Solar power generation in summer vs.

Do solar panels produce more in summer than winter.

Solar panels generate free electricity no matter what temperature it is outside and operate most efficiently in cool and sunny weather. For more information about solar power during the winter months talk to the experts from sunpower by quality home services by dialing 800 496 3074 today. This is a well known phenomenon and you will see it listed in the specifications on your solar panel datasheet. If you live in new england you might only get 8 or 9 hours of sunshine max.

This means that solar power generation is significantly less during the winter than it is during the summer. There is a common misconception that solar panels generate more energy in summer because of the heat associated with the season. Thus the power as a whole increases though there is a tiny increase in the current generated on increasing temperature. At boston solar we install high performance solar panels that are designed to withstand the boston area s freezing temperatures and heavy snow.

This means that your panels will produce more power for each precious hour of sunshine during the short days of winter. Check out powerhome solar s blog. In addition roofs are often sloped which allows snow to fall off more easily. So your daily solar output will also be less than it would be during the summer months.

In the sunnier summer months your system can generate more energy than you use generating electric bill credits. Winter months are actually good for solar energy production as long as your panels aren t covered by snow. Like most electronics solar panels function more efficiently in cold conditions than in hot. Heavy snow cover can block out the sun.

Solar panels work better in colder temperatures. This is because that solar panels produce less electricity when it s hot. For example many california residents will take advantage of friendly net metering laws to build up a substantial credit during the summer months when their panels produce the most energy and then use the credit to help offset the increased utility bill costs during winter. Depending on the type of solar panels you ve installed in your home you may actually have more issues cooling down your solar panels in the summer than you will with energy output in the winter.

In the cloudier winter months your system may generate less energy than you use and you can use the credits you generated during the summer. Get smarter about solar. While cold temperatures help solar panels convert energy more efficiently shorter days will have an impact on your energy output since solar panels can only work when there s sunlight in the sky. Yes assuming same irradiance solar panels generate more power in the winter than in the summer because the output voltage of a solar cell increases on decreasing the temperature.

It turns out that you might get your best solar energy output in the spring and not the summer as you might think. Solar panels actually work more efficiently in cooler winter temperatures. Solar panel annual energy output. However the real reason for this seasonal energy boost is that summer day are longer not hotter.