Are Solar Panels Efficient In Winter

An average day of solar generation in winter.

Are solar panels efficient in winter.

It doesn t snow every day and most days my solar panels are clean. Yet the cons are primarily due to infrequent heavy snows and the shorter days. If every day was like this i d get 120 kwh for the month which is pretty exactly what my 5 year average was. However the impact temperature has on solar panels mainly depends on the voltage of your units.

The efficiency and energy production of solar panels diminish somewhat in winter conditions. Like most electronics solar panels function more efficiently in cold conditions than in hot. On the other hand the efficiency and energy production of solar panels is typically enhanced by cold temperatures. Winter months are actually good for solar energy production as long as your panels aren t covered by snow.

If you choose sunpower solar panels over other conventional panels you ll have a system that is proven to hold efficiency much better in low light conditions. Don t rely on your panels in winter to heat your hot water or run your electric heating but remember that the savings over the whole year should pay for the system in less than 10 years. As long as there is light your system will convert it into clean energy. Solar panels are most efficient when it s cold and sunny outside so they ll still be able to produce energy as long as you re not living in the arctic circle or somewhere else that gets very little sun in the winter.

This means that your panels will produce more power for each precious hour of sunshine during the short days of winter. This is what that looks like. The sun rises at 8 am and sets at 4 pm.