DO SOLAR PANELS WORK IN COLD WEATHER, IN WINTER?? DO I GET LESS POWER FROM MY SYSTEM IN WINTER??

solar panel in winter

Well to answer the above questions let’s first look at How Solar PV Panels work:

→ When the sun shines onto your roof, photons (basically units of LIGHT) hit your panels and result in movement of electrons in the cells of your panel. This motion of electrons directly converts into an electric current, thus production of electricity!! So it is NOT the heat that results in production of electricity but the LIGHT. In-fact panels are LESS efficient in summer than in winter as their performance is “derated” by the heat… they operate less efficiently at high temperatures [1].

The important factor that needs to be considered is called “sun-hours”. Sun hours are, in simple words, a measure of the number of hours an area receives “significant” amount of sunshine. Generally Zimbabwe has an average of around 6.5 sun-hours in summer and an average of around 5 sun-hours in winter [2] (however a case by case consideration has to be taken into account in design and sizing). So we do receive less sunlight in winter (in terms of duration). Winter months typically have a lot of cloud cover limiting the amount of sunshine received by most areas. So effectively on average, most areas receive about 23% less sun-hours (or a more technical term called incident solar radiation). Because this sunshine, the light, is directly responsible for production of electricity, the power produced from the panels is also directly affected and overally the system produces less power in winter. It is important that, at design stage, the system is sized to cover such periods of low levels of sunlight.

So yes, solar panels do work in winter!! Solar panels are NOT affected by cold weather, but by less sunlight. And yes they produce less power in winter due to low levels of sunlight but if your system was well designed and sized you will generally not see the difference.

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Sources:

1. https://www.sciencefocus.com/science/do-solar-panels-work-better-on-hot-days/

2. International Conference on Alternative Energy in Developing Countries and Emerging Economies. (2017) Study on Isolated Solar Home Systems for Application in Zimbabwe. Available at https://pdf.sciencedirectassets.com/

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About Author:

Lovewell Chitiyo is a Mechanical Engineer with 15 years experience in the building services Engineering consultancy, renewable energy systems and sustainable design fields. He is currently studying Masters in Renewable Energy at Stellenbosch University in South Africa

Lovewell is an Accredited Professional with the Green Building Council of South Africa for Existing Buildings Performance and New Buildings; Interiors, holding several qualifications and certification in Renewable Energy and Sustainability.

Lovewell also has vast experience in design, supervision, installation and commissioning of several projects locally and regionally in the last 15 years.