Photovoltaic panels work by converting sunlight into an electric charge, which is then used to power any electrical equipment or fittings in your home. Given this, it’s natural to ask how well they’ll work during the colder winter months. Happily, they will continue to work in any environment where there is sunlight, so winter won’t make them useless, although in some circumstances their efficiency may be affected.

Daylight

As PV systems work by converting light, and not heat, the fact that it’s a bit nippy out won’t stop them from working altogether! Even when it is cloudy, so long as there is some light, they will continue to run. The panels will, however, produce more power when the sun is stronger and when there is less cloud cover. This applies to summer days, too. Although weaker sunlight may make them less efficient, their presence will still have a noticeable impact on your energy bills, even in winter.

Supplementary Power

Here in the UK, we also have noticeably shorter days during the cooler months. This will of course restrict the amount of energy that can be produced by your photovoltaic system. All this means that it is advisable to not have your full power needs serviced by solar energy. You should keep your connection to the national grid, and when your panels are producing less energy than your home needs, it will be supplemented. Most types of cell also do not store energy, but feed it to your home for immediate use, so you’ll always need electricity for night time.

Obstructions

It may seem obvious, but you’ll need to brush away any physical obstructions that will block out sunlight such as leaves in the autumn and snow in the winter. Obviously, sunlight can’t get through these, so the panels will stop working! Rain shouldn’t have too big an impact however.

At Metrotile, we have a range of photovoltaic roofing options that can either be fitted to existing roofs, or come integrated into tiles that fit seamlessly into our attractive roofing systems. If you like the sound of a roof system that produces green energy year-round, then contact us today for your free estimate.