Even in the middle of winter, solar panels still produce electricity. This is because they use light, not heat to make power. However, it is true that photovoltaic technology is less effective during the winter and this does need to be factored in when planning your installation.

How efficient are solar panels in winter?

Because there are fewer hours of daylight in winter you panels will be generating electricity for less time. As the sun is also lower in the sky at this time of year, it will spend less time hitting the optimum angle for your panels to work at their highest possible efficiency. This means that on the very shortest days of the year, your panels can end up producing only around a fifth of what you would generate in summer. You must therefore take steps to balance out this lower efficiency in winter across the year.

How to plan for year round energy generation

Understanding how the efficiency of your panels can vary over the year is an important part of planning how much energy generating capacity you wish to add. Ideally, you should aim to over produce in summer to compensate for the reduced efficiency in winter. This means in summer you might end up exporting a significant amount of electricity to the grid, then having to buy it back during the winter.

Get the most out of your solar panels in winter

By and large solar panels take care of themselves and need little in the way of attention to keep working effectively. However, anything which prevents sunlight from reaching the panels will make them less efficient, so make sure to keep your panels clear of leaves and snow if possible. It’s a good idea to keep hedges and evergreen trees near your property trimmed back if they are in danger of blocking the sun from reaching your panels.

You can also look at investing in battery storage technology to allow you to use as much of the electricity you generate as possible yourself. This is beneficial all year round as most of us use more electricity in the evening when there is little or no light and much less during the day when our panels are producing the most power.

Metrotile’s photovoltaic roof tiles offer an effective and attractive way to generate your own electricity at home or for your business all year round. They are also covered by our standard 40 year weatherproof guarantee, meaning you can be confident they will keep out even the harshest winter weather.

To find out more call Metrotile today on 01249 658 514 or use our contact form for a swift response.