Okay. You’re considering taking the step and getting solar panels, but what if you don’t live an area that receives constant direct sunlight like Hawaii or California? Well, we have good news for you!
Solar Panels and Clouds
It’s no secret that solar panels generate the most electricity on a clear day with lots of sunshine. So, what about those cloudy/bad weather days? Fortunately, solar panels do still work, just not as efficiently. Depending on the density of the clouds, solar panels can produce about 10-25% of their normal output.
So, even though your panels may not produce as much as on a sunny day, cloudy locations are still good candidates for solar. Germany for instance, even though predominately cloudy, was the leading producer of solar energy in 2015.
Solar Panels at Night
In order to convert sunlight into electricity, there needs to be sun. But, there is still an option to use your solar power during the night.
Solar panels to go into standby mode at night. Once this happens, your home is still connected to the utility grid and your power will be drawn from there. During the day, the grid will act as a bank where you can deposit the extra power from your solar system. Your utility company will then pay you for energy that you “sell” back to them. So, technically your system isn’t working at night, but because of net-metering you are able to draw your power back from the grid.
From an overall standpoint, when considering your panel’s productivity, you’ll be looking at the whole year and not a specific day. This means that, on the average, even with these periods of less/no sun, your return investment won’t be effected. Save money with us and join the solar community!