The Positive Effects Of Snow And Cold On Solar Panels

Just about everyone knows that winter in Northern climates is bad for solar panel power output. But did you know that the snow and cold temperatures also provide a very valuable benefit to solar panel power productions.

In summer we have more sun, more heat, more power, more fun. But in summer as the temperatures heat up, so do your solar panels. Solar panel power output is reduced as the panels heat up. Actually a cooler solar panel produces more power than a hot one.

I have personally tested this out at my off grid homestead in the last couple years. The minute I raised the solar panels and allowed cool air to flow under them on a hot summer day they produced more power.

The same is true in winter. Although in winter we have less sun and shorter days in Northern climates, we do have a couple benefits of the winter weather.

Cold air keeps the solar panels cool and happy. That means that they will produce more power compared to a hot summer day with the same amount of solar radiation. This does not mean you will have more power production than in summer though because the sun is lower in the sky and you just do not get as much solar radiation. But it does mean a bit of a gain.

Another nice benefit from the North is snow on the ground. We all know that the sun shining on a snowy day is blinding. This is good for our solar panels. It is like a million mirrors all reflecting the sun at your solar panels. All this bright light means more power output from your solar panels as compared to a day with no snow on the ground.

So, winter can be a happy solar power time as well.

Follow my daily progress on the path to self sufficiency on my off grid solar homestead.
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