It’s February, it’s cold and there’s snow on my solar panels. What do I do?

Most people in the northeast don’t believe that solar is a viable option. Here at PurePoint Energy, we want to make you aware of the advantages and disadvantages of solar in the North Country. This month we’ll blog once a week about New England solar specific topics.

Having solar panels in the north with shorter days of sunlight, colder temperatures, and snowfall might seem like a bust; we aren’t saying that Portland, Maine will generate more solar power than Albuquerque, NM – but solar is still effective. PurePoint Energy would like to explain to you the facts about solar energy in the winter. These facts will answer your questions on how snow melts off your panels and how lower temperatures can actually increase power output.

The low down on snow.

If the snow completely covers your solar panel the panel will not create any energy. Your thinking: Do I need to go up on my roof and scrape it off, risking life and limb to make sure I’m getting a good return on my investment? No.

The solar panels will typically create enough heat to melt the snow off by mid afternoon.

This graph was found at http://www.solardave.com/

Snow is translucent and will heat your dark solar panels. This graph shows the result of snow melting from morning until about 1:00pm. Typically snow will fall off in one sheet (so make sure to be careful that neither you nor your car is directly underneath). This is apparent in the graph above with the sharp increase in energy production. So when it snows be patient, just wait for the snow to melt off and think of the upside.

Yes, there is an upside:

Temperature can drastically effect the energy production of a panel, for those of us that live in the north that’s a good thing. Colder temperatures increase the efficiency of a panel while warmer temperatures decrease efficiency.

  This is a spec sheet from a GE PVp-200-M solar panel.

 

For example: this solar panel looses ½ a percent of efficiency for every 1°C increase. So if we look at the first week in February, the high in Miami FL will be 24°C while in Norwalk, CT (Pure Point Energy’s Headquarters) the high for the week will be 4°C. That’s a difference in 20°C, or 10% more power generated by your solar panels at solar noon.

So even though we live in the north we can still make solar work for us.