The efficiency of solar panels has increased tremendously in the last few years. The solar panels’ cost has reduced by over 80% in the previous eight years. A price reduction has made solar panels be a lucrative investment. Many solar dealers will promise several things when you intend to buy a solar panel. They will lure you about efficiency, long-term advantages, and savings.
People don’t know the many factors that affect the solar panel’s output. As you prepare to buy a solar panel, click here to get more information about the panels.
Weather changes
People think that high temperatures will lead to high solar panel efficiency. It’s not true. Heat exposure can degrade the daily production of solar cells.
High temperatures result in a drop in overall power and voltage. The solar cells perform well in cold climates rather than hot climates. The cells perform well when you expose them to 25 degrees centigrade. Any increase in temperature leads to the decay of the solar panels by 0.25% for amorphous cells. For solar panels with crystalline cells, the decay rate is 0.4%.
Shading
Shading works the same way clogs work in running water pipes. The clogs restrict water flow in pipes the same way a shade restricts sun rays from reaching the solar. Shading on solar panels reduces the current flow in the whole string. In real-life situations, it’s hard to limit shades. It’s essential to consider shading when planning solar system installations.
Panel cells, in most cases, get connected in series. The panels in a series connection affect the output current when there is partial shading on a panel. It’s always good to limit the wiring of the panels in series.
The roof orientation
People in the northern hemisphere place their panels facing to the south direction. It’s because the sun is always in the southern part of the sky. Positioning the panels in this position enables the capture of more sunlight.
It’s also essential to tilt the solar systems at an angle between 40 to 80 degrees. The angles ensure that the sunlight hits the solar panels at perpendicular angles. These angles also aid the snow to slide off the panels faster during the winter seasons. You need to set the inclination angle of the panels depending on the prevailing season. The adjustment also depends on the latitude, sunshine hours, and longitude.
Solar panel surface cleanliness
The cleanliness of the solar panel directly affects the photoelectric power conversion. Snow, pollution, sandstorms, dust, and rainfall are among the factors that affect the efficiency of solar panels. It’s good to clean the solar panels more often to maintain the power output.
In many places, the winter season has more pollution. It makes the springtime the best time to carry out the cleaning process. It’s advisable to clean the solar panels twice or once a year to maintain efficiency.
Location
People live in different regions that have different levels of annual sunshine. It’s a hard task to design a cheap solar array for use in your home. Many factors affect the panel installation. Some of these factors are your country or home latitude, local weather, and the time of the year. Different climates emerge depending on the season in place. The power production by the solar panel will differ depending on the season.
Conclusion
The environmental factors affect all solar panels, including the best ones. Failure to address these factors on time, the efficiency of the solar panels will reduce. The main reason for using solar panels is to reduce utility bills. Addressing all the above factors timely will help reduce utility bills.
