Do Solar Panels Work Better On Hot Days?

Category: Technology

Everyone enjoys the summer season and has something to look ahead to, particularly for solar system owners. We all know that sunlight performs an essential role in solar panel production; however, does the heat from the sun improve your solar system performance? Surprisingly, they perform worse because of the temperature rise! Solar panels produce energy by using incoming photons to excite electrons in a semiconductor to a higher energy level. However, the hotter the panel is, the higher the number of electrons already in the excited state. This reduces the voltage that the panel can generate and lowers its effectiveness. Increased temperatures also increase the electrical resistance of the circuits that convert the photovoltaic charge into AC electrical energy. Modern hybrid solar panels are designed to endure less heat. However, they may still lose 10 percent of their rated effectiveness on hot days. Does a hot climate mean extra solar energy? The concept of solar energy system is fairly easy. Solar panels work by capturing light from the sun and then the solar inverter transforms it into useful energy that provides power to your house. Because solar panels work straight with the sun, they’re usually exposed to excessive quantities of heat, particularly in summer. We may think, since solar panels depend on sunlight to perform, more heat for solar panels will result in high solar system performance. However, that isn’t the case. Though solar panels use sunlight to produce energy, they don’t require excess heat. Do Solar Panels Use Light or Heat to produce Solar Energy? When you install solar panels on a roof or flat floor space, they will absorb both heat and light energy from the sun. However, it is the light that a standard solar panel most absorbs to generate solar energy. For harvesting light energy from the sun, the solar panel uses photovoltaic effects to convert sunlight directly into electricity. It is light, not the heat, that generates electricity, and too much heat can hinder solar panel production. High temperatures may reduce the efficiency of electricity generation; and result in less solar system performance. Though the solar panel will absorb both heat and light, it is the light that they need. Maximize solar efficiency with AYKA Solar There’s a lot to consider when optimizing solar panel efficiency during certain seasons. One method to get the most of solar system performances this summer season is to make use of your large appliances during the daytime. Solar panels produce the most power throughout daylight hours. Washing clothes and running your dishwasher during the day will make it easier to benefit from that energy surge. Try and limit your energy usage after dark as one more method to conserve energy. Long days and short nights during the summer make this easier to do. If you are considering installing solar panels on your roof, or you probably have questions on how climate affects your solar system’s performance, solar experts at AYKA Solar will help you understand every aspect; please get in touch with us today!