It’s a question we hear a lot. How does weather affect homes and businesses? Particularly, we often hear from customers who are concerned about cloudy weather impacting their solar panels. At Greenleaf Solar, we understand that issues related to weather are a common concern for new customers, but we want to assure you that the idea that cloudy weather can have a major effect on the energy available to solar panel customers is a myth.
Greenleaf Can Deliver Energy While Lowering Your Bill
At Greenleaf Solar, we’re all about making sure the energy you need is always there for you, while at the same time, we’re committed to lowering your energy bills and reducing your carbon footprint. That’s why we want to let you know what really happens when clouds come between the sun and our solar panels so we can debunk the solar panel cloudy weather myth.
How Solar Panels Work When It’s Cloudy
According to the Las Vegas Sun, it’s a misconception that solar panels don’t work on cloudy or rainy days. Solar panels are able to operate even when direct sunlight is blocked by clouds. The Sun cites information from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) which provides more details about the process. While SEIA does acknowledge that solar panels work best in direct sunlight, they point out that “Photovoltaic panels can use direct or indirect sunlight to generate power.” They also point out that rain can actually help solar panels operate more efficiently because rain washes away dust and dirt.
SEIA also says that Net Metering can have an impact on your energy usage on cloudy days because it allows energy used during sunny days to offset energy that’s not being generated at night or when your system is not operating at full capacity. Net metering is a policy which localities, including the state of New York, allow residential and commercial energy customers who generate their own electricity to sell excess energy that they don’t use back to the power company.
Net metering in New York was created by the state Public Service Commission in 2015. It makes solar more financially viable for residential customers because otherwise they’d be forced to pay for electricity when the sun isn’t out.
Another thing to consider is improvements in technology that make solar panels more effective. Of particular note are the increases in solar panel efficiency. In the 60 years since Bell Labs developed the first solar cell in 1954, efficiency has jumped from a paltry 4 percent to a record 34.5 percent recorded in a lab in Australia in 2016. The more efficient your system is, the less concern you’re going to have over issues relating to the availability of sunlight.
Greenleaf Will Save You Money No Matter what the Weather Is
Weather conditions, clouds and rain will not prevent you from having the energy you need delivered to your home by solar panels. You’ll also save money. When you buy from Greenleaf Solar you’ll save even more money. Other companies try to get you to lease equipment which causes you to lose out on federal and local tax credits and rebates. Greenleaf Solar can show you how to make solar work for you. Contact us today.