A Look At How Local Climate Affects Efficiency Of Solar Panels

People often wonder how local climate affects efficiency of solar panels. When built they have their efficiency rated for an average home in an average area (if such a place exists!) However several factors can affect the efficiency of the unit.

The main thing affecting the efficiency is the distance the panels are north or south of the equator. Because the sun is is a different position in the sky relative to places on earth according to their latitude, the amount of solar radiation which a panel receives varies considerably. It is the solar radiation that provides most of the energy collected by solar panels.

Properties nearer the equator get a much greater amount of solar radiation than those in the higher latitudes. To compensate for this different types of solar panels are built, which are more suitable for use in the higher latitudes.

However near, or far, from the equator, if the aspect of the property is good (south to southwest facing) the panels will receive greater solar radiation than those facing in any other direction. Another factor that appears to play a part, is whether the property is on the east or west of a country. It seems that the western parts of many countries receive more solar radiation.

One would expect a house with an aspect just the other side of south to have comparable results, but the morning sun appears weaker than midday or afternoon sun, and morning mist can affect the collectability of the panels, by shading them slightly.

Even the weakest shade will have a measurable effect on the amount of solar radiation collected, as the unit will only work at the capacity of the shaded panel, no matter how many panels are in full sun. Apart from these general causes, very localized climates can occur and these too, affect the efficiency of the panels.

For example, one house with a south facing aspect may fall under shadow from a tree, another building, or a hill, causing its panels to work at a lower capacity. The houses either side of it may miss this entirely, simply because they are a few feet higher on the ground.

Equally, a property in a cooler area may be so favorably situated, perhaps on a slight rise in a clearing, that it gets more sunlight on its solar panels than the neighbors and therefore more energy.

Finding a cheap solar panel may sound like a great deal, but consider output carefully. You can go solar and save money, but you’ll start recouping your investment sooner if you find a good overall deal.