Solar panels are incredibly popular in Australia, with about 30% of homes installed with a solar photovoltaics (PV) system of some type. As people become more aware of the benefits of having solar installed, their popularity only stands to increase. As of late 2021, over three million PV systems are installed across the nation.
While PV systems are popular, people still have some burning questions, such as – do solar panels work at night? This article will cover this question and answer other popular questions about solar panels and how they can benefit homeowners.
What are solar panels?
Without getting too technical, solar panels are an array of smaller parts known as solar cells. These solar cells will absorb light and convert it into energy. The energy absorbed is known as a direct current (DC), and it needs to be converted into a form usable for homeowners, which is alternating current (AC).
The energy produced from solar panels is known as photovoltaic energy or light energy. Solar panels can supply all the power needs for a home in Australia, which can dramatically reduce your utility bills. The energy produced from your solar panels is available for immediate use, with any additional energy sent into the power grid or a storage battery system. There is a cost that comes with installing solar panels, but the homeowners recoup this over time due to the reduction in their monthly energy expenses.
When were solar panels invented?
Solar energy is often seen as a new technology, but people using the sun’s power dates back to the 7th century BC. During the 3rd century BC, Greeks and Romans would commonly use mirrors to light torches for religious purposes. During these times, sunrooms were also invented using a series of mirrors and windows; this technology was common from Europe to the Americas.
What we know today as the solar cell was first conceptualised in 1839 by Edmond Becquerel, and then further developed by Willoughby Smith (1873), William Grylls Adams and Richard Evans Day (1876). However, in 1883, Charles Fritts created the first working solar cell.
These early solar panels had a very low-efficiency rating and cost about a hundred times to produce that same energy level as coal-fired plants. These solar panels were improved with time, and modern solar panels have a much higher efficiency rating. The boom for solar panels started in the 1980s, and the cost of manufacture has consistently dropped since then. Today, solar panels are an effective solution for providing a low-cost energy source for everyone.
Why do people install solar panels?
Deciding to install solar panels is a choice for many homes, and most people will have at least one of four main reasons why they choose to install a system.
Reduce or eliminate electricity bills
Energy bills have never been as big as they are today, and with modern technology, they are probably not likely to reduce any time soon. The world has an insatiable desire for power, which has helped drive up prices. Producing electricity from the sun is a brilliant way to minimise (or eliminate) these bills.
Environmental concerns
Almost everyone is aware of current issues and discussions with our environment. Installing a solar panel system allows you to choose where your electricity is generated. Energy collected from sunlight is an excellent way for reducing your carbon footprint. Solar energy does not pollute our environment, and as you are not relying on other electricity methods, you’re effectively reducing other forms of energy production.
Requires next to no maintenance
The moment your solar panels are turned on, they’ll start working for you, and they’ll keep working for many years without requiring any maintenance. You may find your inverter needs to be replaced in 10 or 15 years, but that’s often the only thing that needs to be done for the entire lifespan of your panels. Solar panels do not even need to be cleaned. Modern solar panels only lose about 1% of efficiency when they’re dirty. You can clean them if you want to, but it’s unnecessary.
Earn feed-in tariffs or other tax incentives
Installing solar panels in residential areas is often subsidised by local and national governments. If you’ve been considering installing solar panels, taking advantage of government incentives can reduce the total cost. Governments can control the minimum feed-in tariff (FiT) for any energy returned to the grid. When FiT is high, installing a PV system can mean you are paid more money when producing excess electricity.
Do solar panels work at night?
With current technology, solar panels will not work at night. As solar panels require sunlight to create power, there is simply nothing available for them during the night. If there are no artificial light sources and a bright full moon, you may see a minimal amount being generated.
The amount of power you could see from moonlight is around 0.3% of what you may get during the day. This amount could be enough to charge your phone a couple of percentage points, certainly not enough to run what you’d need in a household at night!
A better solution for relying on your solar panels at night is to install a battery storage device. A battery will collect all the overflow power your panels create during the day and make it available at night. If you use a lot of power at night, you can use generators (if you want to be entirely off the grid) or rely on grid power.
Residential batteries are an excellent idea for making the most out of your solar panels. Your solar panels will produce more power than most homes use during daylight hours. While you can feed this additional power into the grid, your FiT is much lower than the cost to draw power from the grid.
Solar batteries are an excellent way to make the most out of your solar power system. When you add a battery into your solar system to help with power at night, you can expect to save up to $640 in a typical residential location.
When deciding if a battery is a good solution for your system, you can talk with your solar provider. At Sollos, we can help you make the right choice for your home and the system you currently have or plan to install.
Do solar panels work on cloudy days?
Yes, solar panels will work on cloudy days. Your panels may not work as effectively compared to a bright sunny day, but they can still produce electricity. You can expect a power production of 10-25% of their standard output on overcast days.
We have many different weather zones in Australia, so it can be challenging to determine how many cloudy days your system will see. On average, you’re likely to get at least a hundred days of good sunny weather, and about the same as cloudy days (cloud cover >75%). The remaining days are about 25%-75% cloud cover.
Do solar panels work in the rain?
Yes, solar panels will still work in the rain. Power generation will drop further the heavier the cloud cover on rainy days, but you can still expect a reasonable amount of power generation. A good dose of rain can provide some benefits to your panels, as the heavy rain can help wash off fine layers of dust and make them cleaner, ready for the next dose of sunshine.
What is the best weather for solar panels?
The optimum weather for solar panels is clear days or around 25oC. When it gets above 25oC, solar panels can overheat and become less efficient. When solar panels are exposed to excessive temperatures, they become warm, and the electrons inside cannot be charged as much.
In Australia, all solar panels are tested at 25oC to determine their quality and ability to convert sunlight. The total impact of excessive temperatures can vary between manufacturers, and all are required to provide a temperature coefficient on their panels. You can find some solar panel manufacturers have engineered their panels to work more efficiently in the Australian climate. These panels will work more effectively in warmer weather conditions and reduce the overall temperature coefficient.
The temperature coefficient is marked on solar panels, and it is usually in a range of -0.2 to -0.5%. This number means that a particular panel will lose approximately that percentage for every degree over 25oC. For example, if your panel is marked at -0.5%, it’ll have a 2% reduction in power output. As you can see, although your power output may drop in warmer temperatures, it is not overly excessive.
New technology and generating solar energy at night
As research on solar power generating continues, there are some developments regarding solar power production at night. A new type of PV cell is in the prototype development stage, and it has the potential of generating 50 watts of power per square metre in ideal night-time conditions.
This new type of solar panel would work the same manner as standard PV panels during the day and generate additional power during the night. These cells could revolutionise the solar industry, as they can generate around-the-clock power. However, as these are still in development, it may be many years until this type of technology is available in a commercial setting. After all, it took 150 years before solar panels were commercially sustainable!
How much energy can solar panels generate?
As solar panels do not generate power at night, understanding how much power they can create during the day is vital for planning your system. Almost all PV systems are marked in kilowatts (kW), but this is a measure of the size of your system and not how much power it can produce.
A large solar system will generate more power than a small system, but the exact amount of power on any given day can vary based on environmental conditions. A good rule of thumb is to ask about the average amount of solar energy you can expect your system to generate. Running some appliances during the day, such as your washing machine and dishwasher, is best when you have a solar system installed. Many modern appliances have timers, so you can run them even if you’re not home. Homes are also becoming smarter, and you can control some devices while you are at work or otherwise away from home.
When thinking about a solar system, it’s good to know precisely how much electricity you’re using. The easiest method to work this out is looking at your last few electricity bills. If you don’t have a current bill, you can request these from your energy supplier. If you’re lucky, you can access these through their web presence, and you don’t even have to talk to anyone – perfect for avoiding that last pitch before you ditch them!
After you have your bills, you can check on your average daily usage and then look at solar panel systems that can generate similar power. Even if you can get a system that covers all the power you need, a system that covers a portion will still lower your bills considerably.
How to get the most out of your solar panels?
The size of your system is the first factor in knowing your potential power generation. The second factor is understanding how environmental factors can limit your solar system’s potential. The more sunlight your system is exposed to, the better it performs.
The factors that can lower the efficiency of your solar system include:
- The orientation of your solar panels.
- If your panels are affected by shadow for a portion of the day (other buildings, trees, etc.).
- Sunlight intensity.
- The amount of daylight hours.
- The number of sunny/cloudy.
You have some control over the first couple of points on this list, but the others are controlled by where you live. In Australia, the southern areas will have fewer hours of suitable light than the northern regions. For example, a 2kW system in Hobart will produce less energy than one in Brisbane. Your solar installer can give you a good idea of the amount of power any system can be expected to generate in your location.
How Sollos can help with your solar solution
If you’re thinking about installing a new solar power system or looking to upgrade a current system, you can contact Sollos and talk to our team. We can provide information about which type of system best suits your needs. Call today.
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