How much electricity do solar panels produce in winter?

It is well known that Spain is one of the European countries with the most hours of sunshine at the end of the year, reaching 3,000 hours. And although it is true that the highest peaks of electricity production with photovoltaic solar energy They appear in summer, when there are more hours, it is also true that there is still sun in winter, even if it is to a lesser extent. Therefore, the following question must be answered:How much electricity do solar panels produce in winter??

The answer comes partly from the fact that solar energy is renewable, that is, it is generated thanks to an inexhaustible source: sunlight. And that means that solar panels work in wintereven on cloudy, rainy or snowy days?

Yes, the fact that there are fewer hours of sunshine does not mean that the star disappears and cannot be used to generate solar energy in self-consumption of houses or in companies. That is why it is a mistake to think that it is not worth installing solar panels because the benefits only appear in spring and summer: the autumn and winter months are also useful.

In summer, the hours of sunshine in Spain can reach up to 15:00 because the sun rises very early and the night is late, while in winter it is between 9 and 10 am In both cases, there are enough hours of sunshine to generate electricity with solar energy .

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How is electricity generated with solar photovoltaic energy?

To understand why self-consumption solar installations continue to be useful and beneficial in winter, it is necessary to explain How electricity is generated with solar photovoltaic energy. As in P.O.W we are experts, these are the keys to the process you should know to clarify any doubts, whether the installation is for individual use or shared self-consumption.

Collection with solar panels

Lost solar panels They first capture both light and solar radiation in the first step of generating solar-powered electricity. And after the capture, what happens is the emission of photoelectrons upon receiving the light energy.

The role of solar or photovoltaic inverters

Lost solar or photovoltaic inverters They are the ones that transform the energy generated from direct current into alternating current. This is what allows household appliances and electrical appliances in a home or business to function properly.

Batteries for energy storage

When power is converted from direct current to alternating current, it can either be consumed stores energy in batteries for solar panels for later consumption if desired.

Generating electricity with solar energy in the winter months

When talking about generating electricity with solar PV during the winter months, there are a few points to consider. The reality is that the output and performance of solar panels decrease in winter, but they are not zero. The reasons are as follows:

Solar panels work on cloudy days

Cloudy skies do not prevent the sun\’s rays from reaching the well-oriented solar panels in the facilities, as there is no absolute darkness during daylight hours. Sunlight, although to a lesser extent, continues to affect: not directly, but yes through diffused light Used by solar panels to generate electricity.

For this reason, it is most advisable to install the solar panels at the right angle on the slope: this will increase the generation of electricity in the winter months, when the sun is not \»as high\» as in the summer.

Maintenance of solar panels

Another factor to consider is that in order not to lose efficiency, the solar panels must be kept clean. That is, you need to remove the leaves that fall on top or the snow. This is easier, for example, installing solar panels on a slope so that the snow falls on the ground and does not remain on the tiles.

Increased efficiency of solar panels with cold

In the summer months is when there are more hours of sunshine, but also, due to the increase in temperatures, is when the solar panels overheat more. For this reason, the winter months do not harm the production of electricity in this sense: the decrease in temperatures maintains the efficiency of photovoltaic installations, compared to the counterpart that involves reducing the available hours of sunlight because it gets dark earlier or there are the worst weather conditions.

For all these reasons (in addition to others of an economic nature, such as gRANTS for access to shared self-consumption), it is a mistake not to install solar panels thinking that in winter it does not generate electricity.

It is true that the number of hours of sunshine is much reduced, but the solar panels continue to work in the winter with good and simple maintenance and tips like the one mentioned to install them on inclined structures.

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Comparison of hours of sunshine in winter in Spain vs Germany

We can also compare the hours of sunshine in winter in Spain with Germany: in winter, Germans only have between 7 and 8 hours of sunshine, less than in Spain. So we have this added advantage of being able to get the maximum possible performance from PV installations in all months of the year, including winter. For all this, including the generation of electricity with solar panels in winter, the advantages of solar energy in Spain still have room to be exploited much more. Above all, if we compare with Germany: a country with fewer hours of sunshine, but which has more terawatt hours (TVW) generated with solar panels in 2021 than Spain (49,992 compared to 25,582, according to EurObserv\’ER data 2022). ).