Afternoon Shade On Solar Panels

A visual explanation of how shading affects solar panels to help you understand exactly what is meant by partial shading and how it affects the power output of a solar panel check out this video from the alte store.

Afternoon shade on solar panels.

Perhaps most obviously trees near your solar array can cause shading issues. This article was originally published in 2012. Solar panels work best when there is no shade cast upon them. Diffuse shade from a soft source like a distant tree branch or cloud can significantly reduce the amount of light reaching a solar panel s cells.

Just a little shade can affect a solar panel s power output dramatically. Trees can also prevent passive solar gains that can keep your heating energy use down in the winter. However the shade gets there the result is the same as it restricts the flow of direct sunlight to your panels and limits the reliable operation of your system. Not all solar panels are created equal and you can actually minimise the impacts of shading by choosing a better solar panel for your system.

In australia an on grid system can have panel capacity up to 133 that of the inverter capacity and at that ratio very little solar electricity is lost as a result. They could shade your solar panels more in the colder months when the sun is at a lower angle especially if you live farther north. Thanks to this updated technology the amount of shade eclipsing the solar panel is now directly proportional to the amount of energy production the solar panel. Panels equipped with these devices experience fewer negative effects of solar panels in shaded areas and allow electricity to flow around any solar cells currently in the shade.

Because solar panels rarely provide power at their rated output it can make sense to have a panel capacity that is greater than the inverter capacity. In fact a shadow cast on even just part of one solar panel in your solar array can potentially compromise the output of the whole system. The use of half cut solar cells increases the available electric pathways in a solar panel making it more resistant to shade. There are a few things to keep in mind with trees.

What are some strategies for dealing with potential shading of solar arrays. Now for the good news.