Six Questions About Solar Panels You May Be Embarrassed to Ask

With all the focus on solar panels and solar PV systems over the past few years, we’ve seen a lot of questions and myths get repeated here, there and everywhere around the web. It’s natural for people to have questions about solar electricity, especially if they’re considering sinking a significant amount of money into putting an array of solar panels up on their roofs. The unfortunate side effect of having so much misinformation about solar PV floating around, though, is that people assume that they know the answer to some pretty basic questions about the way that solar energy works – or worse, they’re embarrassed to ask what sounds like a simple question to which everybody else already knows the answer. If you’ve been keeping your questions about solar energy and solar PV systems to yourself because you’re embarrassed to ask – or for any other reason – you might find the answer here.

Do Solar PV Panels Work in the Rain?

Yes. Many people assume that solar panels need direct sunlight to generate electricity. While they’ll produce the most electricity with direct sunlight, all they really need is natural daylight. Just like you can still get a nasty sunburn on a cloudy day, a solar PV installation can still produce electricity with cloud cover – and even in the rain.

How About at Night?

No. As noted above, solar panels require daylight to produce electricity. However, most solar panels will produce more electricity than you’re actually able to use at the time it’s generated. That’s why most people choose to either tie their new solar PV system to the grid or add a storage battery to their solar system. A grid-tied system will feed the excess power into the electrical grid so that others can use it – and you’ll be paid for it – and allow you to draw power from the grid when your solar panels aren’t actually producing enough electricity for your needs – such as at night. A storage battery will store any excess energy generated by your solar PV system so that you can draw on it at night and when you need more energy than your system is producing.

Do Solar Panels Make a Lot of Noise?

Solar panels are 100% silent. They have no mechanical or moving parts to make any noise. They just rest on your rooftop and collect daylight to do their work.

Will my Solar Panels Work in the Winter When it’s Cold?

Absolutely. Temperature has no effect at all on the workings of a solar panel. In fact, solar panels are a popular method of energy generation in Alaska. The only real problem for a solar system in the winter is snow – as long as daylight can reach the panels, they’ll generate electricity, so you may have to clear snow away from them in winter.

Will a Solar PV System Heat my Water?

No. Solar PV systems generate electricity. If you want to heat your hot water with the sun, you’ll need a thermal solar system.

Do Solar Panels Need to be Cleaned?

Occasionally. Solar panels are most efficient when they’re clean, so you should clean them on occasion. Most experts recommend an annual cleaning, though it may be a little more often if you live in an area where there’s a lot of soot or pollution in the air.

If you have other questions about solar panels or solar PV systems, call a local business that installs solar energy systems in your area. They’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have, no matter how silly they may seem to you.