What Happens to Solar Panels in the Winter?

It’s no secret that energy costs are on the rise across the country. From the gas pump to your electric bill, consumers are met with sticker shock compared to what they were paying a year ago.

This increase has led many to consider adding solar panels to their home. Not only do solar panels help generate renewable energy—which is great for the environment—but they also allow homeowners to lock in their energy rate, which can lead to significant savings.

As if saving on your electric bill wasn’t incentive enough to go solar, the recent passing of the Inflation Reduction Act “will cut the cost of installing rooftop solar for a home by 30 percent, or more than $7,500 for an average system.”

Despite the potential for savings, going solar is still a big decision and you undoubtedly have questions. To help with the decision-making process, we asked our Vivint Smart Energy experts to answer a few frequently asked questions about solar.

In layman’s terms, how do solar panels work?

When the sun shines on the panels, the photovoltaic (PV) cells in the panels are absorbed and begin to move, creating a direct current (DC) electrical charge. They then flow from the panels to the inverter, which converts the power from DC to alternating current (AC) electricity that can be fed into the grid, saved in a battery, or used to power your home.

What kind of solar panels does Vivint Smart Energy use?

There are many types of solar panels available. Panel options depend on the installer in the area where you’re located and the aesthetic that you want. Costs can vary depending on the type of panel chosen, but the productivity is all very similar.

Is it possible to store the energy your panels generate during the day to use at night?

Simply put, you don’t store energy without a battery, and solar batteries are used for emergency backup.

Your power company likely has a meter that tracks how much power your solar panels generate, how much of that power you use, and how much you put back into the grid. During the day when your solar panels are producing more energy, you send a lot of energy back to the grid. At night, you take power back from the grid.

If your solar panels produce all the energy required to power your home, you will use zero energy from the electric company’s power grid.

What happens to solar panels in the winter?

Solar panels tend to generate more solar energy during the winter. Since the panels use light, not heat, they can increase the conversion process’s efficiency. Often in winter, the ground snow increases reflection—and thus production.

If a solar panel is covered in snow, it will not produce any power. You should not scrape them off, but you can do one of the following to remove snow or ice from your panels:

• Defrost them with warm water
• Hire a professional to remove the snow
• Wait for the sun to melt the snow

Solar panels are extremely durable and will withstand extreme weather conditions.

Solar has been in the news a lot lately. Why is now a great time to make the investment in smart energy?

Energy prices are expected to go up. Getting into solar now can help you beat the rising rates and save money.

Let Vivint power your home

Ready to power your home with smart solar energy from Vivint? Visit https://www.vivint.com/solar for more information and get a free quote today.