Solar through the seasons - how does weather affect generation?

A question we’re often asked is ‘does solar actually work all year round?’ and the short answer is - yes. Solar is an effective and efficient energy source 12 months of the year.

Solar panels work using light radiance, not direct sunlight. Granted, the generation will be lower at certain points in the year but if there’s light, there’ll be power.

Let’s look at how solar generation is really impacted by the seasons.

Spring  

In March, everything starts to come out of hibernation and the temperature begins to lift. When the clocks spring forward at the end of the month, the days finally start getting longer and with these longer days there’s more generation. Towards the end of spring, daylight hours extend to (on average) 15 hours, meaning we start to see a big increase in generation.   

 Summer

Solar’s time to shine! Although we don’t always get a long, hot summer in the UK, we do get more daylight hours. With the summer solstice towards the end of June, summer months will always generate more power. Moving into September, generation is still generally good, making the most of the last of the summer days.

Autumn 

While on the downturn to winter, the shoulder months often still give us bright, autumnal days. The leaves start to change colour, and the sun is often low down in the sky. But as generation does start to decrease, battery storage could help reduce energy bills by charging during the night on a lower tariff. Battery storage can be installed as part of a new solar installation or retrofitted to an existing one.  

Winter 

From November through to February, temperatures plummet, the days are short and daylight is limited. Apart from the few odd days, the glorious British weather tends to grace us with dull, cloudy days which isn’t ideal for solar generation. But although this period will always yield less than other months, even in the dark depths of January, sites have still been known to generate just under 900kWh of electricity – that’s enough to boil 300 kettles! 

Snow can also be a hinderance to generation. A light dusting can easily be blown away or melted in the winter sun, but a heavier fall could block light from reaching the solar cells. While the snow can reflect light, the shading it causes when covering solar panels means that light is blocked. However, while winter brings less daylight hours, it also brings cooler temperatures which actually increases efficiency of the panels.  

When is the best time to install solar? 

Though generation does vary, solar is an efficient and effective source of power all year round. But from the point of making your initial enquiry to installation, factors including planning and permissions for grid connection mean the whole process can take months. So the sooner you get the ball rolling, the better.

Speak to our team of experts today to start your solar journey and let us unlock the benefits of renewable energy for your business – from lower energy bills to reduced carbon emissions.