The low winter sun also strikes your roof at a slant, so its light passes through more atmosphere on the way. Longer shadows add to the dip. A tree or chimney that doesn't touch your array in July can shade part of it in December, so careful panel placement matters.
Do Solar Panels Work in Snow?
Solar panels work in snow, though heavy accumulation pauses production until it clears.
A light dusting has little effect, since wind often blows it away and some light still passes through a thin layer. Heavier snow slides off the tilted glass as the sun warms it. The melting process can even rinse away dirt and clean your panels.
Snow on solar panels costs Missouri systems very little: A National Renewable Energy Laboratory study put average annual snow losses near 2% for Springfield and under 4% for every Missouri city it modeled.
Most importantly, there's no need to climb an icy roof to clear them!
Why Cold Weather Actually Helps Solar Panels
Cold weather helps because solar cells convert light more efficiently at lower temperatures. Manufacturers rate panels at a cell temperature of 77° F. The Department of Energy notes that heat above that point causes voltage to drop.
On a crisp, clear January day, your panels run cool and turn more sunlight into electricity. As such, solar panels work better in cold weather than a July heat wave, though the boost won't fully offset shorter days.
How Winter Fits Into a Full Year of Solar in Missouri
Winter is the low season for solar panels in Missouri, but a well-designed system plans for it. Installers size arrays around a full year of production, with long spring and summer days doing most of the work.
If you're weighing whether solar panels are worth it in Missouri, judge them by that annual total rather than one gray week in January. Solar battery backup can also bank daytime power for winter evenings and keep essentials running when an ice storm takes down the grid.
Ipock Electric & Solar designs and installs year-round solar systems for homes and businesses in Joplin, Webb City, Carthage, and Neosho, Missouri; Pittsburg and Baxter Springs, Kansas; Miami and Grove, Oklahoma; and communities throughout the Four States. Schedule your free estimate today.
