When are Solar Panels Most Efficient? - SolarUnion

California’s sunny weather makes it an ideal place for investing in solar energy. However, to get the most from your investment and maximize the effectiveness of your system, you need to know how and when it works best. When it comes to solar energy, the amount of power generated by your panels is directly related to how much sunlight they receive. When you understand when your solar panels are most efficient and productive, then you can make the best decisions about where and when to install them in order to maximize their effectiveness.

In this blog post, we will discuss four key elements that determine a solar panel's efficiency: time of day, time of year, potential obstacles, and age and maintenance of the panel. By understanding these factors, you'll be able to get more out of your investment in solar energy.

Time of Day

When it comes to maximizing solar energy output, timing is everything. The angle of sunlight affects the amount of electricity produced by a photovoltaic cell, so understanding when your panels are receiving the most direct sunlight will help you get more out of your investment in solar energy.

Morning hours usually produce minimal light intensity and therefore low output levels. As the sun rises in the sky, its light intensity increases which leads to increased system output. Most solar panels reach peak production between 10am and 2pm, when the sun is at its highest point in the sky. This time frame can differ based on the array of your solar panels, the weather, or the position of your home relative to the surrounding shaded areas. But, one of the biggest factors that can make a difference in the maximum output of your solar panels per day is the time of year.

Time of Year

The amount of sunlight that reaches your panels is also affected by seasonal changes, or variation in daylight hours throughout the year. In California from late spring through the summer months there are more daylight hours than any other time period. This makes these months ideal for maximizing your system’s output potential without having to invest in additional hardware or equipment.

During winter months, daylight hours are fewer than those of warmer seasons. This can cause a decrease in solar power outputs. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that your system won’t be able to produce enough energy during these times. In fact, the way you position your solar panel array can make all the difference. By positioning them so they receive direct sunlight for as much of the day as possible, you can still maximize their output potential even when daylight hours are fewer than usual. It is also important to consider weather conditions such as cloud cover and rain when positioning your panels as well.

Ideally speaking, it would be best to install your solar array where it will receive direct sunlight at all times of year, not just during summer months when there are more daylight hours available.

Identifying Potential Obstacles

Once you have identified how much sun exposure your area receives at certain times of year, it’s time to look for potential obstacles that could impede the performance of your system. These obstacles can come in many forms—from buildings and trees blocking out the sun’s rays to nearby power lines interfering with signal transmission.

It's important to take all these potential obstacles into careful consideration before deciding on a location for your array. Of course, if any obstacle cannot be avoided or removed, then other solutions such as using specialized mounting systems or changing the angle and orientation of panels may need to be considered instead.

When evaluating any potential obstacle that could affect your solar panel system’s performance, it is important to think outside the box when it comes to finding ways around them. For example, if nearby trees are blocking out most of the sunlight during certain months or times of day, trimming back branches or planting taller trees may be an option worth considering in order to increase access to direct sunlight without needing additional mounting hardware or adjusting panel orientation angles.

The time of day, the season, and potential obstacles are not the only things that impact your peak solar hours. Another big element that can change the output is the age and maintenance of your solar panels.

Age and Maintenance of the Panel

Solar panel technology has come a long way since its inception over 100 years ago! Today’s modern photovoltaic cells have higher efficiency ratings and longer lifespans than ever before which means that older models may not perform as well as newer ones do due to wear-and-tear over time caused by exposure to ultraviolet rays as well as other atmospheric conditions like temperature fluctuations or precipitation levels.

If you choose not to clean and maintain your system regularly then dust buildup can reduce its overall efficiency which is why we recommend scheduling regular maintenance checks with a qualified technician for optimal performance. Doing so will allow any issues to be identified quickly and addressed in a timely manner. This can also help prevent more serious problems from arising down the line.

In addition, it's important to check your system often for signs of wear-and-tear due to exposure to ultraviolet rays as well as other atmospheric conditions like temperature fluctuations or precipitation levels. If any damage is found during the inspection, it's best to get it taken care of right away in order to avoid any further issues with your system.

Conclusion

Solar panels are most efficient when they receive direct sunlight, which means that the time of day and year are major factors in determining a solar panel's output. Additionally, the obstacles that block the light and the age and maintenance of your panels also play a role in their efficiency.

By understanding these key elements, you can make sure that your solar panels are working at their best and generating the most power possible. If you have any questions about how to get the most out of your solar energy investment, our team of experts is here to help. Give us a call today to learn more about how we can help you maximize the performance of your solar panels.

Understand when your solar panels produce the most electricity and how to make the most of it.

Why is this important? Because maximising the solar electricity you use from your rooftop solar is the best way to lower your electricity bills and reduce the carbon footprint of your household. 

Relying less on electricity imported from the grid and using clean (and free!) solar energy is the first step towards energy freedom. 

Here are three things to consider when using your solar panels to ensure their full potential: 

1. When your solar panels are producing the most electricity 
2. How to make the most of your solar electricity 
3. When (and why) to use solar monitoring

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How to determine when your solar panels are producing the most electricity

Check the orientation of your solar panels

The position of your solar panels will determine what time of day they are producing the most electricity. Like the windows that fill your home with the best natural light, the ideal orientation for solar panels is north. 

North-facing solar panels will give you the biggest window of solar electricity for your home. 

However, if your solar panels are facing east or west, don’t worry! They will still be generating solar energy and reducing your electricity costs. Their window of solar power will just be slightly different. This is important to know if you want to maximise solar electricity usage in your home. 

Use your solar at the best time of day

The best time of day to use solar-generated electricity is during the middle of the day when the sun is the strongest, usually between 9am - 3pm. These peak times can vary depending on the orientation and tilt of your panels but also where you live and the time of year. Check which direction your rooftop solar panels face to find when they produce the most energy (you can ask your solar installer or retailer if you're unsure!). 

North facing panels will produce the most between 9am – 2pm while west facing panels generally reach their peak output between 2pm - 5pm

While these are general indications of when your solar panels will be producing the most electricity, the best way to track your solar energy output is by using a solar monitoring app. 

Daily solar production view in the Solar Analytics dashboard

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What is the best time of year to use solar?

It’s not just you who has less energy in winter; even your solar panels feel that seasonal shift when it gets cold outside. 

Depending on where you live, and your proximity to the equator your solar panels will produce more or less electricity in winter compared to summer. The further away you live from the equator, the more drastic the seasonal changes will be. 

According to Solar Analytics data from the last seasonal year, if you live in NSW, the average solar production during winter drops to about 64% of what’s generated in summer. 

Interested in the seasonal shifts in your state? Check out this table to see the differences.

This means that you should be more mindful of how much electricity you use from your solar system in winter as it is producing less electricity than in the summer months. 

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What else can affect your solar?

Clouds

Have you ever wondered how cloudy days affect the amount of solar your system generates? It may be less than you think. We took a look at how clouds affect your solar energy production here. A  smart monitoring system can help you track those variations and adjust your electricity usage accordingly 

Shading

Sometimes a small amount of shading can have a dramatic impact on your solar panels and reduce the amount of electricity they are producing. Shading from trees and nearby buildings could be what's affecting your solar electricity output if you have noticed a slump. Keeping nearby trees pruned will be your best bet in limiting shading to your solar panels. Although it can be tricky to quantify the amount of solar output lost to shading, the best option is to install a smart solar monitoring system, like Solar Analytics, to calculate the amount of energy lost due to shading. 

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How to make the most of your solar electricity

Load shifting - It can save your household on bills

Once you know when your system is generating the most electricity, the next thing you should consider is how to maximise this free electricity for your home. 

Start looking at the energy habits of your household and identify the appliances (especially the power-hungry ones) you could schedule to run during the day when your solar system is producing the most energy. Set your appliances with timers such as washing machines or dishwashers to run during the middle of the day so that they use solar electricity instead of electricity from the grid. 

This is called load shifting.

Why does using more solar lower your bill?

You might be thinking, my unused solar electricity is sold back to the grid isn’t that a good way to lower my electricity costs? 

While this can help offset your electricity bills, the smarter option is to gobble up as much of that solar energy as possible for your own use. You are paid far less for the electricity you export than the electricity you import from the grid. 

State-Specific Variations: Electricity Expenses and Solar Feed-In Tariffs

It’s true that different energy plans on the market vary greatly.As of 2022 the NSW average: 

• Cost of electricity imported from the grid is 28.5c/kWh
• Solar feed-in tariff rate for solar electricity exported to the grid is 6.2-10.4c/kWh

These average costs vary by state, if you a/.re interested in the electricity costs and feed-in tariff rates for your state, find out more here. 

This means the average cost of electricity can be three to four times that of the solar feed-in tariff rate. 

But the cost of solar electricity? FREE!

Check out more tips on how to lower your power bill or even eliminate it.  

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How solar monitoring can help you make the most of your solar without the hard work!

What is solar monitoring?

Solar Monitoring helps you to understand your solar system and make the most of it. It captures data to help keep you informed when it comes to your energy production and performance.

Not only can solar monitoring help you to identify if your system is working properly, it can also help solar experts to diagnose and solve any problems with your system.

Read more about solar monitoring. 

How will solar monitoring help you?

Without solar monitoring, knowing when and how to use your solar is just a stab in the dark. 

The power of solar monitoring: A smarter, greener home

Using a solar monitoring system will take the guesswork out of optimising your home energy production and consumption, helping you save money and strive towards a greener home. 

A good quality solar monitoring system, like one from Solar Analytics will help you: 

• Understand when you produce and use electricity including how much you import and export to and from the grid
• Track your big energy loads and understand when it’s best to use them 
• Make sure your solar system is performing at its best taking into account shading and local weather
• Track your savings over time
• Find the right electricity plan based on your household electricity usage, showing you how much more you could save each quarter

The Solar Analytics Dashboard will provide all of this in a user-friendly dashboard helping you save on average an additional $500 per year!

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Key takeaways

So now you’ve got a handle on the best times to use solar power you're one step closer to lower electricity bills and a greener home!

Here is what you need to remember if you want to maximise your solar power:  

1. Find out what times of day your solar panels are producing the most electricity 
2. Make the most of your solar electricity - Shift your home appliance use to when the sun is shining 
3. Install a good quality solar monitoring system with Solar Analytics

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