Autumn Leaves and Solar Panels: A Seasonal Shift
As the days shorten and the leaves begin to change color, it’s easy to forget about our solar panels. However, the autumn months can be a crucial time for maximising your solar energy production.
The Sun’s Changing Angle
During the autumn equinox, the sun’s rays strike the Earth at a more oblique angle compared to the summer months. This means that each square meter of your solar panel receives less sunlight, resulting in lower energy production.
For a solar solution, you could consider adding a winter array. This is a solar array that is set up to maximise performance in winter. There are two options here, the flat and the vertical, both perform differently. Flat panels tend to work best of cloudy days, where as vertical panels catch the lower angle of the sun.
For those with a battery or input limitations on their inverter, you can use a secondary charge controller.
The Transition to Grid Charging
As the days get shorter, your solar panels will produce less electricity. This is when it becomes more cost-effective to switch to your grid’s cheaper night-time rate for charging your batteries or appliances. By optimising your usage in this way, you can significantly reduce your overall energy costs avoiding the higher peak rates.
Maximising Your Solar Savings
To make the most of your solar panels during autumn:
- Keep your panels clean: Remove any dirt, leaves, or debris that may be blocking sunlight.
- Check for shading: Ensure that trees or other objects are not casting shadows on your panels.
- Consider a battery storage system: A battery can store excess solar energy generated during the day for use at night or during cloudy periods.
- Take advantage of off-peak rates: Use your grid’s cheaper night-time rate to charge appliances or batteries.
By following these tips, you can continue to benefit from solar energy throughout the autumn months and maximise your cost savings.
Check out of angle and tilt guide here and here to learn how to make the most of the installation of your solar panels.
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[…] We hope this article has helped you understand how the sun hours and seasons affect the optimal angle and direction of solar panels in the UK. By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your solar panels capture the most sunlight and generate the most energy throughout the year. Another post; 2024 Solar down turn The suns on the down turn — RenewSolar […]