Will Temperature Affect Solar Panels' Efficiency?

Solar panels, also known as photovoltaic panels, are devices absorbing sun's rays and converting them into useable electricity. They rely on sunlight to work, but less know that temperature can affect the amount of power they produce.

You might be thinking that solar panels would perform less efficiently when the temperature is colder. Right?

Is it actually the case? Well, this is what we will be discussing today. Follow us to have a good understanding about how changes in temperature will affect the performance of solar panels.

How Does Temperature Affect the Energy Production of Solar Panels?

Though the amount of sun's energy that solar panels receive won't be affected by temperature, the amount of energy they produce will. Generally, people believe that their solar panels can generate more energy when the sun is hotter and stronger. But this is not the truth.

The changes of temperature will have an impact on the voltage and current of solar panels. When temperature goes up, the speed of current slows down, which results in an increase in resistance. Therefore, the amount of power your solar panels generate is reduced. Conversely, the speed of current accelerates as temperature declines, causing an decrease in resistance, thus the energy generated will increase.

The cause that the performance of solar panels is prone to be affected by temperature is they are made of semiconductor materials, which are sensitive to temperature changes. According to a test, they virtually work in optimum state at a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius or 77 degrees Fahrenheit.

Temperature is one of the key factors affecting the amount of electricity solar panels generate. To understand that easily, imagine running on a burning hot summer afternoon. Our body is hard to maintain the performance level under such type of weather, so are solar panels.

Final Thoughts

Now we know heatwaves can make a negative effect on solar panels. If you already have solar photovoltaic systems installed in your house, alternatively, will have in the near future, keep in mind that cool your solar panels down in those unbearable scorching days to make sure they perform at peak efficiency.