If you’re interested in a new home that you have likely seen as part of a virtual staging tour, you may be well aware of the expenses involved in a house. Electricity is one such expense that can take a toll on your wallet if you are not careful. You may have considered various alternatives, with solar power being likely one of them.
However, if your new house is in a freezing area with lots of snow, buying solar panels may seem like a waste. After all, solar panels make use of the sunlight, and it seems like there is less of it in winter, meaning no electricity is produced. We are here to tell you that this does not have to be the case at all and that solar power can be great for your home. Here are 5 major benefits of solar power for your home in the winter season.
1. Solar panels produce electricity even in freezing weather.
There is a popular, albeit the wrong notion, that solar panels cannot produce electricity in winter because of a lack of heat. After all, the sun is not dormant in this climate. However, it is to be noted that solar panels use the light from solar panels to produce electricity rather than heat.
Solar panels work a lot more efficiently in colder climates. Electrons on the solar panel are at rest in colder temperatures, and when they gain energy from sunlight, the voltage difference generates more energy. This difference would be less in hotter climates and would produce lesser energy. You can connect a smart electricity meter and check it out for yourself if you don’t believe us.
2. Solar panels can generate electricity in snow.
When solar panels are covered in snow, sunlight still penetrates through and reaches the surface, enabling electricity generation. Sure, this may not be very efficient, but the dark, reflective glass surface of panels makes the snow melt faster, removing it before it causes any trouble.
Additionally, solar panels are typically tilted, allowing snow to slide off. Light reflected from the snowy ground can also reach solar panels and increase their efficiency enabling more electricity to be produced. This makes installing solar panels a great option, even in snowy weather.
3. Solar panels can generate electricity in the rain.
Even when it’s raining, sunlight will still make its way through and hit the solar panel. Rain and clouds do not cover sunlight entirely and cause diffusion to occur, which can differ depending on the cloud cover and rain density.
In a high-density situation, electricity production will still occur, but it can be limited. However, if you think of it in the long term, it can be beneficial. This is because rain will clean the solar panels on your roof, enabling more efficient production once it has passed. In the long run, there will be more electricity produced.
4. Solar panels are cheaper in winter.
Because people think that solar panels don’t work well in winter, it creates a lack of demand for them in winter. This causes prices to drive down in winter, and you should take advantage of this.
There can be some pretty sweet deals available in winter, and installation is a lot easier during this time with a lack of blazing sunlight. Alongside government advantages, you can get a bargain that will be light on your wallet and give you various advantages.
5. Solar panels are a great backup source in winter.
During winter, extreme conditions like heavy snow and rain can cause the electricity grid all sorts of problems. In such a situation where it breaks down, it will completely stop the electricity supply to your house. It can take a while for it to come back to life.
With solar power, your electricity supply will be unaffected, and you can go on with things normally through the backup power accumulated from the sunlight.
Wrapping Up
Solar power can be an excellent electricity alternative for your home in winter conditions through the benefits mentioned above.
There is a misconception that solar panels are useless in winter, but we have shown that it does not have to be the case. We recommend getting solar panels installed in the winter so you can take advantage of these benefits.
