Solar panels, as the name suggests, require sunlight to function. They are photovoltaic devices, and they convert sunlight into electricity, which can then be stored in batteries to power your entire home. Now, the question is, what if it’s nighttime or it’s too cloudy outside? Does the solar panel system then become essentially useless? Read on to find out whether solar panels work during those conditions where there’s little to no sunlight.
How Solar Panels Work
In order to answer this question, you must first know how solar panels actually function. The usual photovoltaic solar panels are made up of silicon cells. When light hits the silicon, they get excited and produce charge carriers. This process is known as the photovoltaic effect and is a form of photovoltaic solar energy conversion. The silicon cells are then connected to a battery and can be used to power up your home whenever needed.
Solar panels, even though efficient, are still not capable of generating enough energy to replace the amount of electricity that is required to power an entire home on a sunny day. For example, if you have a 2.5 solar panel system and it’s a sunny day, and you have your entire family home, then you would need something much bigger than 2.5 to provide enough energy for the whole day.
That’s where the batteries come into play. The excess energy generated by the solar panels is stored in a battery and released whenever there is a lack of energy. The batteries are capable of storing energy for up to a couple of days. They can provide your home with enough energy to power up your home even when there is no solar energy available. Of course, the battery’s capacity depends on your solar energy system and your energy usage.
Do Solar Panels Produce Energy at Night or When it’s Cloudy?
The straight answer is no. Solar panels do not produce electricity at night. Solar panels used to power a home normally come with a battery that stores unused solar energy during the day. So, at night, the stored solar power is used to assist in running the home.
Most solar panels have an output of around 17-19V so that they can efficiently be used with conventional batteries. Solar panels also work when the weather is cloudy, however, the conversion efficiency is much lower than when the weather is sunny. The best way to get around this is by using batteries that can store excess solar energy.
The battery can be charged by the solar panel during the day and then used to power your home during peak hours or when the sun goes down. However, solar panels can’t generate energy at night, so in order to prevent your solar energy system from draining your batteries at night, a charge controller is required. The charge controller uses a timer to control the charging and discharging of the batteries.
How to Get the Most from Your Solar Panels
The solar panels will work better and more efficiently if the sun’s angle in your area is higher. The higher the angle, the more power the panels produce and the more daylight you will get. You can increase the angle of your solar panels by placing them on top of a portable stand.
If you have cloudy conditions where there’s little to no sun, then you can still power up your home using the batteries. If you have a high-capacity battery, it can provide a backup power source for a few days.
Conclusion
Solar panels can only generate energy while there is sunlight. During times of low sunlight, the battery attached to the system stores the excess energy and can be used to power up your home as needed. Although solar panels cannot produce electricity at night or during cloudy conditions, you can use a battery to store extra energy to be used when necessary.
For all your solar needs, whether it’s for solar energy for your home or for your business, Simmitri is the company to call. As one of the leading solar energy companies in the industry, we’ve been serving clients in Northern California for more than 27 years. Whenever you need solar panel rooftop installation in Silicon Valley or outside the city, Simmitri is the company to call. Contact us today to get a quote.