You have surely thought about summer. But even though summer brings with it high temperatures and lots of sunshine, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best time of year to install a photovoltaic system.
In fact, low season, especially in the months leading up to summer, can be the perfect time to start exploring this option, and now we explain why.
Contents
Photovoltaic panels need sun, not heat
Solar energy is generated by photovoltaic or thermal solar systems. Solar thermal energy, as its name suggests, harnesses the heat of the sun. However, most rooftop solar panels are photovoltaic, meaning they convert sunlight into electricity.
Solar systems work best when the sun is shining and it is undeniable that the days are longer in summer than in other seasons. The angle of the sun, combined with the strength of the solar radiation, means that some solar systems can generate twice as much electricity in summer as during the shorter days of winter.
However, because photovoltaic solar panels use light instead of heat, higher summer temperatures do not necessarily correspond to higher solar panel performance. Indeed, instead of increasing the performance of photovoltaic panels, very hot days can have a negative impact on the ability of your panels to generate energy. An overheated panel will not be an efficient panel.
In areas where we are blessed with long periods of sunshine throughout the year, we have good solar energy production almost all year round. There are many opportunities to be seized.
Lower demand = better solar deals and faster installations
You don’t have to be an industry expert to know that summer is big business for solar power. Solar energy companies are increasing their ad spend and people are lining up to build solar systems.
For this reason, off-season solar installations can result in more affordable prices and faster installation turnaround times. As the demand for installations increases, the likelihood of them facing inflated costs, product shortages, and lengthy installation times also increases.
If you install your system at a less attractive time of year, such as fall, winter or early spring, you will avoid the pressure of installers and can save considerable money. Instead of waiting for installation, you can start reaping the benefits immediately.
In addition, if you install your photovoltaic system in low season, you will reach 100% to take advantage of the sun’s energy when the hours of sunshine increase during the summer. Long before winter returns and spring is just a possibility on the horizon, you could have solar panels running, generating clean energy for your home.
If you want to start making big profits right away, consider installing them in the spring. In fact, spring is the second best time for solar power generation, after summer.
Come spring, you’ll have better solar deals and faster installation times.
But it’s never a “bad” time to install solar power. With an average annual saving of over 30% on your electricity bill, you can’t go wrong.
Remember that a photovoltaic system will give you, on average, more than 20 years of service.