When you think of solar, you probably imagine warm, sunny days, the kind where people flock to the beach or jump into their pools. You might think solar systems don’t work when it’s cold and grey outside.
When it comes to solar systems on your roof, the truth is that to produce solar electricity has nothing to do with hot sunny days. Solar systems need sunlight and ultraviolet rays, not heat, which is why they work all year round, even when it’s cold.
It’s true that the different seasons can impact how much solar power you can produce, so today I thought I’d explain what the seasons mean and what you can expect.
People use electricity all year round, so of course you need a solar system that gives you all-year electricity generation. The main impact of seasons is that in winter, you get less daylight hours – and because you get less daylight hours, you generate less electricity.
The further south you go in Australia, the greater the impact that’s felt.
Let’s say you live in Brisbane. In December, on average, you’ll enjoy about 8 hours, 34 minutes of sunlight hours each day. By June, this drops to 6 hours, 48 minutes, so you’ll lose almost 2 hours of solar energy generation time.
But what if you live in Hobart? In December, on average, you’ll get 7 hours, 17 minutes of sunlight hours each day. By winter solstice in June, this can drop to an average of 3 hours, 52 minutes.
Since solar systems rely on sunlight hours to generate electricity, the hours you get in each day does impact the amount of solar energy you can generate.
Of all the capital cities in Australia, Darwin has the highest average solar energy output. This is because its closest to the tropics where the length of each day varies less between the different seasons.
So whether it’s summer or winter, your DSolar system will continue to power your life – so call the team to start saving on power bills.
Got questions? Call the team at DSolar on 1300 989 811 for tailored roof design advice and to get more help optimising your solar panel installation for maximum benefit.