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The Science Behind How Solar Panels Work
By Josh Hurst /
What Happens When There’s Snow on Solar Panels?
In this guide, we’ll answer the following questions:
- Do solar panels work if there’s snow on them?
- What happens to your solar panels when it snows?
- What should you do to remove snow from solar panels?
- And more
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Snow On Solar Panels: Your Questions, Answered
Many people assume that because they need the sun to generate energy solar panels don’t work in the winter or that it’s only worth going solar in states with hot climates and mild winter months.
But did you know that Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York are three of the top 10 states for solar installations? For context, these three states get a combined annual snowfall of nearly 185 inches.
So, are these northern homeowners delusional, or is snow on solar panels not that big a deal?
We’ll be honest — heavy snowfall will hinder solar production. However, cold winter weather will not harm a well-installed solar photovoltaic (PV) system. In fact, solar panels can actually benefit from some snow.1 And the headache of occasional snowfall isn’t enough to diminish the upsides of having a renewable energy system.
Seeing as you’re here, you probably have some questions about snow on solar panels and how it affects the amount of energy generation. So, let’s get to it.
SunPower
Best National Provider
Pros
- Most efficient panels on the market
- National coverage
- Cradle to Cradle sustainability certification
- Great warranty coverage
Cons
- Expensive
- Customer service varies by local dealer
SunPower designs and installs industry-leading residential solar and storage solutions across all 50 states. With a storied history of innovation dating back to 1985, no other company on this list can match SunPower’s experience and expertise.
SunPower earns its position as the top national installer on our list for a handful of reasons: It installs the most efficient solar technology on the residential market, offers the most expansive service area and backs its installations with a warranty well above the industry standard. All the while, SunPower pioneers sustainability efforts within the industry.
If that weren’t enough, SunPower systems come packaged with products all manufactured in-house by its sister company, Maxeon. This means that your panels, solar cells, inverters, battery and EV chargers are designed to work together and are all covered under the same warranty.
SunPower’s biggest downside? Its high-efficiency panels are considerably more expensive than most of its competitors’ products. However, its powerful panels are workhorses that make up for the initial cost with more backend production (think about this like spending more money for a car that gets more miles per gallon).
Facts and Figures: SunPower
| EcoWatch Rating |
|---|
| Better Business Bureau (BBB) Rating |
| Year Founded |
| Average Cost ($-$$$$$) |
| Solar Services |
| Brands of Solar Equipment Offered |
| Warranty Coverage |
| 5 |
| A+ |
| 1985 |
| $$$$ |
| Solar Panels, Solar Batteries, EV Chargers, System Monitoring |
| SunPower Panels |
| 25-year all-inclusive warranty |
Blue Raven Solar
Best Solar Financing
Pros
- Industry-leading in-house financing
- Competitive pricing
- Excellent reputation
Cons
- Doesn't offer solar batteries (coming 2022)
We like Blue Raven Solar because it understands that, for most homeowners, the cost of solar presents the biggest barrier to entry.
For that reason, Blue Raven Solar developed an innovative solar financing plan that offers in-house, flexible, zero-money-down options. The results speak for themselves, as Blue Raven Solar is now one of the fastest-growing solar companies in the nation and was recently acquired by SunPower. Its BluePower Plus+ plan (exclusive to Blue Raven) mimics the flexible structure of a lease while still providing the greatest benefits of owning your system.
Eligible homeowners enjoy 18 months of solar power before having to pay their first bill. When coupled with the federal solar investment tax credit (ITC), the initial energy savings can offset more than a third of the overall cost of a system before requiring a dollar down.
In contrast, other installers can only offer similar financing through solar leases, PPAs or third-party providers (such as Mosaic or Sunlight). Third-party loan providers can complicate the process, while opting for a loan or PPA will disqualify you from some of solar’s biggest benefits (additional property value, federal solar tax credit and local solar incentives).
Facts and Figures: Blue Raven Solar
| EcoWatch Rating |
|---|
| Better Business Bureau (BBB) Rating |
| Year Founded |
| Average Cost ($-$$$$$) |
| Solar Services |
| Brands of Solar Equipment Offered |
| Warranty Coverage |
| 4.5 |
| A+ |
| 2014 |
| $$ |
| Solar Panels, System Monitoring |
| Trina Solar, Canadian Solar, SolarEdge, Silfab, SunPower |
| 25-year manufacturer warranty; 10-year workmanship warranty, 2-year production guarantee |
ADT Solar
Best Warranty Coverage
Pros
- Industry-leading warranty coverage
- Expansive service area
Cons
- Some reported communication issues
- No leases or PPAs
ADT Solar sets the industry standard for warranty coverage by including a multifaceted guarantee, making it one of the top installers for homeowners who want added peace of mind.
Its warranty coverage includes all of the following for 25 years:
- Power Production Guarantee: Also known as a performance guarantee, this ensures your solar system will produce the amount of electricity that’s outlined in your proposal, or ADT will write you a check for the difference.
- Labor Guarantee: This covers any issues with the installation of your system and is also known as a workmanship warranty.
- Panel Module Performance Guarantee: This is what ADT Solar refers to the manufacturer warranty as, and it ensures that any manufacturing defects are repaired or your ineffective panels replaced.
- Enphase Microinverters Guarantee: This backs the performance of your inverters.
Though in recent years other solar companies have started to offer similar guarantees, ADT Solar has been at it since 2008, performing over 30,000 installations across the country.
Facts and Figures: ADT Solar
| EcoWatch Rating |
|---|
| Better Business Bureau (BBB) Rating |
| Year Founded |
| Average Cost ($-$$$$$) |
| Solar Services |
| Brands of Solar Equipment Offered |
| Warranty Coverage |
| 4 |
| A- |
| 2008 |
| $$$ |
| Solar Panels, Solar Batteries, EV Chargers, Energy-Efficiency Upgrades |
| Silfab, Panasonic and others depending on location |
| 25-year all-inclusive warranty |
Do Solar Panels Still Work If There’s Snow On Them?
Well, it depends on how much snow we’re talking about. If your solar panels are buried under heavy snow buildup, they’re not getting any direct sunlight and therefore won’t be generating any solar power.
On the other hand, if it’s just a thin layer of snow and solar rays can still get through, there will still be some solar energy production. Additionally, if there’s heavy snow on parts of the solar array but areas where the panels are still exposed, you’ll still see some energy output.
In the long run, a few days of snow on your solar panels aren’t going to have that big of an impact on your overall solar energy production. But investing in solar energy storage batteries is a good idea, especially in states with frequent inclement weather.
What Happens To Your Solar Panels When It Snows
Aside from wondering if solar panels still work in cold weather and snow, many homeowners wonder how inclement weather can impact solar panel systems.
Does Snow Damage Solar Panels?
You shouldn’t have to worry too much about snow damaging your solar panels because they’re designed with frames and crannies to withstand potential damage. So long as your solar PV module is installed by a reliable solar company, you shouldn’t have to worry about snow.
That’s not to say you should start singing “Let It Snow,” either.
In cases of extreme weather, the weight of heavy snowfall can place stress on a PV system and potentially lead to cracks. Studies have shown that of all extreme weather events snow represents the biggest challenge to a solar power system’s performance.2
The potential for solar system damage is why we always recommend choosing a solar company that offers a comprehensive warranty for your solar energy system so you’re covered in the event of snow damage.
How Snow Can Be Beneficial for Solar Panels
You probably didn’t think that snow could actually be good for solar panels. But when snow melts off your solar panels, it washes away dirt, dust and pollen with it, making your solar panels cleaner and more efficient.
Learn More About Best Solar Panels by Watt
How Do You Deal With Snow On Solar Panels?
You invested in a solar panel system and you don’t want snow to lessen its efficiency. So you might be wondering if you should remove snow from your solar panels.
In most cases, there’s really not much you can do to combat snow on your solar panels. But here are three possible options:
1. Clean Snow Off Your Solar Panels
We’re going to be honest, this is probably not your best option. Trying to clean snow off your solar panels is typically not worth the risk of injuring yourself or your solar system.
However, if you live in a state like Minnesota or Alaska where snow is abundant and daylight hours are extra short on winter days, solar panel snow removal might be necessary. In that case, you should invest in proper solar panel snow removal tools like a roof rake or a snow broom.
2. Invest In Snow Guards
If you live in a snowy state, you may want to install snow guards with your solar panel system. Snow guards are also easy to add to an existing system, so be sure to ask a local solar installer about them.
3. Wait For Nature To Do Its Thing
In our opinion, the best way to remove snow from your solar panels is to wait on gravity and sunshine to do their thing.
Solar arrays are installed at an angle, so heavier snowfall is likely to slide off on the next sunny day. Plus, dark solar panels are designed to attract and absorb heat, so snow melts faster on them compared to a standard roof shingle.
Final Thoughts: Snow On Solar Panels
Heavy snowfall can stick to your solar panels and block solar production, but it’s not a significant enough impact to lessen the benefit of going solar. And if you don’t want to take our word for it, know that the Solar Energy Technologies Office has publicly stated that they’re confident solar panels can still thrive when the snow piles high.3
Additionally, as solar technology advances, more is being done to mitigate snow being an issue. For example, Tesla solar boasts about snow sliding right off of its roofs, and CEO Elon Musk has even discussed built-in heating elements as part of solar technology to automatically melt snow and frost.
Solar glass tiles can also incorporate heating elements, like rear defroster on a car, to clear roof of snow and keep generating energy
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 29, 2016
So, if there’s snow in the forecast, don’t worry so much about how your solar panels will fare. Instead, think of it as a free, easy solar panel cleaning solution.
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Comparing authorized solar partners
Average cost
Pros
Cons
BBB Rating
Year founded
Service Area
Brands of Solar Equipment Offered
Warranty Coverage
-
- Most efficient panels on the market
- National coverage
- Cradle to Cradle sustainability certification
- Great warranty coverage
- Expensive
- Customer service varies by local dealer
A+Best National Provider1985SunPower Panels25-year all-inclusive warranty
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