Absolutely yes! Many people are surprised to learn that solar panels can actually improve performance in winter conditions, further minimizing production waste due to snow on the panels and loss of daylight hours. Photovoltaic(PV) technology can convert sunlight into electricity more efficiently during colder months.

Snow also reflects additional sunlight onto the panels, increasing the amount of energy the system can produce in a day.

What happens when the PV panels are covered with snow?

If the solar panel is covered with snow, it will not be able to generate electricity. However, solar arrays tend to repel snow fairly well. The panels themselves absorb both the heat and light of the sun and are mounted facing the sun, often on a slope.

While it is true that snowfall reduces solar panel production, the loss as a percentage of total annual production is actually very small, making it a good investment for potential customers.

It is not recommended for solar system owners to remove snow from their arrays as this can damage the array and is not covered under warranty. Also, the panels themselves tend to be in hard-to-reach or dangerous locations on the roof.

In order to get optimal PV plant performance do I need to clear the snow which is covering my Solar PV modules?

Solar Panels In Winter

If your roof or panels are covered with snow, don't panic. When the sun reappears after a storm, the sun's rays hit the snow on the roof, causing it to quickly fall off the panels. Additionally, solar panels are built to withstand inclement weather and heavy snowfall. So you don't have to try to remove the snow from the roof. Better stay indoors with hot coffee and look forward to the next sunny day.

However, some users have a solar system out of the box and spare no effort in optimizing the system for the best possible performance. If you've fallen into this camp, here are some tips. If you have roof brakes, use them to clear the area under the panels to allow snow that has fallen off the panels to slide.

Better stay cautious! Customers report success with this technique, but panel damage is not covered under warranty. Under no circumstances should you attempt to clear snow from a snow collector using the sharp edge of a metal roof rake (never use a rake of any kind on a vacuum tube collector). Think about your safety, too – producing a few extra hours in the shortest daylight hours of the year isn't worth hurting yourself.