Does Solar Work in the Winter?

Solar is an investment that you can rely on year-round. Solar panels will let you say goodbye to the ridiculous electric utility bills in New York. As you consider solar for your home, you might have wondered what happens to your panels when the sun isn’t shining so much. Does solar work in the winter? Is it even worth getting solar panels in a State where it snows?

These are valid questions and they’re asked by many homeowners before pulling the trigger on renewable energy. New York Power Solutions is an expert solar installation company with more than 5,000 successful projects completed so far. Here’s what you need to know about solar panels and their performance throughout the year.

How do Solar Panels Work?

Solar panels work by converting sunlight into electricity. More specifically, when light hits the panels, the photons in the light excite the panel materials, creating electrical charges. These charges flow around and then out of the solar panel to an inverter system, before being used in your home.

Solar panels need light to function. They are most efficient when the sun is shining brightly. However, they will still produce some electricity on cloudy days, at lower efficiency.

Does Solar Work in the Winter in New York?

If you get solar panels on your rooftop, they will function throughout the year. To answer the question specifically, solar panels do work in the winter, providing that the conditions are good. The only time that panels would shut down is if they were covered in snow or if there was too much cloud cover, preventing enough light from hitting the surface of the panels. Even on overcast, rainy, or snowy days, your solar panels would produce some electricity.

Solar panels are designed so that snow easily slides off the surface. Interestingly, solar panels work more efficiently in cold weather, so if there’s sunlight, they will perform near their peak.

You might think that this would make solar panels worthless during the winter, but this isn’t actually the case. Solar systems are designed to provide a balance of performance and savings. When you get your free home solar estimate, you’ll also get a cost/benefit breakdown. This will compare the cost of the system to the projected savings over time, based on the expected output of your system. All seasons are considered.

During the best months of the year, you will often produce more electricity than you can consume during the day. The excess won’t be wasted. It can be exported to the grid. Under a Net Metering agreement with your utility provider, you will generate credits from this.

The credits you build through Net Metering help to balance out the times of the year when solar production is reduced. When looking at the bigger picture with solar savings over a whole year, your panels will ensure that you come out with meaningful savings. In New York, most homes are suited to solar, and the average system can pay for itself in savings within the first 8 to 10 years.

SMART Solar Financing Makes It Easier to Get Rooftop Panels

Choosing New York Power Solutions as your solar installer will give you access to affordable SMART solar financing. Some unique aspects of our financing will benefit you.

• There are available Federal and State solar tax credits that can cover part of the cost of your installation. In the case of the Federal credit, you can claim up to 30% of the cost of your solar installation.
• Financing comes with an initial interest-free period equal to expected tax credits.
• You can get solar financing with no money down.

Our team makes it easier to get a solar energy solution at your home. We’ll help you to find the best financing package that suits your unique needs and your budget.

Solar Works in the Winter – Learn All the Benefits with a Free Estimate

You asked the question, “Does solar work in the winter?”, and learned that solar works throughout every season of the year, minus a few days where the conditions interfere with solar production. You’ll learn more about the financial and practical benefits of renewable energy when you get your free home solar estimate from New York Power Solutions. Start the consultation process and see how solar could create lasting returns with reliable energy for you and your family.