Solar panels can work better in cold weather

Thursday 14th January 2010, 2:59PM GMT.

From Nathan Jordan.
I WRITE with reference to June Beslièvre’s letter of 11 January wherein she expressed surprise that her solar-powered garden lights actually seemed to be more effective during snowy conditions.

Photovoltaic cells convert energy from light, not just direct sunlight. This can include the reflected light from snow. During cold weather such as this, this amount of reflected light can be significant.

Solar panels also do not require heat and in fact can work better in cold conditions (if they did not, we would have great trouble powering satellites in the vacuum of space!).

In addition, if the layer of snow did not cover it completely, the panel would necessarily heat up over time and melt the rest away.

Any solar-minded Islanders can reduce the problem of reduced energy through snowfall by installing their panels at an angle, to help the build-up to slide off.