What to do when the snow covers the photovoltaic panels?

    What to do when the snow covers the photovoltaic panels?

    The snow has now fallen over a large part of our country. Milan also got white this year. It will really be a white Christmas, but what happens to the photovoltaic panels when the snow falls to the skies, reducing the performance of the modules? Keeping its performance constant, however, is possible with some precautions



    He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him



    What to do when the snow covers the photovoltaic panels? C.what happens to photovoltaic panels when the snow comes down to heaven reducing the performance of the modules? Keep its performance constant, however, it is possible with some precautions.

    It's not just the snow, on the contrary. Tomorrow it will be there shortest day of the year, with the day shorter than the night. This trend is typical of the months Winter, and this leads to a decrease in the hours of exposure to sunlight and consequently to a reduction in the performance of the modules. Snow also contributes to this, when for example a thick layer deposits on the modules or due to the dense sky full of clouds.

    But here are some tips to ensure that your photovoltaic system can enjoy maximum efficiency in the winter months. To understand when the system is not working at its best, just look at the inverter operating signal which should flash when the conditions for energy production are not optimal. Then we have to go to the causes, which can be the snow deposited on the surface of the module, one cloudiness intense or unwanted shadows. In all these situations, the renewable energy produced is unable to power the plant and cannot be used.

    For this, the photovoltaic company Canadian Solar has identified the possible effects that climatic variations can have on a photovoltaic installation:

    1. An overcast sky does not allow the system to operate continuously and constantly.

    2. An inclination of the modules of less than 90 ° together with the long shadows cast in winter by the surrounding buildings interrupt the process of transforming sunlight into electricity.



    3. The snow deposited on the surface of the modules prevents the proper functioning of the structure even when the area exposed to sunlight is only partially covered.

    What to do in these cases? Arming yourself with patience is the first rule to follow. Then there is no need to try to thaw even only part of the roof created, because the energy used for this process will be higher than the yield obtained. When the weather improves, the sun will naturally melt the snow or ice that has formed since the early hours of the morning. At the same time, the uncovered areas of the modules will extend their heat to the rest of the surface while continuing the defrosting process.


    A useful tip concerns the inclination of the modules, which can contribute to afaster elimination of ice or snow. In this case, the ideal slope is greater than 30 °. Better to avoid any attempt to manually remove snow and frost or the use of de-icing sprays and salt can cause damage to the modules and the system.


    Francesca Mancuso

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