Snow on Solar Panels? Here's the Solution

During the winter months, snow not only brings with it an idyllic winter landscape, but also some challenges for solar power generation. Covering solar panels with a white blanket can reduce energy production, but fortunately there are technological solutions that ensure that the output is not completely lost. One such innovation comes from SolarEdge. How that works? That's explained below.

"When snow is predicted there is always a lot of demand for how solar panels can be cleared of snow. Actually, we see this every year,'' says Marco Kalden of Bongo Solar.

"Solar panels and snow is not an optimal combination. To go up on the roof yourself to remove snow, we advise against it. SolarEdge has come up with a solution, namely that the panels that are free of snow still perform optimally despite the fact that part of the panels go covered under the snow.'' says Christophe Spaans, Country Manager Benelux of SolarEdge.

Power Optimizers from SolarEdge

One of the features of SolarEdge systems is that they use Power Optimizers. These small devices connect directly to the solar panels and maximize energy output by individually optimizing the power of each panel.

Optimize with snow on the roof

How it works. SolarEdge's Power Optimizers work like smart regulators. They adjust electrical parameters to deliver the best performance even under challenging conditions such as snow cover. This is in contrast to so-called series-connected PV systems where all the solar panels are connected together as a series. This makes the system as strong as the weakest panel. If one panel gives less output, this affects the entire installation.

Monitor the yield of your panels

In addition, SolarEdge systems offer the possibility of remote monitoring. This means you can monitor the performance of your installation from anywhere 24 hours a day via the mySolarEdge app, even from the comfort of your home. "This way you can see it immediately if there is less output due to snow cover. We strongly recommend not touching the panels. That does more harm than good," Spaans said.
 

Country: Netherlands.