all the energy humanity produces in from burning coal, oil, and natural gas.Even by the standards of sky fusion reactors it’s pretty powerful and outshines at least 90% of the stars out there. It constantly releases a vast amount of energy. The sun is a very large, naturally occurring, fusion reactor in the sky. Paying more for “UV Panels” is about as sensible as buying rainbow powered panels from a leprechaun. Of course, we’re living in the UK, daily sunshine is not a given, but that doesn’t mean we need to rule out solar panels.We are getting reports of people paying through the nose for 5kW of “UV Solar Panels” from fast talking salespeople. While solar panels will still function without direct sunlight or on a cloudy day, your solar panels will be most efficient in full, direct sunlight. Solar panels can process around 15-22 % of solar energy into usable energy, with factors such as weather conditions and placement playing a part. Contrary to popular belief, the amount of sunlight isn’t the only factor in energy conversion. This leads us nicely onto our final point, determining the optimum climate for energy conversion. The optimum climate for energy conversion To summarise, your solar panels won’t be operating at optimum efficiency when there is cloud coverage and shade, but they will be working their magic. So, while on the cloudiest days, your solar panels may not generate as much energy as they do in the sun, they will still do the job.

As mentioned previously, solar panels work by turning daylight into energy, not sunlight. Have you ever sat outside on a cloudy day and still caught the sun? If you’ve ever caught a tan or been burnt on a cloudy day, you might have a good idea of where we’re going with this.Įven though clouds can block the sun’s brightest rays, a sizeable amount of solar radiation can penetrate the cloud. In the UK, north-facing panels are the least effective option as they’ll see the least amount of sunlight throughout the day. If south-facing solar panels aren’t an option for you, the second-best option is west-facing, followed by east-facing. Solar panels can still be a viable option for you. If your property doesn’t have a south-facing roof, not all is lost. Panels that face the south will face the sun for the maximum possible time, giving them the best opportunity to soak up the sun’s rays and convert them into energy.

Generally speaking, as the UK is in the northern hemisphere, the best solar panel positioning is facing the south. When it comes to maximising the amount of electricity that your solar panels will produce, positioning is an essential factor to consider. In a nutshell, if it’s light enough for you to see a solar panel, it’s light enough for a solar panel to generate electricity. So, to answer the question – No, solar panels don’t need direct sunlight to generate electricity. The reason is that the photons are forced to move more when light, UV, and heat levels increase, creating more electricity. With that said, solar panels do work best on super sunny days. Therefore, they’ll work in the same way on an overcast or cloudy day.

The technology inside solar panels which transform light into electricity are called photons, and any visual light can stimulate photons. Solar power works on cloudy days, as any visible light stimulates them. Based on this simple explanation, you may presume that solar panels only work when they’re directly in the sun. In the simplest terms, solar panels capture the sun’s UV rays and convert them into electricity for use in your home.

The optimum climate for energy conversionĭo solar panels need direct sunlight to generate electricity?.

The optimum positioning for solar panels.

Do solar panels need direct sunlight to generate electricity?.

In this blog post, we’ll cover the following: In our latest blog, we’re answering a common question: do solar panels need direct sunlight to generate electricity? While they’re becoming more mainstream, we understand that the concept also comes with many questions.

Solar power is becoming increasingly important in the UK and beyond.

Video direct sunlight solarcell