Solar panels can only generate electricity when there is sunlight. Solar storage and a backup power source during the night are the main reasons for solar panels not working at night.
We will discuss why solar panels are still a good investment, including net metering and backup energy to power your home in the dark.
DO SOLAR PANELS PRODUCE ENERGY AT NIGHT?
Like solar cells will not work at their peak efficiency in cloudy conditions, they do not produce energy at night when there is not enough sunlight to absorb.
Your panels work all day, even after sunset, to generate enough electricity to run your home through the night. However, the photovoltaic cells within your panels require sunlight to produce that power.
Once the sun sets, it is time for you to use any extra energy your system has produced throughout the day. You can access this energy through your battery backup or your solar power. You can use your net meters solar credits to get energy in the dark hours.
Let us have a closer look at each of these options.
SOLAR BATTERY STOCKAGE FOR ENERGY AT NIGHT
You can access electricity at night when the solar panels are not producing energy. Solar panels can be used as a renewable energy source around the clock, thanks to backup power.
Solar batteries can be used to store energy at any time of the day. They are most useful at night when your panels generate the most power.
Solar panels can charge your battery with excess solar energy you do not use for electricity. Instead of sending excess electricity to a grid, you can store it for later use or even at night.
This energy independence allows you to use your solar battery storage to generate electricity before you draw energy from the grid. You can also use the stored energy for occasions other than nighttime hours.
You can rest assured that there is enough energy to get you through a crisis, even if extreme weather conditions like extreme heat or hurricanes cause it.
NET METERING KEEPS YOU CONNECTED AT NIGHT
Many utility providers offer net-metering programs. Net metering works in the same way as a savings account. Any excess energy you do not use to power your home is transferred into the grid. In return, your retail electric provider (REP) will reimburse you or give you solar credits.
You can use the energy credits accumulated during the night to pay your bills while your solar panels work hard during the day. Solar system owners are able to rely on their abundance of credits when they need them.
Net metering allows electricity to flow to your home via a bidirectional connection. Your panels can produce excess energy during the day, which flows to the grid. Your home will also benefit from energy flowing into the grid if your panels do not produce energy at night.
A grid connection is a shared form solar power storage. It is only available in some places. Before making long-term investments, such as in a solar system or storage solution, you should investigate the net metering policies within your region.
Check out our complete list of incentives and rebates that are based on your location.
TANDEM CAN CONTAIN NET METERING & BATTERY STORAGE
Most solar panel owners connect to the grid to take advantage of net Metering benefits. Many households are installing storage batteries.
These two solutions don’t have to be mutually exclusive. They can even work together!
You can only program your battery to draw power from the grid once it is completely depleted. You can also configure them to work simultaneously. This will allow you to reduce your electricity bill while increasing your energy security.
To determine how much sun energy you can generate, look at our Solar Potential Calculator.