Is the Heatwave a bad news for solar panels?

Days of scorching sun are fuelling Europe’s grid with record-breaking amounts of solar power - but the current heatwave is actually bad news for solar panels. In Germany, a record amount of electricity was generated by solar power on Sunday, while most of the country was placed under an excessive heat warning.

Are solar panels a 'killer' Heatwave?

While more solar-generated energy could be seen as a silver lining of what’s likely to be a “killer” heatwave, the heat is actually hampering solar panels. Counter-intuitively, hotter, sunnier days do not equal more power, as rising temperatures actually hinder the capacity of solar panels to collect energy. How does it work?

Will heat affect solar panels?

Unprecedented temperatures are expected in the UK, a country where most houses do not have air conditioning installed. In much of southern Europe, firefighters are already fighting raging blazes sparked by the heat. There are, obviously, thermal solar panels too, which would not be affected by the increased heat.

Why do PV panels absorb more solar insolation?

Additionally, PV panel surfaces absorb more solar insolation due to a decreased albedo 13, 23, 24. PV panels will re-radiate most of this energy as longwave sensible heat and convert a lesser amount (~20%) of this energy into usable electricity.

How much does temperature affect solar panel performance?

According to Solar Energy UK, solar panel performance typically falls by about 0.34 percentage points for every degree that the temperature rises above 25C, although that varies between different panels.

Do solar panels wilt in the summer?

More solar power is produced in the summer than any other time - regardless of how hot it gets, says Solar Energy UK. “The idea that solar panels wilt in the heat is a gross and fundamental misapprehension,” the member-led organisation hit back today.