Do Solar Panels Get Hot

There are a couple of ways you can cool down your solar panels one of which is natural convection.

Do solar panels get hot.

It is a common assumption to relate hot climates with excellent conditions for solar panels however the truth is that high ambient temperature conditions are not good for solar panels. Modern hybrid solar panels are designed to suffer less from the heat but they can still lose 10 per cent of their rated efficiency on hot days. The researchers also discovered that solar panels prevent heat from escaping during the night when it is cooler. Solar panels can overheat.

However solar panels can get as hot as 65 c 149 f at which point solar cell efficiency will be hindered. They don t produce any significant heat in the process of generating electricity. The surface of the panels thus becomes less heat emitting on cold days and more heat emitting on hot days. Advertisement subscribe to bbc focus magazine for fascinating new q as every month and follow sciencefocusqa on twitter for your daily dose of fun science facts.

Depending on your brand of solar panel and the actual temperature on your roof high heat can steal away as much as 10 of your solar system s efficiency. It can do this by detecting the solar spectrum and changing its color and at the same time its absorptivity accordingly. So even though a solar panel can get the same amount of sunlight on a cool day and a hot day the panels will produce more energy on the cool day. Through natural convection there are holes made in the panels so the hot air from the lower surface of the panel rises up more easily.

Solar panel manufacturers are well aware that their products are going to get hot and any malfunctions from temperature wouldn t look good on them. According to estimates the temperature difference between the ground mounted and roof attached solar panels in the same location can make up to 10 c 50 f. Actually this is one of the major causes of a drop in performance and can reduce energy yields if not considered properly. However the heating benefits of solar panels may not be as pronounced as the cooling benefits.

And to be clear they will only get as hot as anything else made of metal or glass in the sun. This lowers heating costs in the winter and increases the financial returns of the panels. The colder air then comes in contact with the panels and cools them down. However this technology is not part of the main market but it should be in a few years.

If you live in a hot climate you should maybe consider ground mounted solar panels because this way they get the most airflow to keep their temperature lower. Install factors like how close the panels are installed to the roof can impact the typical heat of your solar system.