How much energy do you harvest by the coming the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival -- the Harvest Festival?

 

Go and Check your electricity bills, see how much have your solar panels saved for you.

 

It must be quite a lot of money! I'm gonna share some tips to keep them as efficent even when the hot summer's slipping away! 

To begin with, do you know how does the sunlight varies from summer to autumn and what's the effect to photovoltaics?

① The angle at which sunlight strikes a PV panel is referred to as the angle of incidence. When sunlight hits a solar panel at a perpendicular angle (90°), it delivers the maximum amount of energy to the solar cells. As the angle of incidence increases (i.e., becomes more oblique), the amount of energy delivered to the solar cells decreases.

② As summer progresses and transitions into autumn, the angle of direct sunlight gradually becomes more oblique. That is to say, the sunlight reaching to the solar cells decreases gradually.

Besides the Reduced Intensity of Sunlight reaching the solar panels, which leads to a decrease in the overall energy production of the photovoltaic system. Increased shading is an other main factor to affect solar systems in autumn.

The Sun appears lower in the sky, and objects such as trees, buildings, or other nearby structures may cast longer shadows on the solar panels. These shadows can partially or fully obstruct sunlight from reaching the panels, further reducing the energy output.

To mitigate the effects of the changing sunlight angle, it is important to design and install solar panels in a way that maximizes their exposure to direct sunlight throughout the year. This can involve properly orienting the panels towards the south or adjusting the tilt angle to optimize the capture of sunlight during different seasons.

Additionally, regular maintenance, such as cleaning the panels to remove any debris or shading objects, can help maximize their efficiency and energy production.

Last but not least!  It is recommended to have professionals to regularly check & record the operation of the panels and storage equipment, so as to avoid the occurence of safety hazards.

Overall, understanding the angle of sunlight and its seasonal variations helps in designing PV systems for optimal energy production by taking into account the changing intensity and direction of sunlight throughout the year.