Do Solar Panels Work During Asheville, NC Winters?

Asheville is blessed with mild, beautiful spring, summer, and fall months, but winters can be freezing cold because of the mountain air. One of the most common questions our local Pink Energy team fields is whether solar panels can be effective during the winter, when gloomy weather is common. Read on to find out.

Do Hot & Cold Temperatures Affect Solar Panels?

Solar panels are affected by changes in temperature, but not necessarily the way you might think! While many people expect solar panels to perform best on hot, sunny days, cold, sunny days are actually the best conditions for solar panels. That’s because less energy is lost because of the heat. 

Sunlight – not heat – is what allows solar panels to produce energy. But cooler temperatures can enhance your solar system’s production levels, which is one of the benefits of solar energy in the winter months.

Will Shorter Winter Days Impact My Solar Energy?

Naturally, with shorter days come fewer hours of solar energy potential. However, the cooler temperatures from November-February in Asheville can help offset the potential loss of sunlight during shorter winter days, which means that you will have little to worry about with your solar array during winter. 

Snow isn’t as common in Asheville as it is further north in the U.S., but should snow coat your solar panels, there’s no need to worry! The sun can melt the snow fairly quickly, and your solar panels will return to their normal production levels. It’s important to note that it is not recommended that you use any tools to clear your solar panels. That could cause damage to your solar array, and hurt you in the long run.

Add Solar This Winter With Your Asheville Pink Energy Team

Our Pink Energy team is based locally in Asheville, meaning we’re intimately familiar with the weather and seasonality here. 

Asheville is a wonderful city for solar panels, due to mild temperatures that increase production and plenty of sunny days. Plus, we’re proud to create more renewable energy to help preserve Asheville’s abundance of natural resources and outdoor activity options. Contact your local Pink Energy team today to see if solar is an option for your year-round energy needs.