Everyone is going crazy over getting residential solar panels, and you can’t blame them. After all, they’re the best way to get the energy you need while cutting costs on conventional electricity.
As someone who’s been thinking about installing panels, you know that your home could really benefit from the power of solar energy. However, one major question comes to your mind: “Do solar panels work at night?”
It’s a genuine question, of course. They are called solar panels, not lunar panels. That said, the answer to this commonly asked question is easy to solve. Keep reading this article to find out more!
Do Solar Panels Work at Night?
Solar roof panels are complex and fascinating instruments. Just one is enough to power a couple of your small appliances, and with many working together, you can power an entire house with ease.
However, even these great instruments have their limits. Solar panels are designed to draw energy from light sources. The sun is obviously our biggest and most constant light source, so it makes sense for us to draw from such a powerful celestial body.
But what about sources? Couldn’t you draw light from streetlamps, or from the moon and other stars? Although it is possible for solar panels to draw light from these sources and technically produce energy from them, the amount of production is so small that it wouldn’t give you any real power.
For this reason, solar panels only operate in the day and shut off during the night hours.
So, How Do I Use Power at Night?
Just because you can’t generate power at night doesn’t mean you’ll be left stranded the moment the sun goes down. When you get your solar panels installed, you’ll have options to collect excess power to use during dark hours.
In most cases, residents tend to go for one of two main options. The first option, solar battery storage, allows you to store the extra power directly at home. When night falls, you can use the stored power to take care of any electrical needs you have.
Alternatively, you can use net metering. This option works in collaboration with your conventional provider. When you collect extra energy, the amount you produce is exported to the utility grid and collected by your provider. You receive credits for this energy, and whenever a cloudy day or dark night arises, these credits are used to negate the conventional energy you use.
Now that you know about how do solar panels work at night, you’ll want to order some panels of your own. Make sure you get yours installed by a certified solar company so you know you’re getting the best work for the right price!
Now You Understand How Panels Work
Now that we’ve answered your question, “Do solar panels work at night?”, you’ll be able to make a confident choice when buying your new panels. Make sure to check out the rest of our site to learn more ways you can get the most out of your life!