As the demand for sustainable energy grows, solar power stands out as the most favoured choice for the future. However, as solar systems require significant investment due to the high cost of semiconductors and allied components, it is important that maximum possible energy is generated from each square foot of a photovoltaic panel. Solar Operations and Maintenance (O&M) companies play a huge role in ensuring the highest efficiency of the solar power systems but some simple tips based on a common understanding of solar energy can go a long way in enhancing your output.
Well, the science behind solar energy is very simple — the higher the exposure of solar cells to sunlight, the greater will the output be. It is around this fundamental principle that most of these efficiency-enhancing tips revolve:
- Avoid shade: Due to the installation of intricate groupings of solar cells in a panel, even if a small part of the panel is covered by shade, the whole module will have less energy conversion. Shade is therefore a major inhibitor of solar energy and must be minimised as much as possible. This requires careful placement of the solar panels, away from a permanent high-rising object like a chimney or a vent. Tall trees around the facility must be well-trimmed to ensure their shadow doesn’t fall on the panels at any time of the day.
- Careful orientation: Solar panels must be oriented in the direction where they receive maximum sunlight throughout the day. This completely depends on the geographical location of the installation. India being a country in the northern hemisphere, the solar panels are always made to face the south to receive maximum sunlight. In the US, both south and west are the favoured directions and have been known to produce the maximum output.
- Proper upkeep: Solar panels can get covered in dust, dirt and bird droppings in a very short span of time. As they are mostly installed on rooftops, it might get a little difficult to clean the panels regularly. This could reduce the efficiency of the panels as some or whole of their surface area is screened from the sunlight. Providing convenient access to the panels and cleaning them regularly is therefore important.
- Weather: Hotter days ironically generate lesser energy due to increase in current and drop in voltage. While controlling the weather is beyond our ability, we can surely be mindful about buying panels with the lowest temperature coefficient, which refers to the amount by which the output of a panel reduces after temperature rises beyond 25⁰C.
For assistance to decide on the solar panel that suits your needs the best, feel free to contact us on +91 9819907445. We would be happy to assist you in finding the best match based on your requirements. As one of India’s best solar companies, with 73 years of market experience, VEMC provides end-to-end solar services to its clients. VEMC is ISO 9001:2015 certified and is one of the leading solar EPC companies in India.