Living in the Mid Atlantic region means we get all kinds of weather. We go from hot and humid in July to gray and cloudy afternoons in the winter in Chesapeake. People from Maryland often think that solar energy only works when the sky is clear and blue.. That is not true. Solar energy is really good now. It can even get energy from the sun when it is, behind big clouds.

To figure out how this works you need to take a look at how light works. Solar cells do not just use the sunlight that you can see to make electricity. They are made to catch the sunlight and the sunlight that is spread out. The sunlight that is spread out is the kind that comes through clouds or bounces off the ground and other buildings. On a day you get the most electricity, from your solar cells.. Even on a cloudy day your solar cells can still make a lot of electricity just not as much as they can on a sunny day. Solar cells can make electricity on days because they can catch the sunlight that comes through clouds. This is why solar cells are useful even when it is not sunny outside.

The Science of Indirect Sunlight

The efficiency of maryland solar panels during inclement weather is one of the most common topics for homeowners considering a switch. Rain actually offers a hidden benefit to your array by washing away dust, pollen, and debris that can accumulate over time. A clean panel is a more productive panel, so a quick rain shower can actually boost your efficiency once the sun breaks through the clouds again. Even on the gloomiest days, your home remains connected to the grid or a battery backup to ensure your power never flickers.

During the peak of a storm, your production might drop to ten or twenty five percent of its maximum potential. However, the modern engineering behind maryland solar panels ensures that every available photon is utilized. Because Maryland receives an average of over two hundred days of partial or full sunshine per year, the high production days more than compensate for the occasional gray week. The net metering policies in our state also allow you to bank excess energy from sunny days to use when the weather is less than ideal.

Quick Facts About Solar and Weather

• UV Rays Penetrate Clouds: Just as you can get a sunburn on a cloudy day at the beach, your panels can still "see" the ultraviolet rays that pass through the atmosphere.

• Temperature Efficiency: Solar panels actually perform better in cooler temperatures. Cold, cloudy days can sometimes be more efficient for the hardware than a blistering hot summer afternoon where the heat creates electrical resistance.

• The Edge Effect: Sometimes, when the sun is peeking out from behind a cloud, the light reflects off the edge of that cloud and creates a brief burst of energy that is even stronger than direct sunlight.

• Winter Performance: Snow typically slides off the slick glass surface of a tilted solar array, and the reflection of light off the white snow can actually increase the amount of diffuse light hitting the cells.

Reliability Through Every Season

Consistency is what makes an energy system. When you work with people who know what they are doing and understand the weather in Maryland they make sure your system can handle it. You are not just buying things for the days you are getting a complete energy solution that works for every season. By making sure you have the system for where you live you can feel good about it no matter what the weather is like.

Do not let a little bad weather stop you from trying to be energy independent. The facts show that solar energy is still an idea for people who live in Maryland and it can give you power all year round. If you want to know how much energy your house can make even when it is cloudy the people at Energy Select can help you figure it out. They can give you a report just for your house. Get in touch, with them today to see how they can help you use the suns energy whether it is sunny or rainy.