Snow & Your Solar Array

Here in the Midwest, we can count on one thing happening every year…snow. While you are shoveling your sidewalks, cleaning your vehicles, and clearing your driveways, you may start to think about snow covering your solar array. Do I need to clean the modules? Is my electric bill going to go up?

Keep in mind, Mother Nature works wonders, often in mysterious ways. A professionally built system will withstand winter’s wrath. We encourage our clients to NOT climb ladders, attempt to walk on a slippery or snow-covered roof or use any device or liquid which may scratch, snag or potentially harm your solar array. Cleaning of panels is at your discretion use extreme caution because there is a risk of causing injury to you or your solar system while trying to clear the snow or ice.

Why Snow is Good for Your Solar Array

Melting snow is Mother Nature’s personal cleaning service! As the snow melts and slides down the panels it cleans along the way. The buildup of dust and dirt makes solar less efficient and the mild scrubbing as the snow slides down the panels helps to retain the efficiency of your panels.

How to Clean Snow off Roof-Mounted Solar Panels?

The one way to get the snow off your solar panels, especially a roof-mounted system, is to sit back and do nothing. Why? It works! Solar panels are typically installed on a slope, so a day or two after a storm the sun and gravity will do the work for you. The dark color of solar panels is designed to absorb heat from the sun. Once a small part of the panel becomes exposed to the sun you will soon see the entire panel cleared while the rest of your roof is covered in snow. As the panels are gradually warm, the snow will slide down the panel easily cleaning dirt and debris from the glass. While you can purchase long-handled squeegees to operate from the ground, there is still a risk for a heavy amount of snow to fall off the roof onto you. Let Mother Nature do the work while you’re inside comfy and warm.

How to Clean Snow off Ground-Mounted Solar Panels?

When it comes to snow cover, a ground-mounted solar array has a minor advantage over roof-mounted systems during the winter months. These types of installations are more accessible and can be cleared (fully or partially) using your gloves or a soft rubber squeegee as identified in the link below. Once the dark glass is exposed to the sun, the clearing will happen naturally.

https://www.roofrake.com/Productpages/snowpro2.asp

As mentioned above, please use extreme caution when using any snow clearing devices or working around your solar array on icy terrain. Snagging wires, scratching glass or slipping and getting hurt is not worth the effort. Mother Nature will clear your ground-mounted solar panels for you.

What About My Solar Array’s Energy Production During Winter Months?

Your solar array’s energy production, regardless of snow, will significantly be lower during the winter months. During this season, there is considerably fewer hours of sunlight available. A normal winter day may not even compare to half a day in the spring and summer seasons. If your utility offers Net Metering, all the production you did not consume during productive summer months is sent back to the utility, and credit is applied to your account. You then use these credits during days or hours of little or no solar production. To learn more about Net Metering read our solar terms FAQ.

Eagle Point Solar systems are professionally designed and engineered using sophisticated modeling technology and take decades of local weather data into account when estimating annual solar production figures. A few days or weeks of bad winter weather will not greatly affect your long-term financial or environmental return. While there is considerably less sunlight in the winter, solar panels operate more efficiently in colder weather. Your panels will even convert sunlight which is reflected from the snow into electricity.