It is a simple fact that solar panels need sunlight in order to produce electricity, so it is simple to answer that they do not work at night. In most cases, the confusion surrounding using solar panels at night is caused by using solar storage and a backup power source during the night.
By using net metering and backup energy, we’ll demonstrate that solar panels are still worth the investment.
Can Solar Panels Produce Energy At Night?
As solar panels cannot produce energy during cloudy conditions, they cannot generate energy at night when there is no sunlight to absorb.
Throughout the day and night, your panels work hard to provide you with enough electricity to power your home. In order to generate that power, the photovoltaic (PV) cells in your panels need sunlight.
As soon as the sun sets, you can take advantage of any excess energy your system produces during the day. A solar battery provides backup power for your home. Net metering credits can be used to generate energy during dark hours if you don’t have a battery.
Let’s take a closer look at both of these options.
Solar Battery Storage For Energy At Night
When solar panels are dormant, solar batteries allow you to access electricity overnight. Solar panels are a sustainable energy solution around the clock thanks to backup power.
It is possible to access the energy stored in solar batteries at any time of the day. Nevertheless, they are most useful at night, when they take advantage of the energy generated by your panels during the daytime.
Any excess energy from the sun that your house isn’t using for real-time electricity purposes will be stored in a battery you own. By storing excess electricity yourself, you can use it on rainy days or at night instead of sending it to the grid!
As a result, you can use electricity from your solar battery storage before drawing power from the grid. Furthermore, you can use stored energy on more occasions than just at night.
It will provide you with peace of mind knowing that you will be able to handle power outages, such as those caused by extreme heat and cold conditions or a hurricane.
Net Metering Keeps You Connected At Night
The majority of utility providers offer net metering programs. In net metering, any excess energy you are not using to power your home goes into the grid. Your retail electric provider (REP) will reimburse you or offer solar credits in return.
While your solar panels have been hard at work during the day, you can draw on the energy credits you’ve accumulated. It is common for solar system owners to have a large amount of credits that they can use when needed.
In addition, net metering allows electricity to flow both to and from your home. During the day, excess energy generated by your panels flows into the grid. And when your panels have dormant production at night, energy from the grid flows into your home.
Solar energy storage through grid connection is essentially a shared resource. However, it isn’t available everywhere. Before investing in a solar panel system or battery storage solution, you should research the net metering policies in your area.
Battery Storage And Net Metering Can Work Together
In order to take advantage of net metering benefits, most solar panel owners connect their systems to the grid. Battery storage is also becoming increasingly popular among households.
However, these two solutions aren’t mutually exclusive — they can work in tandem!
Fortunately, your battery can be programmed to draw electricity from the grid only when it is completely empty. You can also configure them to work simultaneously. By doing this, you are able to minimize your electricity bill and maximize your energy security.
Contact Michigan Solar and Roofing For Sunpower Solar Panels
If you’re interested in going solar, contact Michigan Solar and Roofing.
Our main goal is to help people lead more environmentally friendly lifestyles. We do this by making solar more accessible through our friendly customer service by walking our customers through the best solar panels for their homes or business.
To get started, call 833-693-5779 or complete our inquiry form. One of our solar specialists will be in touch!
