Did you know that Australia has the highest solar radiation per square metre of any continent on the planet? At 58 million petajoules per year, it’s approximately 10,000 times larger than our total energy consumption. Which is why for most Australians, using the abundant sunshine to power your home and heat your water makes so much sense.
Does Solar Hot Water Work on Cloudy or Rainy Days?
A solar water heater will still deliver hot water on cloudy and wet days.
Anyone who has ever been sunburnt on an overcast day knows that it takes more than a few clouds to block out the sun. While clouds may filter out some of the brightness, the majority of sunlight still gets through. So if you have solar hot water collectors on your rooftop, rest assured, they’re still working to produce hot water even on those wet and cloudy days.
However, continuous days of cloudy weather can sometimes reduce the efficiency of your solar water heater. Fortunately, Solahart Solar Hot Water systems have a backup available to ensure you can still enjoy instant hot water when the sun isn’t shining.
All Solahart Solar Water Heaters come with an inbuilt electric booster. This means that as soon as the water temperature drops below a certain level, the booster element kicks in and heats the water to the correct temperature.
Will My Solar Power Panels Work on Cloudy or Rainy Days?
Like solar hot water collectors, solar power panels still work on cloudy days. According to The Environment and Energy Study Institute in the USA, even in partly cloudy weather, solar cells could still operate at 80% of their maximum output. Because solar panels can use direct and indirect sunlight to generate power they will still work when the light is reflected or partially blocked by clouds.
Meanwhile, rainy weather can also help to keep your panels operating efficiently by washing away any dust or dirt. However, if it’s consistently cloudy for several days, the efficiency of the solar panels may be reduced as there are less particles of light available to create a high flow of electricity.
Many Australians are also choosing to add a home battery to their solar power and store the energy they’ve generated throughout the day, for use later on. It’s a smart way to offset your electricity costs and maximise your solar energy usage.
