• Winter means less sunlight and if you have solar that presents problems.
• Everything from the angle of the Sun to how you cook can impact your solar power system’s performance.
• As such, it’s important to be aware of your energy use, especially as temperatures drop.

The arrival of Winter brings with it a few challenges for owners of solar power systems. Aside from shorter days and fewer hours of sunlight, energy usage tends to escalate during the colder months, especially during cold fronts.

While solar power has become a popular choice for South Africans looking to escape the energy crisis, it’s worth remembering that over Winter, folks need to make special considerations to get the maximum efficiency from their solar installation.

The first and foremost change that should be considered is the source of the energy, the Sun and it’s position in the sky during Winter.

“The sun is lower in the sky in winter, which impacts when it starts hitting your panels at optimum angles, as well as an increased chance of shading occurring,” explains co-founder and chief executive officer at Versofy Solar, Ross Mains-Sheard (pictured).

Interestingly, the co-founder highlights that lower temperatures during Winter are better for solar panels as they can operate at a higher efficiency.

This may require some adjustments so that the panels receive the maximum amount of sunlight while the Sun is in the sky. The lack of rain in the Northern parts of South Africa also means that dust could build up and lower the efficiency of solar panels. Be sure to clean these regularly and potentially more frequently over Winter.

Because of this, one also needs to consider how our habits change in Winter. Lights are switched on earlier, heaters are being used, geysers are working harder to heat water and you may be spending more time at home using energy hungry appliances.

“Some practical changes include shifting your loads to sunlight hours if you have solar and installing timers on your geysers, so they work during the day when the ambient temperature is higher,” Mains-Sheard says.

This means running appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers, and stoves while the panels are generating electricity. Try to do your washing on sunny days so that you don’t need to use a tumble dryer and try to cook during the day to take advantage of the solar power being generated instead of drawing from your battery storage.

Gas for cooking and heating should also be considered. Gas heaters mean not relying on bar or oil heaters which gulp energy. A gas stove means you can cook without having to keep an eye on how your energy consumption is rising. Of course, there are safety measures to consider when dealing with gas that should be considered as well.

One can also install more panels and additional batteries to account for increased demand during Winter. That may not be an option for everybody though so making small adjustments to your existing setup could help you to continue enjoying independence from Eskom.