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Sun Volt Solar

earth, the final frontier

Clean Energy, Clean Environment

We are at a cross roads in human history, we can choose to continue on as we have been, or we can make a change to improve our future and quite possibly the future for several generations to come. We are here to promote energy independence, a better environment, a secure future and a higher return on investment for your hard earned dollar. It is what I believe in, it is why I am in the solar business.

What happens to a solar system when it snows?

01 Mar 10 | Solar Electric, Solar Hot Water, solar thermal

I have good customers, they ask good questions.  One such question asked of me lately has been “what happens to my solar system when it snows?”  Since I have both a solar thermal system and a photovoltaic system on my house, I can tell them.  Enough sunlight gets through the snow that the panels begin to heat up.  This, in turn, causes the snow to slide off.  Here is a picture of a ground mounted system after receiving over two feet of snow:

Ground mounted PV array after blizzard

Ground mounted PV array after blizzard

It helps that the panels are tilted to 40 degrees, roof mounted systems likely will not shed snow like this.  Still, on a roof mounted system, the snow will melt off, it might take a little longer.  The only system I would be careful of in this climate would be an evacuated tube collector.  Because the tubes have a vacuum, no heat is transfered to the glass envelope, which is really good for collecting heat, but not so good for melting accumulated snow off the collector.

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01 Mar 10 | Solar Electric, Solar Hot Water, solar thermal
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