Solar radiation refers to the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the Sun. The energy carried by the sun’s radioactive rays are dissipated into the water vapour and gases in the earth’s atmosphere and is significantly reduced before striking the earth. The Sun is weaker in Northern or Southern locations (far from the equator) because the Sun’s rays strike the earth at a shallow angle that can be more easily deflected by the atmosphere. The solar radiation simply bounces off the earth’s atmosphere and is deflected back into space before it can reach the earth’s surface.

Complete snow coverage (~ 2” thick) will prevent solar panels from producing energy. As with the concerns surrounding shading, the effects of snow can be mitigated with the use of micro-inverters instead of a string inverter (if the solar array is being cleared throughout the winter months). Snow will typically begin to shed itself from the solar array if the solar panels are tilted to a minimum of 60°; however, as the dark surface of the panels heats up from the Sun, solar arrays with a tilt of 45° will also begin to shed their snow. Greater amount of snow and can be easily removed with a non metallic roof rake. The reflective power of the snow’s surface surrounding the solar panel provides an albedo effect, and has been known to increase energy production; this is especially prevalent with ground-mounted bifacial solar arrays. Many grid-tied solar PV roof-top arrays will remain covered by snow throughout the winter as users know that energy production in the winter months is significantly less than what can be expected during the other seasons, due to slope and orientation of the Sun with respect to the roof mounted solar panels. 

The effect of partial-shading from trees or other objects will affect the system’s overall performance. For grid-tied PV systems, the losses experienced from shading can be significantly minimized with the use of micro-inverters instead of using a string inverter. For off-grid PV systems, shading can be a bigger problem as users rely on harvesting every bit of sunlight. A thorough review of the site conditions, before design and installation, will ensure that the effects of shading is avoided or at least mitigated.

Solar PV systems use silicon wafers called solar cells to convert sunlight into electricity. The solar cells consist of one or two layers of a semi-conducting material. When sunlight shines on the solar cell it creates an electric field across the layers causing electricity to flow. The greater the intensity of the sunlight, the greater the flow of electricity produced. Solar cells are referred to in terms of the amount of energy they generate in full sunlight, measured in electric power, Watts or Kilowatts. The solar cells are wired together to make solar panels, conventionally having either 60 or 72 cells. Solar PV panels produce raw DC electric power when exposed to sunlight, and an inverter can convert this DC power into conventional AC power, which is the type of electricity used in your home appliances. Grid Tied solar PV systems send the electric energy to the grid connection in the building, and out to the power grid; energy that is sent out this way is measured on the meter-base supplied by the local electricity company and credited on the electricity bill against the cost of the energy that is consumed; this is known as net-metering. Off Grid solar PV systems do not have a connection to a power grid, and instead use batteries to store energy produced from the solar panels.

Directing the solar panels toward South allows for the highest opportunity for optimal Sun exposure throughout each day and year. As the seasons change, depending on your geographic location, this becomes more or less critical to the energy that could otherwise be harvested. The high altitude of the Sun’s path in the summer sky allows for more forgiveness for shallow sloped solar panels facing east, south east, west, or south west, as opposed the conventional approach of installing them facing direct south, as the sun travels much wider east and west than in the Winter. Conversely, the low altitude of the Winter Sun’s path requires a steeply sloped South facing solar panel to ensure that the Sun hours and angle of incidence are optimized for energy production. Attention to these details are vital for optimizing the performance of an off grid solar PV system. 

Hedge your energy costs: Offset energy prices and the unpredictable energy-rate increases by generating your own clean power. With the demand for electricity ever increasing, and the viability of generating power from coal (and other GHG emitting sources) decreasing, the cost of electricity is only expected to rise more quickly than ever! Solar PV will save you money!

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint: Electricity generated by burning coal and fossil fuels emits pollutants into the atmosphere. Solar PV energy is the solution. Contribute to a greener and brighter future by generating clean and renewable energy at home!

Increased Property Value: Solar is a smart upgrade that increases the value of your home.

If these benefits make sense to you, it’s time to go green!

The basic scientific principle is based on the photovoltaic effect. This effect allows photons from the Sun to dislodge electrons from a material and then transfer those electrons through wires which can be used to perform work. Solar PV systems use silicon wafers called solar cells to convert sunlight into electricity. The solar cells consist of one or two layers of a semi-conducting material. When sunlight shines on the solar cell it creates an electric field across the layers causing electricity to flow. The greater the intensity of the sunlight, the greater the flow of electricity produced. Solar cells are referred to in terms of the amount of energy they generate in full sunlight, measured in electric power, Watts or Kilowatts. The solar cells are wired together to make solar panels, conventionally having either 60 or 72 cells.