Partial Shade Solar Panel

Although it probably goes without saying shading is not good for solar panels.

Partial shade solar panel.

For example if 20 of the panel is shaded at a certain time of day the panel products 20 less energy than when it s in full sun. Crystalline silicon solar panels feature square compact cells whereas amorphous silicon panels feature larger area cells. What fewer people understand however is just how important it is to avoid shading as much as possible. Two devices on the market can reduce the impact of partial shade.

Many residential properties are situated in green spaces and constantly growing trees and foliage can encroach on solar panel setups. The first and most common is to use an electronic component called a bypass diode. A shadow cast on even just part of one solar panel in your solar array can potentially compromise the output of the whole system. Thanks to this updated technology the amount of shade eclipsing the solar panel is now directly proportional to the amount of energy production the solar panel loses.

There are two approaches that manufacturers take to build solar panels that work better in partial shade conditions like this. The main reason that amorphous silicon solar panels perform much better in the shade has to do with the way cells are laid out. There is no way to make up the power lost to shading on a panel. But both devices can modify the characteristics of the power as it leaves a shaded panel so that it does not reduce the output of panels down the line.

The purpose of a bypass diode is to allow electricity in a solar panel to flow around the shaded cell.