If a solar panel produces too much power, it can overload the electrical system, causing damage. High wattage can affect battery storage, making it hard to store energy safely.
Will a solar panel generate more electricity than you need?
The more efficient the solar panel, the more sunlight it will convert into electricity. Since you only need so much energy to power your home or business, there's a very real possibility that your solar system will end up generating more electricity than you need or can use.
A common solar panel has a power rating of 350W, which means it can produce that much electricity in ideal conditions. In the UK, a solar panel with this power rating will produce on average 265 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per year, which is about 75% of its listed power rating.
Solar panels have a major limitation: they can only provide electricity when the sun is shining. This means that solar panels cannot generate any power at night, when there is no sunlight to capture. Moreover, most people are not at home during the day to use the electricity that solar panels produce.
What happens if your solar array consumes more electricity?
Even if your power consumption is high, your solar panel array can be sized to produce whatever amount of electricity you require. Sometimes, however, your PV solar array might harness more of the sun's energy than your household can use. What happens to that extra electricity? Is it simply lost?
When it comes to solar panels, 'power' refers to the maximum amount of electricity a panel can generate (in watts). The panel's ' efficiency ' is all about how effectively it can convert daylight into electricity. Higher power and efficiency mean greater electricity production.
Solar panels produce free electricity whenever the sun shines. At Intermountain Wind & Solar, our photovoltaic experts design your solar energy system to meet your household energy needs and consumption. Even if your power consumption is high, your solar panel array can be sized to produce whatever amount of electricity you require.