The efficiency of solar panels in winter in Quebec. Commercial and agricultural examples.

For skeptics who doubt the effectiveness of solar panels in winter in Quebec.

Many Quebecers are skeptical of the winter performance that photovoltaic systems installed in our beautiful province can have. As we can see below, the yield is lower than in the summer but still non-negligible.

The performance of solar power systems connected to Hydro Quebec`s grid is influenced in part by the amount of solar radiation and the angle of installation. The higher the angle, the more snow will tend to slide down leaving solar panels exposed to sun. However roofs with angels 0 to 20 Degrees tend to produce much more energy during summer months. To be clear, if there is a feet of snow on solar panels, there is no production.

Here are two examples where we can see the production in kWh in January 2019. These solar power systems have been installed on the outskirts of Montreal by our professional team with many years of experience in the solar energy sector.

Case study 1:

The solar energy production for the month of January 2019 in kWh. The commercial solar power system size of 43 KW or in other words 120 solar panels of 365 Watts each, LG brand. Roof angle 45 degrees. This solar power system was installed in Lanaudière not far from Montreal. It has been commissioned in July 2018. Here is a link to a time lapse video how we did it. 

The commercial solar panel system has produced 2 011 Kwh or 2 Mwh.

Case study 2:

The solar energy production for the month of January 2019 in KWh. The agricultural solar power system size of 20.1 KW or in other words 60 solar panels of 335 Watts each, Hanhwa brand. Ground mount with 35 degrees angle, not adjustable. This solar power system was installed in Saint-Jean-de-Matha, Québec. It has been commissioned in September 2017.

The solar panel system has produced 949 kWh.

Here is a link to our blog post related to solar panels and snow in Quebec:

How do Solar Panels Perform in Winter Conditions?