Shading is when the solar panel, instead of being doused in sunlight, is instead blocked by a shade, from either the trees around the structure or really, anything else. As trivial as it may sound, solar panels drop a lot of their generation potential in shading situations; even something as temporary as tree shade can seriously downgrade the generation; constant shading on the panels can drop down the generation by around 40 per cent. That’s a lot, considering that shading is usually not all that detrimental. In order to ensure optimal energy generation, solar panel shading needs to be taken care of.

What is the effect of shade on solar panels and other questions like can solar panels work in a shade will be answered here, as well as discussing the two types of shading that occur the most and can rob you of optimal solar panel performance. We’ll also look at how you can get the best solar panel in UAE with Beacon Energy.

The two types of shading

There are essentially two types of shading on solar panels; dynamic and static. Dynamic isn’t all that troublesome, since its usually by factors beyond human control and solar panels tend to work fine in such situations. It’s the static type that needs attention. Lets discuss both of them quickly before going to the effect of shade on solar panels.

Dynamic shading:

Dynamic shading is caused by factors like clouds, or the shade of trees falling on the panels on certain times of the day. While these do reduce generation, the reduction is usually negligible, since these factors aren’t really in control.

Static shading:

Static shading is caused by fixtures that cause a permanent shading over the solar panels, like overhanging trees or satellite dishes, seriously affecting the amount of sunlight reaching the panels and subsequently drastically reducing the generation. This one needs an immediate fix.

Can solar panels work in a shade?

No, solar panels cannot work in a shade. Since the solar panels are set up in a string, even if one panel is shaded from the sunlight for a considerable time period, you will notice a drop in generation. The effect of shade on solar panels is such that when enough sunlight doesn’t reach the panels, the photovoltaic effect obviously does not kick in, and you’re essentially left with a very miniscule amount of power left in the system. In a string setup, solar panels will lose efficiency should even a single panel be shaded. To avoid solar panel shading and ensuring that the panels operate at maximum efficiency, just follow the steps mentioned below.

Solving the issue of solar panel shading effectively

The obvious solution would be to ensure that no such barriers are in place at the time of survey and during installation. Solar panels need to be set up separately from satellite dishes and other fixtures, should there be any, and it goes without saying that they need to be angled to ensure optimal exposure to sunlight during peak hours. Trees near the panels need to be trimmed and kept trimmed regularly to ensure shade doesn’t fall on the panels during certain parts of the day.

Solving static shading: With static shading, obviously, the fixtures nearby can’t be removed, which poses a problem when it comes to regaining the efficiency of the solar panel. To get around this problem, we need to look into the string operation of the solar panel. For this end, devices called solar panel optimisers or bypass diodes can be used, which eliminate the problem of the stringing of solar panels. With the bypass diodes installed, if a singular panel is shaded, the generation from the other panels is bypassed through that panel, and the drop won’t be as bad as 40 per cent, although a singular panel dropping out of the entire string does affect the generation potential.

Getting the best solar panels in UAE from Beacon Energy

With Beacon Energy, you get the best solar panels in UAE, from reputed manufacturers like CanadianSolar. Included in the range of solar panels is their acclaimed HiKu series, which boast very high efficiency across solar panels available from other manufacturers. Also available with Beacon Energy is the TOPBiHiKu, which is CanadianSolar’s excellent bi-facial solar panel. All of these, and much more, is available, leveraging their excellent supply chain efficacy and warehousing groundwork for delivery timelines that are exceptional within the industry.