Hey everyone! I'm facing a big issue with my solar panels here in the blazing Texas heat. They are only generating about 40% of their rated capacity lately. I have two Renogy 450w bifacial panels set up in parallel configuration. Typically, they would output around 700-800w, but now I'm seeing only 300-350w. I even tried placing a shiny piece of plywood behind the panels to improve their efficiency, but it hasn't helped much. Interestingly, when I sprayed the panels with water, their output jumped to about 500-550w. I'm curious if extremely high temperatures, like on 100-degree days, could really degrade their performance to this extent?
2 Answers
You're definitely seeing two issues at play here. First, heat reduces the voltage output of solar panels, which can lower performance by about 20-30%. Secondly, if the panel voltage drops out of the MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) range, it can lead to a pretty significant drop in output. It sounds like you're hitting both these issues, leading to that major output drop.
Absolutely! Each solar panel has a temperature coefficient, meaning for every degree above the base temperature (usually around 25°C), the panel's efficiency drops. Some panels are designed to handle heat better than others. That's why there are ideas to float panels on water bodies – the water helps keep them cool and prevents evaporation. Plus, cultivating crops under solar panels can be a win-win because the plants help keep the panels cool and benefit from the shade!
So, it looks like you're on the right track then! Keep an eye on those voltage levels, especially in this heat.