Winter for South Africa is just around the corner, and if you’ve been generating solar energy from panels on your rooftop, you might be wondering how the change in weather will affect your output.
With shorter days, and less sun in general, your panels will generate less energy but there are some things you can do proactively to reduce this effect. With just a little prep, you can help optimize your solar energy generation even as temperatures drop.
Follow the Sun and Adjust Your Panels’ Tilt
There are fewer hours of sunlight in the wintertime, and beyond that, the sun is positioned differently in the sky. To make sure your panels are collecting as much solar as possible during the winter months, you may need to reposition their tilt. If you think this may be the case for you, give us a call and one of the experts at SolarMan SA can come out and assess your panel tilt.
Reducing Your Energy Use Overall
While saving energy is always a good idea, during the winter it’s a big way that you can make your solar energy go the distance. Be sure to turn off lights and fans when you’re not in the room, don’t leave big appliances plugged in, and make the switch to energy-efficient lighting. That can help keep the warm air in and the colder air out, so your heater or air conditioner doesn’t have to work as hard to maintain temperatures. That alone can save you on your energy use.
When you use less energy overall, you don’t have to rely as much on the energy generated from your solar panels. You’ll still get plenty of sunlight to keep you going, and even batteries can be filled to get you what you need during the longer nights.
Talk to the experts at Solar Man SA and explore options for your solar energy
system so that you can find big energy savings that keep you warm through our
South African winters.