3 Tips on How to Increase Your Solar Panel Efficiency

After making the switch to solar, you are going to see major drops in your utility bill almost immediately. Did you know you can make it even better?  

 

With Blue Raven Solar, your panels are already some of the most efficient panels on the market. However, you can still do more to maximize your solar savings when you learn how to increase your solar panel efficiency.

 

Our installers take steps to make sure your system is efficient. Our teams design every system array to be cost-effective based on sun exposure, roof angle, and number of panels. We also use tier-1, monocrystalline panels, which are most efficient for smaller areas, like rooftops. These are significant parts of creating a system that makes the most sense for every homeowner’s individual needs.

 

Here are a few more tips on what you can do to keep efficiency up throughout the lifetime of your system. 

Modern house rendering with battery and storage option installed

Solar Battery and Storage

Something homeowners can do to increase the overall efficiency of their system is purchase a storage option, usually in the form of a battery. This method of efficiency is not something you can do for your panels, but something adding to the effectiveness of your system as a whole during hours of less or no sunlight. Blue Raven Solar now offers the SunVault storage system, compatible with SunPower panels.

 

Adding a battery to your solar panel system helps to increase efficiency through storing excess energy instead of sending it back to the grid. This way, you can use the stored energy once the sun goes down or if the power goes out, using your panels’ excess production to your benefit! You can also prevent the need to use energy from the utility grid, decreasing your bills even more.

Up close view of six solar panel system with rain drops on the surface

Panel Maintanence and Cleaning

Another small way to increase your solar panel efficiency is cleaning your panels 1-2 times a year. Naturally, panels will collect dust and other debris from being outside, but in small amounts, it may not be detrimental to your system’s output. However, small amounts can quickly build up, and it is generally a good practice to use a hose to spray off your panels every couple of months, so nothing prevents proper sunlight exposure. This is especially important if the panels are already in partial shade from trees – leaves and other debris can block even more sunlight during the hours the trees otherwise would not be an issue. 

 

Hosing your panels off once or twice a year is a quick fix, but there are also professionals who can help you clean them a bit more thoroughly if you feel it should be done. If you get your panels professionally cleaned, you will likely only need to do it once a year, and a quick hose-off can get you by for the rest of the year. 

Prevent Shadows and Obstructions to your Solar Panels

Do what you can to maximize how much sunlight your panels are receiving. Although installers like Blue Raven Solar will avoid shade, you can help by trimming back trees and other landscape changes helping your panels’ exposure and production. If you live in a snowy area, this natural element can be another obstruction. Fortunately, solar panels are angled and smooth, so snow will easily slide off and melt when the sun hits them. If it is a bit too cold, though, you can use a soft-bristled broom or roof rake to help clear them off. 

 

As with all efficiency tips, it is always good to optimize your electricity use so you can reduce your utility bills and carbon emission output. There are many ways to do this, and some can make a large impact on your savings! 

About Blue Raven Solar

As one of the top-rated solar companies in the nation, Blue Raven Solar is ready to help you make the switch to clean, renewable energy, saving you money. With dedicated team members and a mission to make homeowners’ lives better, we do our very best to ensure every customer receives the best service and products we have to offer.  

 

Join the movement and experience the future of energy today with Blue Raven Solar. 

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