While you might assume that the scorching heat will have a positive effect on solar power generation, experts have warned that it may actually have the opposite effect.
Days of the sweltering sun are pumping unprecedented amounts of solar energy into Europe’s grid, but the present heatwave is bad news for solar panels.
On Tuesday, The Telegraph of London reported that it severely negatively impacted local solar panels’ ability to store energy, in temperatures of over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, in an article headlined “Weather ‘too hot’ for solar panels.
According to the study, solar panels lose 0.35 percentage points of efficiency for every degree Celsius above 77 degrees Fahrenheit.
An analyst at Cornwall Insight, Tim Dixon told the outlet that “The efficiency of solar panels is impacted by temperature, with high temperatures above 25 degrees [Celsius] negatively impacting on performance.”
“It is likely that the extreme temperatures have impacted total output levels,” Dixon said.
According to Fortune report, over the weekend, Germany hit record levels of solar energy output, although “if temperatures remain elevated for long” that output will certainly regress.
The trade body Solar Energy UK, solar has provided about 10% of Britain’s electricity in the last few days. But its chief executive Chris Hewett says: “The heat itself brings down the efficiency of solar panels slightly.”
“So don’t expect to see records set.”
Climate change activists tell us that solar will save the planet from overheating…it turns out solar panels are LESS efficient in high temperatures. They are not the solution, they’re inefficient, combust in the heat, slave labour made, need full backup.. https://t.co/H7Wji6gtnE
— Lorraine Allanson (@LorraineAllans1) July 14, 2022
As heatwave is helping to generate large amounts of solar power, however, experts say it is actually too hot for the highest levels of electricity generation.
Despite the fact that solar panels absorb energy from the sun, higher temperatures reduce their effectiveness. In order for photovoltaic solar panels to function, light energy must be absorbed and used to “excite,” or energize, electrons.
The cell’s layers of silicon are then covered by an electrical field, which enables the efficient passage of electrons as electricity.
The flow of electricity increases with increasing light intensity.
However, the more electrons that are in the excited state before the photon hits the panel, the less efficient it becomes as it becomes hotter.
As Solar panels were incentives launched by “the green-friendly Biden administration,” the performance, however, further impacts a not-friendly environment. Michael Shellenberger, an Author, and journalist was once a proponent of green energy and a climate change alarmist, but he changed his mind after looking at the facts.
On Sunday, Shellenberger wrote on Twitter, anticipating that the threat is hidden by the fact that solar panels’ performance is not good as what the Biden Administration tells you.
Counter-intuitively, hotter, sunnier days do not equal more power, as rising temperatures actually hinder the capacity of solar panels to collect energy.
“People think solar panels protect the environment but they require 300+ times as much land as conventional energy sources and now the Los Angeles Times has discovered that they could ‘contaminate groundwater with toxic heavy metals such as lead, selenium and cadmium.” Shellenberger said.
People think solar panels protect the environment but they require 300+ times as much land as conventional energy sources and now the Los Angeles Times has discovered that they could “contaminate groundwater with toxic heavy metals such as lead, selenium and cadmium.” pic.twitter.com/SlfDj54n8T
— Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) July 18, 2022
He then posed the question, “What, then, are solar panels/renewables/EVs *actually* for? “ in the same Twitter thread. Continuing with a lengthy list of drawbacks related to the creation and application of the left’s preferred energy sources.
“Financing the persecution of Muslims in China.”
- “Degrading nature.”
- “Lowering worker wages & widening inequality.”
- “Increasing toxic waste.”
- “Providing educated professionals with the fantasy of saving the world.”
- “Increasing the cost of energy.”
- “Providing a mechanism for financing political parties and movements with the taxpayer and consumer wealth.”
- “Transfer wealth from poorer electricity consumers to wealthier consumers.”
What, then, are solar panels/renewables/EVs *actually* for?
– Financing the persecution of Muslims in China
– Degrading nature
– Lowering worker wages & widening inequality
– Increasing toxic waste
– Providing educated professionals with the fantasy of saving the world
— Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) July 18, 2022
Climate change activists tell us that solar will save the planet from overheating…it turns out solar panels are LESS efficient in high temperatures. They are not the solution, they’re inefficient, combust in the heat, slave labour made, need full backup.. https://t.co/H7Wji6gtnE
— Lorraine Allanson (@LorraineAllans1) July 14, 2022
Sources: Westernjournal, Telegraph, Fortune
