How do Solar Panels work in Ireland?

We know what you’re thinking. Ireland – not the sunniest of places, right? So is getting a Solar Panel fitted in Ireland really the best idea? Simply put: yes. Without a doubt. Contrary to what you may think, solar panels run on light from the sun, not the heat. So as long as the sun is out and it’s daylight (which even on a windy and rainy day, it will be) your solar panel will create electricity to power your house. In fact, heat from the sun can actually affect the efficiency of a solar panel negatively, as they can overheat, reducing the amount of power they generate. This means that having your solar panel fitted in Ireland is an extremely efficient and sustainable way to power your washing machine.

Solar panels are a really amazing way to use a renewable resource, saving the environment and your wallet. The misconception that you need to be living somewhere that is so hot you can fry an egg on the ground to produce enough power is a popular one that holds no actual weight in the real world. In fact, Ireland’s weather is actually perfect for solar panel use as there are no real extremes of weather: there aren’t weeks of snow blizzards (yay) or weeks of blistering heat… wait, was that meant to be a bad thing?

Cloudy days can affect the efficiency of solar panels, but it would never be to a detriment to the amount of power they can produce for your house. There is still light, so you would still be producing around half of what you would on a less cloudy day. Even better, any excess electricity produced on those really sunny days during the summer can then be stored in a battery or storage solution so that you will always have enough power on grey days. 

Solar panels do not work at night, but even in Ireland there is more than enough light during the day so that this does not matter. Even during the shortest day of the year, or the winter solstice if you’re feeling fancy, there is still around seven and a half hours of daylight – which is more than enough to power a house! 

Even the rain experienced in Ireland can be a benefit to your solar panels – yes, really! The rain can wash away any dirt or debris that may have fallen on the panels which could affect their efficiency. So try and remember that the next time you’re reaching for your umbrella with a sigh. 

Basically, solar panels use a technology called the photovoltaic effect (remember that for your next pub quiz). They produce electricity known as solar photovoltaic (PV) modules, which generate DC (direct current, like a battery) electricity when exposed to light – not heat. This DC electricity is then converted to AC (alternating current, like the electricity in your domestic socket). Et voila! Your home is ready to be powered by the wonderful Irish sunlight and save you money.