Last Updated on November 1, 2023 by admin
How Solar Panels Can Mitigate The Effect Of Winter Storms?
Winter storms are among the natural disasters that bring havoc to the lives of people. These perilous conditions like the oppressive summer heat or a damaging hurricane are frequently the result of changing climate conditions. However, the United States electrical grid was recently destroyed by freezing weather in February 2021 winter storm. It left millions of Americans without power for a long period. Fortunately, by thoroughly evaluating the damage and the circumstances that caused it, Americans can get ready for the next time. So, this article will provide the ways in which losses can be minimized using solar to help keep the lights on during a power outage.
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Important Points To Remember
- Natural disasters are occurring due to climate change which results in significant losses
- The winter storm in February 2021 left The United States in total blackout.
- To mitigate the winter storm, it is important to take the necessary steps
- Use of Solar panels and batteries can help overcome the power outage during unforeseen situations.
What’s in this Article?
- Winter Storm caused Blackout in Texas
- How Can We Get Ready For Upcoming Storms?
- How Solar Panel Installations Prevent Power Outages?
- How does solar energy stored in batteries help in winter storms?
- How Solar Industry has Helped us in Extreme Weather?
- Solar panels’ effectiveness in winter
- How Solar sme can help you in the next winter storm
Winter Storm in February 2021 Left Texas in Total Blackout
It should come as no surprise that the United States has the highest per capita energy usage in the country. However, Winter Storm “Uri’s” was reported to have the second-coldest temperatures ever recorded in the United States. It caused a lot of damage due to the closure of numerous power generators which left millions of Americans without energy.
In the United States, more than half of all homeowners use electricity to heat their residences, therefore a power loss in the winter results in chilly temperatures.
A shortage of supplies, icy roads, dozens of deaths, and frozen pipes all added to the state-wide turmoil. As a result, many homes had to deal with power outages and water shortages as a result of freezing temperatures.
Even worse, as electricity companies tried to make up for their losses, many customers experienced a sharp spike in their utility costs. Even while it’s likely that many of the consumers whose absurdly high electricity bills went viral on social media received short-term relief, this nevertheless made a substantial contribution to a big increase in the average cost of electricity.
But now is the right time to realize the mistakes that have been made in the winter storm last year. The only we out is going solar. So, let’s find out about it now!
How to Prepare For Future Storms?
Fortunately, many Americans learned important lessons about how to better get ready for the next time a severe blackout takes place. Many of the problems that arise are unavoidable because many southern states lack the requisite infrastructure to handle severe winter weather. That is to say, you shouldn’t assume that you will always have access to snow-clearing tools.
United States residents, however, have a variety of personal safety options. Here are some reliable contingency options:
- Focus on the necessities: Make sure to have the basic food supplies in store. Stock up on staples like toilet paper, non-perishable food, and water bottles. By doing this, you can avoid leaving the comfort of your home to make a risky attempt to buy what you need from a store that might not have it in stock
- Keep updates of weather changes: It is important to listen to news and warnings about the severe weather. It will avoid any harm to you or your family members.
- Avoid wastage of energy. If there is a significant load on the electrical grid, you might not be able to keep things as warm as usual, but you can reduce the load by lowering the thermostat and shutting off superfluous equipment.
- Consider investing in a backup generator. Installing solar batteries or a home generator can have a significant influence. By doing this, you’ll be able to keep your house warm and the food in the refrigerator when the power goes out in your neighborhood (more on that below).
How To Prevent Power Outage With Solar Panel Installations?
The key to dealing with power outages is to find a system that won’t fail when you need it.
It is hardly surprising that almost a million homes in United States use purely solar energy. Additionally, the sum is steadily rising. Solar panels are not affected by the cold weather, and they are also capable of storing energy in batteries for use in emergency situations.
In case of a blackout or other grid disruption, installing solar panels and a house battery together can give you energy independence. The constant energy flow from your solar panels keeps the battery in your home fully charged. The house battery can be used as a generator to power devices and appliances once it has been fully charged.
It’s crucial to have a backup power system in place that can draw power from the grid or your solar panels and give it to your home when you need it because power outages are quite inconvenient, especially in the middle of the night or during a storm. As a backup power source, batteries or a generator are frequently employed. Modern solar batteries are also intelligent energy management systems that can optimize the energy use in your home, for example, by using solar electricity to charge your electric car or by utilizing utility time-of-use programmes.
Using Solar Energy Stored In Batteries To Keep The Lights On During Heavy Winter Storms?
During winter storms, the grid could not be as resilient as solar panels. Although a recorded number of Americans stayed at home due to the virus in the winter storm of February 2021, but still there were severe outages. The people who had the solar panels were able to create their own electricity. It is becoming increasingly impossible to predict the next winter storms without appropriate backup power due to rising global temperatures.
Consider putting a grid-connected solar panel system with solar battery storage on your roof if you want clean, renewable backup power to get you through the next outage. It is explained that solar panels can survive severe damage before failing. You may store energy produced by your solar panels on sunny days and use it later. When clouds start to gather you can use electricity by connecting your panels to a solar battery.
How The Advancement In Solar Industry Can Help With Extreme Weather?
To lower risk for projects photovoltaic (PV) solar panels are gently angled from east to west by solar trackers. This significantly raises a panel’s exposure to direct sunlight and, hence, its ability to produce PV electricity. The combination of tracker technology, real-time weather data, and proactive alarms ensures that solar panels enter full mitigation mode prior to a hail attack. Modern technology and advancements have also led to creation of algorithms that would enable complete automation to mitigate the process from beginning to end. Thus, solar industry is rapidly expanding because of new technology that can bring ease for people going solar.
Are Solar Panels Effective During The Winter Season?
One frequent misconception is that solar panels perform very poorly in the cold. It is true that solar panels generate the most energy when they are exposed to the sun’s rays. But the temperature doesn’t affect the function of the solar panel system. The table below shows that the temperature doesn’t affect the amount of current
| Temperature (Fahrenheit) | Current (Ampere) | Voltage (Volts) |
|---|---|---|
|
50 °F |
7 A |
35 V |
|
77°F |
7 A |
30 V |
|
104°F |
7 A |
30 V |
|
131°F |
7 A |
20 V |
|
158°F |
7 A |
15 V |
Table 1 Temperature effect on current
Since solar panels’ only function is to collect solar energy, it makes sense that individuals in parts of the United States with snowy winters would consider them a waste of money.
The good news is that snow has very little impact on solar energy production.
What specific effects does snow have on solar panels, and do they lose their function over the winter? Let’s find it out with SolarSme.
Prepare For The Next Winter Storm Right Away With SolarSme!
Don’t be alarmed if you awaken to find snow covering your solar panels the next time it snows. Now that you know solar panels are resistant to the cold, you should install them as soon as possible.
Additionally, Solarsme only use panels that have undergone rigorous testing in the United States climate and have a commercial certification. Commercial and industrial solar panels can resist challenging conditions and loads. For instance, solar panels are safe from snowfall because they are made to withstand below-freezing temperatures and some precipitation.
Consider getting free solar panel maintenance from us. Contact us right away for a free solar quote and details on the numerous benefits of solar energy
