Yes, solar panels work in the winter. In fact, solar panels can generate electricity in almost any type of weather. Cold weather doesn’t affect solar panel performance (unless temperatures go below -40°C), since they operate on sunlight, which is still available in winter in the UK – albeit, at much lower levels than in the summer.
Despite the days being shorter, solar panels can still work effectively during winter in the UK, especially on clear days. We've seen that cold weather can boost output, and though snow can be a bit of a hassle, you can still take full advantage of the winter sunshine with some well-positioned panels and proper care.
As solar panels need daylight rather than heat, they can still generate electricity during the frosty season – although they might not be as effective because of a combination of factors associated with winter: But even with these challenges, solar panels are still a viable option for sustainable energy all year round.
This is one reason why solar panels generate less electricity in winter – the days are just shorter. There also tend to be more cloudy days in winter, which can reduce the solar panels’ output.
Each year as summer turns to winter, the days get shorter, and the sun is lower in the sky, you may expect solar panels to become pretty redundant. Thankfully, solar panels continue to work well on less sunshine, even if they don’t produce quite as much electricity as they do on clear summer days.
According to our calculations, solar panel output decreases by around 83% in the winter compared to the summer. To give an idea of what that means, a standard 3.5 kilowatt (kW) solar panel system will produce around 362-kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per month during the summer. In winter, that drops to 52 kWh.