What’s the Biggest Downside to Solar Energy?
The biggest downside to solar panels is that they rely on sunlight and don’t produce electricity at night. They are also less efficient on cloudy days and at times of the year with fewer sunlight hours.
Despite this, a home solar installation on Long Island is still an excellent investment. New York’s Net Metering program helps to offset the loss of solar production in the evenings.
What Happens to Solar Panels at Night?
Solar panels stop working at night because they need sunlight to produce electrical current.
Your home will still connect to the grid, even after your home solar installation. This ensures that your home has electricity in the evenings or whenever your home energy demands exceed the production of your solar panels.
Net Metering Helps Cover Nighttime Electricity Usage
Net metering is an energy program that ensures you get value from your solar panels, even in the evenings and during days when there is less sunlight.
How Net Metering works:
- After your solar panels are installed, your utility provider will install a special electrical meter that spins forward and in reverse.
- Solar panels create energy during the day, which you can use in your home.
- If your panels produce more than you need, the excess goes to the grid and your meter spins in reverse.
- When you consume electricity at night, it’s covered by the excess you produced during the day.
- If you finish a billing cycle with excess, this remains on your account. Annual excess is paid back to you at a wholesale rate.
- You only pay for the “net” amount (what you used, minus what you sent back).
Your solar installer on Long Island will design your system to ensure that it produces enough electricity throughout the year to balance the evenings and days when solar production is low.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Solar Battery Improve Savings?
A solar battery may improve your savings by reducing how much electricity you buy from the grid. Your battery will recharge from excess solar panel production, and you can deploy this energy in your home in the evenings or whenever you need it.
Why is Residential Solar Not Worth It?
Installing home solar is worth it because any energy you produce during the day will reduce your utility bill. It’s a myth that solar isn’t worth it. New York has some of the highest electricity rates in America, so home solar is arguably more valuable here than in most of the nation.
Can I Get Solar Panels That Work at Night?
Today’s solar panels only work with sunlight, but future generations could potentially power homes and communities with panels that work in the evenings. Scientists have recently developed solar panels that work at night by absorbing infrared radiation.
Solar Panels are an Excellent Investment in Your Energy Independence
Solar panels don’t work at night, but this downside is easily offset by the energy produced during the day. A carefully designed rooftop solar installation will ensure reliable electricity production to reduce your utility bill and give you more energy independence.
Your journey to going solar starts with a detailed consultation and a cost/benefit analysis.
Long Island Power Solutions is now known simply as Power Solutions. We’re the same team with the same exceptional service, and we’re ready to show you what a home solar panel installation can do for you. Now is the best time to switch to solar. The clock is ticking on the Federal Solar Tax Credit, which could cover 30% of the cost of your installation. This credit expires on December 31st, 2025. Contact us for your free home solar estimate and see how much you could save.
