Do Solar Panels work at night?

DO SOLAR PANELS WORK AT NIGHT?

Due to the fact that solar panels require sunlight to efficiently generate electricity, the simple answer is no, solar panels do not work at night. The reason why a lot of people are confused regarding whether solar panels work at night is because the solar panels are connected to a solar storage or the household is using a backup power supply during the night.

Don’t worry, if you’re still thinking of investing in solar, we’ll walk you through how solar panels are still worth the investment through Malaysia’s Net Energy Metering (NEM) scheme and also using backup energy usage to power your home while it’s dark.

DO SOLAR PANELS PRODUCE ENERGY AT NIGHT?

With all the advancements on solar panel technology, they still have some limitations. That’s why solar panels can’t operate at peak efficiency during cloudy conditions, let alone during night time when there isn’t any sunlight to absorb.

But on the upside, your solar panels work hard all throughout the day when it’s sunny out, even through the sunset, to ensure that there’s adequate energy to power your home throughout the day and night. But the key element here is that your solar panels need sunlight to generate that power.

So once the sun goes down, the smart thing to do would be to take advantage of any excess energy that your system produces during the day. The energy generated by your system is accessible through your home backup power, in the form of a solar battery. If you didn’t choose to install a solar battery with your solar PV system, don’t fret. You will still be eligible for Malaysia’s Net Energy Metering (NEM) scheme that pays you for excess energy generated by your system, and also supplies some power for you during night time.

Let’s take a closer look at both of these options.

SOLAR BATTERY STORAGE FOR ENERGY AT NIGHT

If you’ve installed a solar battery, it will allow you to access electricity generated by solar panels overnight, when solar energy generation is dormant. With this added feature, solar panels are a sustainable around the clock energy solution. The energy generated and stored in solar batteries are accessible at any time, but they’re mostly helpful at night time when your solar panels aren’t generating any energy.

By owning a solar battery, your solar panels will fill it up with excess energy that you’re not using outright. So instead of sending excess electricity to Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), you can store it for your own household usage during the night, or during cloudy and rainy days.

This enables you to be more self-sufficient in terms of electricity, as you’re drawing less energy from TNB since your main source of energy would be from your solar panels and energy stored inside solar batteries. For example, if a crisis happens like bad weather hits your home, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that you have enough energy to power through your home to get you through that crisis.

NET ENERGY METERING KEEPS YOU CONNECTED AT NIGHT

Malaysia’s NEM scheme is directed towards building owners that decided to install solar PV systems, whereby it works like a savings account, but for any excess energy that you’ve generated and are not using will be sold back to TNB. In return, TNB will reimburse you with energy credits that you can use to pay back any TNB bills from the power you get from them (during night time or rainy weather).

In addition, the NEM scheme will install a bidirectional meter that allows electricity to flow both to and from your home. So, when your solar panels produce excess energy during the day, that energy will flow out to the grid. On the other hand, when your solar panels are dormant during the night, electricity will flow from the grid to your home.

NET ENERGY METERING AND BATTERY STORAGE CAN WORK IN TANDEM

Most solar panel owners connect their system to the grid to take advantage of net metering benefits. Households are also increasingly installing batteries for storage. However, these two solutions aren’t mutually exclusive — they can work in tandem!

Fortunately, you can program your battery to draw electricity from the grid only once your battery is entirely depleted. Alternatively, you can configure them to work at the same time. This allows you to minimize your electricity bill and maximize your energy security.

Take a look at our solar calculator to determine how much solar energy you can feasibly generate.

CONTACT SUTERA HARAPAN FOR SOLAR PANEL AND BACKUP POWER SOLUTIONS

Sutera Harapan offers industry-leading solar panels and high-quality backup power to ensure your home can always keep the lights on. If you’re ready to go solar, contact us today. Call 016-331 0565 or complete our inquiry form, and one of our solar specialists will be in touch!