Do Solar Storms Affect Solar Panels

The biggest danger in a residential area is a long term loss of power.

Do solar storms affect solar panels.

Either way solar flares and cmes are solar events beyond the control of humans. The solar storm is one of the strongest in years and could cause disruptions in satellites affect radio communications in polar areas and even slightly decrease the efficiency of solar panels. A solar storm that hit earth tuesday is now at its tail end experts say. So how do hailstorms dust storms and smoke affect your solar panel performance.

A solar storm or eruption is a massive explosion in the sun s atmosphere which can release even more than 6 1025 j of energy. A solar storm will mostly affect electric power grids possibly damaging larger transformers. However scientific studies confirm the link between solar activity and our physical and emotional wellbeing. However this same solar cycle has occurred over millennia so anyone over the age of 11 has already lived through such a solar maximum with no harm.

But the 11 year cycle is the one that is most associated with the kinds of solar storms that affect the planet. What happens to solar power when you can t even see the sun. Thirdly cmes affect a wider range of technologies like communication systems and power grids and can do more permanent damage. Thanks to durability standards and tests required by the international electrotechnical commission solar panels are made to perform well even after moderate hail events.

In canberra hailstorms battered cars houses greenhouses and solar panels. Solar activity is indeed currently ramping up toward what is known as solar maximum something that occurs approximately every 11 years. Solar panels wouldn t be much good if even a minor hail storm rendered them useless. And as far as they know the only effects have been beautiful displays of the aurora borealis along the northern latitudes.

But the biggest concern experts say would be disruptions to our power grid as a 2011 oecd report pdf on the impacts of solar storms points out electric power is modern society s. There are others that track other solar fluctuations over longer time periods too. This is not to say that space weather can t affect our planet. We spoke to our head of solar technologies dr greg wilson to get some answers.