Perth has a very harsh climate; with extended periods of very high temperatures, strong winds, long periods without rain and, when it does rain, it can be extremely heavy. These conditions can be adverse for a solar energy system.
If you want your solar energy system to last in Western Australia, it is important to not only choose your components well but also choose your solar company well. CleanNRG’s PV Systems are built to withstand and outlast extreme weather conditions for the long term.
Extended periods of very high temperature
Solar PV panels perform best in cooler weather. Cool sunny days are the days we get our best instant readings. As the panels get hotter they become less efficient and this loss is calculated and is called the temperature coefficient. The temperature co-efficient figure tells us the percentage of power loss, the optimum figure for a panel is around 0.38% per degrees Celsius.
As the baseline figure is 25˚C, each degree over this means the panel will be less efficient.
- If the panel temp is 35˚C, good panels will produce 3.8% less power
- If the panel temp is 65˚C (it gets higher than this in Perth), good panels will lose 11.5%
- Poorer panels can potentially lose up to 20% or more.
The difference between good panels and the poorer ones, in terms of costs over the life of a system, is around $4500.
The WA sun also wreaks havoc with any of the system’s exposed switches and conduits. The quality of its installation and components are vital to how your system performs in the short, medium and long term.
Heavy rain and strong winds
Although Perth is not a cyclonic area, we still get very strong winds that can detach parts or all of your solar panel system from your roof. It’s not only the quality of the parts used to fix the panels to your roof; it is the way it’s installed that makes the biggest difference to the strength and longevity of your system. It’s through knowledge, experience and quality control that good solar companies can ensure a quality install won’t blow off your roof.