Overcoming the 5 O’clock Shadow: 5 Things to Consider Before Installing Solar Panels

Call them what you will—sun sponges, light harvesters, energy magnets—solar panels continue to make their way into the hearts and minds of homeowners. A recent Forbes survey reported that among solar panel owners in the U.S.: 

• Nearly 90% are glad they made the investment. 
• 73% chose solar panels to achieve energy independence. 
• 67% chose them for cost savings. 
• Over 82% said they would recommend solar panels based on their experiences.  

Homeowners in the Midwest particularly have benefited. Illinois ranks among the national leaders in rooftop solar growth. In the “Prairie State,” residential solar grew more than 2000% from 2017 through 2022.  

OPTIMUM SOLAR PERFORMANCE 

Abundant sun (direct sunlight is best), moderate temperatures, light winds, and low humidity all contribute to ideal conditions for solar. Some homeowners enjoy optimum conditions, but many do not. Shade remains a common concern. 

While it’s true that the longer solar panels remain shaded, the less energy they generate, there’s good news on two fronts for folks with shady situations: (1) solar panels do produce in partial shade, and (2) new technologies increasingly reduce the impact of partial shade.  

A professional solar installer can assess your situation and address concerns like:  

1. Tall trees overshadowing your roof – If shading occurs most of the day, it can reduce the amount of sunlight that reaches your solar panels. Severity, however, is key. An assessment will tell you more.  
2. Neighboring tall buildings that cast shadows – Homes located in urban areas sometimes experience this, especially during times of day when the sun's angle is low. Again, severity is key.  
3. You live in a valley – Hills or mountains to the east or west can limit the effectiveness of solar panels, especially during early morning or late afternoon hours. The slope and orientation of your land factor into solar panel effectiveness.   
4. A chimney, vents, or dormers on your roof – These, coupled with low sun angle, can impact solar panel performance, but not always.   
5. Seasonal shading – You may have deciduous trees that lose their leaves in the fall but fill out to provide lush cover in the summer. You may experience a rainy season with seasonal cloud cover followed by a sunny season. An assessment of your property’s unique situation will tell you what you need to know.  

Solutions may be as simple as trimming a tree, installing panels on a ground mount set away from the building(s) to receive power and better sunlight, or installing solar panels on an outbuilding.  

Read about Getting Started With Solar 

A SHADE ANALYSIS ANSWERS MANY QUESTIONS 

A professional solar installer can conduct a thorough shade analysis of your property to inform your decision to invest in solar panels or pursue other routes for saving energy.  

Be sure to ask about: 

• Available technology like half-cut photovoltaic cells reduce the impact of partial shade. 
• Systems that use microinverters. Microinverters ensure that one panel’s diminished performance (due to shade, for instance) doesn’t impact the performance of other panels.   
• Incorporating battery storage to maximize the use of solar energy collected during peak hours, mitigating some effects of shading during those times. 

PAYBACK AND TAX INCENTIVES 

According to Solar.com, the average payback period for solar panels is 7-10 years, depending on electricity rates, solar costs, and available incentives. Check out the current 30% federal tax credit for qualified solar panel systems 

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 Resources: 

Geraldine Orentas, “Nearly 90% Of Americans Are Happy They Installed Solar Panels On Their Homes,” Forbes Home. 

Zeeshan Hyder, “Do solar panels need direct sunlight to work?” SolarReviews  

“Homeowner’s Guide to the Federal Tax Credit for Solar Photovoltaics,” U.S. Department of Energy, Solar Energy Technologies Office