Contrary to popular belief, solar panels still generate electricity on cloudy and rainy days. As long as they’re not covered by snow – which shouldn’t be a problem in our climate – gloomy skies still diffuse light, which generates energy.

However, solar panels won’t deliver as much energy as they do on bright, sunny days. In fact, the energy produced during winter can be two-thirds less than what’s created in summer. For example, a solar system may produce 12kWh per day on average in July compared to an average of 36kWh per day in January.

A sure-fire way to know exactly how your panels are performing – no matter the season – is to opt in for energy monitoring. Members who’ve bought an RAA solar or battery system have this included in their package.

While energy saving is slightly slower during colder months, there’s an upside to frostier temperatures. Unless here’s a torrential downpour which might damage solar panels, rain is a great self-cleaning solution.

Just beware that if you have a lot of bird droppings on your panels, rain might not wash it off easily. In this instance, it won’t hurt to have your solar system checked, cleaned and maintained every few years by a professional.