In general, solar radiation is higher in the summer months than in the winter months. Most solar panels perform optimally in the laboratory at the Standard Test Condition (STC) temperature of 77°F. Their efficiency degrades significantly once they reach 149°F.

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In general, the months of October through April will witness the highest solar panel electricity generation. During the winter, days are significantly shorter than during the summer. This means that the solar system will be on for a shorter period each day, producing less average electricity each day. The best time of day to use solar-generated electricity is during the middle of the day when the sun is the strongest, usually between 9am - 3pm. These peak times can vary depending on the orientation and tilt of your panels but also where you live and the time of year. As a result, the reality is that cooler spring months like May may be better for your panels. Solar power systems typically generate power from 8am – 5pm with the best output occurring between 10am – 3pm; though it changes with the season. Therefore, best time to use electricity with solar panels is between the hours of 10am – 3pm. This means that for every degree above 77°F that temperatures increase, your solar panels will lose approximately 0.35% in power production efficiency. Therefore, on an 80-degree day (3 degrees above ideal temperatures) this would lead to an approximate efficiency loss of 1.05% (. 35 x 3 degrees).High-quality solar panels degrade at a rate of around 0.5% every year, generating around 12-15% less power at the end of their 25-30 lifespan. Solar panels produce better when the temperature is low and the weather is cool. Solar cell performance decreases with increasing temperature, fundamentally owing to increased internal carrier recombination rates, caused by increased carrier concentrations. The operating temperature plays a key role in the photovoltaic conversion process. Thermal Loss A solar cell loses 0.5% of its output for every 1 degree C above the STC-rated temperature of 25 degrees C, making this one of the largest losses in energy. This loss is due to an intrinsic feature of the solar cell construction. Most solar panels perform optimally in the laboratory at the Standard Test Condition (STC) temperature of 77°F. Their efficiency degrades significantly once they reach 149°F. The decline in solar panel performance past 77°F is easy to calculate, allowing you to create projections of their output at summer temperatures. If you're thinking of installing solar panels, it's important to know the temperature range that they'll work in. Solar panels generally have an operating temperature range of – 40 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit. This means that even in the hot Hawaiian sun, your solar panels should still be able to generate power. Solar panels can work on rainy days, but the amount of electricity they generate will be lower than on sunny days.