Yes, solar panels can work without direct sunlight. The matter of fact is solar panels use daylight energy to produce electricity, and they do not need direct sunlight to work.However, even when there is no sun, solar panels can still produce electricity. Solar panels are designed to work in all weather conditions, including cloudy days and even during the night. Solar panels use ultraviolet light to create power. Even on a cloudy day, there is ultraviolet light present. It will come as no surprise to learn that solar panels are most effective when they receive direct sunlight, but direct sunlight isn't required for solar panels to generate energy. Shade, clouds, rain, and snow might reduce the output of a solar panel system, but both direct and indirect sunlight produce electricity. Most solar lights run between 6 and10 hours on a full battery charge. This is purposefully designed so that lights can run all night after a day of average sunlight. The maximum amount of electricity the system can produce under ideal conditions (known as 'peak sun'). Sometimes called 'rated capacity' or 'rated output', this is taken to be 1,000 watts (or 1 kW) of sunlight for every square metre of panel. Most domestic solar panel systems have a capacity of between 1 kW and 4 kW. The highest wattage solar panel introduced to the market can range from 1000 W to 2000 W or even more, depending on the purpose such as, factory uses, charging stations, etc. Heavy-duty solar panels have the highest storage capacity and can deliver maximum power output. Though estimates range, solar panels will generate about 10 – 25% of their normal power output on a cloudy day and solar panels produce no electricity at night.
Solar panels rely on sunlight to generate electricity through the photovoltaic effect. If there is no sunlight, or it's nighttime, solar panels won't produce electricity. However, there are energy storage solutions, such as batteries, that can store excess energy generated during sunny periods for use when sunlight is not available.
The maximum wattage for solar panels can vary, and it depends on the specific technology and design of the panels. The standard residential solar panels typically have a wattage ranging from 250 to 400 watts per panel. However, advancements in technology may have led to higher wattage panels since then.