Is Solar Energy Accessible In The Midwest?

Solar power is a good option available to you no matter which part of the country you’re in! And when you have premium, American-made solar panels on your side, you have a renewable electricity source you can rely on. If you’re exploring the option of residential solar panels for your Midwest home, we can help you weigh the benefits. 

Does Solar Power Hold Up In Cloudy Conditions?

The Midwest is known for harsh winters and frequent cloudy days. It’s natural to wonder how well solar power can work at a time of year when the sun is obscured by cloud cover and snow for significant amounts of time. How can solar panels gather sunlight if the sun isn’t visible? 

Fortunately, sunlight travels through cloud cover, even if we can’t see it with the naked eye. Though the amount of light is reduced, you can still generate electricity with solar panels with complete cloud cover. Optimal conditions for solar production are cool, sunny days, so cloudy days won’t generate as much electricity. You may need to fall back onto grid power or make use of a backup battery system to power portions of your home. 

How Can I Clean Snow Off My Solar Panels?

Snow is a major part of life for most of the Midwest. So it makes sense to wonder how solar panels could fare in snowy conditions, and whether you should be active in cleaning snow off your solar panels. Yes, you could remove the snow, but we don’t recommend it. Here’s why.

Since your panels most likely will be located on your roof, climbing a ladder to get to your rooftop may not be the safest thing you could do. That’s why we suggest letting the snow melt. Your solar panels are likely positioned on the south side of your home, where the panels can gather the most sunlight. So once the sun reappears, it won’t take long for the snow to melt! It just requires a little patience on your part, but that patience is well worth it. Letting the snow melt will also keep you from accidentally damaging the panels, should you get too aggressive in removing the snow and/or ice buildup. That’s because scraping the panel surface can damage your panels. 

Our solar panels are made to withstand snow and ice, as they have protective glass covering the circuitry that produces solar power. So long as you have a good, strong roof and a little patience, your solar panels will produce electricity at your home just fine. 

Now that we’ve covered the big concerns, let’s look a little closer at the process of adding solar panels to your home. 

What’s The Installation Process Like?

Our solar installation teams are part of your community. That means they know exactly how best to implement your new solar system and will keep in close contact with you during the entire process. Here’s a quick overview of our 3-step process:

1. Once you’ve gotten in contact with our solar experts, we’ll work with you to determine whether solar panels are a good fit for your home. We’ll ask questions about your home and electric usage as well as figure out your ideal energy usage going forward. 
2. Next, we’ll make an in-person visit to your home to evaluate your property and present you with a custom quote. 
3. Once you’ve signed a purchase and installation agreement, we’ll begin all the behind-the-scenes work in preparation for your installation. Our team will then work quickly and expertly to install your new solar panels in just a day or two! 

If the process sounds simple, it’s intended to be. We want to make adding solar energy at your home as easy as possible. 

Ready To Go Solar?

Now that you know the Midwest is a very viable place for solar power and how simple our installation process is, hopefully you’re more committed to going solar than ever. At Pink Energy, we are deeply dedicated to making solar power a readily available renewable energy source for communities across the country. Your local Pink Energy team has the knowledge to answer any remaining questions you may have. Contact us today to learn more about what solar power could look like as part of your daily life!