Many myths and much misinformation surround solar and renewable energy. One such myth is that solar energy doesn’t travel well and can’t function in the frozen far north. Truth or lie? Let’s find out.

Passive Solar

Not only does solar energy work in northern latitudes, but it works extremely well. There are many examples of buildings that are well-designed from the standpoint of passive solar energy production, and a visit to one of these buildings may be a very pleasant surprise when you feel how warm and cozy it is inside. Any insulated south-facing windows will allow heat from the sun in and, on sunnier days, will heat the area in which the windows are located up to the equivalent of half a gallon or so of heating oil. If the windows are also covered with shutters or shades at night, thus retaining more heat, the equivalent amount of heating oil produced per square foot could be up to as much as a gallon.

Solar Loves The Far North

There are countless examples of solar electric systems being installed and used very successfully in far northern latitudes in both Canada and the most northerly regions of the United States. It may surprise you to learn that Germany is the second largest user of solar electricity generated by photovoltaic modules, and Germany’s not exactly located in the Sunbelt! In fact, far from it; its latitude is 48 to 54 degrees, very similar to Canada.

The shorter winter days are obviously not particularly conducive to the production of solar electricity, but, thanks to the implementation of net metering for on-grid systems and the longer, sunnier days of summer, this is offset to a great extent. An interesting fact is that, in northern regions, there has been a major shift in peak electrical loads from winter to summer in recent times, opening the door for an increase in the application of solar electricity.

Solar thermal heating has been in use for many years in northern areas, where, the further north the location, more solar thermal collectors are added to compensate for less light in winter. In fact, the further north, the quicker the solar system will pay for itself due to the colder, cloudier climate and the resultant need for more heat.

If You Design It, It Will Work!

Because of the more limited amount of sunlight available the further north it’s installed, a PV system needs to be designed much more carefully in order to operate as efficiently as possible, taking into consideration the optimum location of the panels (facing south is best), tilt angle (90 degrees is best – the sun’s rays hit the PV array at a perpendicular angle; if the tilt is adjusted seasonally, an array’s power production can be increased significantly) and the load requirements.

In addition to the benefits of good design, there are PV panels available that have been designed to work more efficiently in cloudier, more northerly areas. Also, since utility rates can be much higher in colder, higher-latitude regions, where the need for heat is greater, solar energy systems can be even more advantageous. In fact, in some places, the colder the temperature, the clearer, more sunny it is, resulting in greater solar electricity generation. Not only that, but solar panels operate more efficiently in cooler temperatures. Cold, or, at least, cool, has its advantages!

Technically, No Barriers

Since there are no barriers, technically, to solar electricity being used in far northern latitudes, and since utility rates and reliability of the supply of power can be issues, solar electricity and solar thermal have much to offer in those areas, and are an extremely viable proposition.

Myth gone south!