Do solar panels work in low light?

A solar cell, or photovoltaic cell, is an electrical device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity. Most solar panels only contain three bypass diodes which significantly limits performance in shaded or cloudy conditions (if one cell is shaded, total power reduces by one-third). At Genie Insights, we incorporate bypass diodes into every other cell meaning if a pair of cells is shaded, the current is able to move to the next cell, so the only performance loss is from the shaded cells.

This means our panel will work efficiently in the harshest conditions (365 days per year) including low light, shading from buildings, cloudy days and if partially damaged or covered (e.g. by snow or bird droppings).

Read more about the importance of bypass diodes in our blog: How Multiple Bypass Diodes Supercharge Solar Panel Performance.