Hi, I was told today that since I have concrete tile roof, I should go with blue solar panels because black ones will generate more heat in my ceiling cavity? I haven’t read that in any of the masses of reading I’ve been doing, what’s the school of thought on that?
Thanks as always for a great forum.
Sounds pretty ridiculous @Emstar. There might be tiny grains of truth in that, but would have minimal affect.
If the actual backing is black as opposed to white, that does have greater affect, but probably not enough to make any noticeable difference.
Hope that helps.
Marty
Thanks Marty, I needed to check with someone who knows their stuff as some of these salesmen are so convincing. Appreciate your response.
Hi Emstar,
It is worth noting that all solar panels (no matter what colour) actually shade the roof surface, therefore all surface mounted solar systems will reduce internal ceiling temperature. This is a bonus that most people don’t realise, especially in hotter climates. (The only exception is building integrated solar where the solar panels are installed partially into the roof, although this is not very common)
In addition the blue coloured panels generally use cheaper polycrystalline cells while darker coloured panels used more efficient monocrystalline cells so it sounds like the salesman is just trying to sell you cheaper panels.
Hi Mate
You need Canadian panels 315 mono with kU
Technology.
They keep cooler then any other panels out there. Panels loose 1% for every 45.
They also have a presence in Melbourne.
I may be able to help u if u are in Victoria
This is the sales scam of a cheap pollysolar sales person. The temperature of this small colour variation is not even worth mentioning. Going forward Monosilicon - and especially n-type panels like for example LGs will produce more electricity per panel, no matter what the colour. Myth debunked. If this is what the sales person says -avoid them.
I don’t really understand how panel colors correlate.
@Phil0110 The power rating (W) of all solar panels is measured under standard test conditions (STC) which is based on a cell temperature of 25°C.
As solar cells increase in temperature, the power output slowly decreases. When mounted on a rooftop, most panels will heat up to around 20°C higher than the ambient air temperature which will reduce the power output by around 5 or 8% depending on the type of solar cells used. The amount of loss is dependent on the “Power temperature co-efficient” which is explained in this detailed solar panel efficiency article.
Black objects absorb more heat, so if the solar panel has a black frame and a black back-sheet (the protective sheet behind the solar cells) then the panel will heat up slightly more than a regular panel with a silver frame and white back-sheet. The black panel will be about 4 degrees hotter and have a slightly reduced power output by about 1 to 2% compared to the silver/white panels.
I’ve never thought about it, thanks for explaining.
The color of solar panels usually doesn’t affect your roof’s temperature significantly. While darker panels might absorb a bit more heat, the difference isn’t substantial enough to significantly impact your ceiling cavity temperature. Factors like proper insulation and ventilation matter more in regulating your home’s internal temperature. The primary concern should be the efficiency and output of the solar panels rather than their color. Focus on selecting high-quality panels with excellent energy production capabilities to maximize your solar system’s benefits while keeping your home comfortable.