A huge deterrent to San Diego solar energy becoming a popular method of powering our homes is the fact that not all houses are facing the sun 100% of the time. Shade from cloud cover, trees or buildings often blocks the sunlight and inhibits energy production.
Though Solaire’s solar electricity San Diego systems produce more power than necessary and actually send excess back to the power grid for use at night (or when the system isn’t producing efficiently), constant come-and-go shade or a streak of bad weather can mean the system isn’t producing optimally. Solar panel modules function as a unit to produce electricity. They are wired together on a circuit, and when one panel is not working or facing shade the whole system produces significantly less energy. Think of a string of Christmas tree lights: when one bulb breaks, the whole string stops working.
A new solar optimizer from Azuray Technologies could potentially reduce these problems, compensating for energy losses by adjusting the system of modules to operate at its most efficient point without the module facing shade cover. The optimizer could make solar systems 25% more efficient during cloud cover. The device is designed to last up to 25 years and could revolutionize the home solar energy industry as well as help make it more mainstream.
