Solar Shading may be a big concern for a lot of people thinking about starting a Renewable Energy System.

Is there an obstruction on my roof. Is that tree too tall for the low sun in the winter months. Will my chimney pot intrude the light.

In short, shading on your Solar Panels does inhibit the efficiency. Although, you must remember that a Solar Panel that is shaded in the morning may not be shaded in the afternoon and evening but for how long and in which months. However, constant shading over a longer period of time can be detrimental to your Solar Panel as it will break down the structure of the panel.

If a quarter of a Solar Panel is covered in shade then the remaining 3 quarters will be working harder to compensate. The Solar cells that are shaded for part of the days are almost being turned on and off causing a nuisance to the circuit. The cells that are over compensating are working too hard and may burn out.

Having a damaged Solar Panel means you will not receive the full performance as if it was fully working.