The best and worst months for solar energy in Victoria

Residential solar energy is a fantastic way to generate your own power, even here on the rainy west coast. That doesn’t mean there aren’t some ups and downs to manage. Living in a temperate rainforest climate has its pros and cons, naturally. But as you’ll see, they are not a problem.

For instance it doesn’t get super cold in the winter and that means less snow. That’s good! Snow interferes with solar energy production so the less of the white stuff there is the better. But it can also be fairly rainy, which means less sunlight and more clouds, at least at certain times of year. For these reasons some months are better than others for generating your own power.

The Best Months for Solar Energy Production in Victoria

As you’d imagine, the spring and summer months are the best months for maximizing solar energy in Victoria, particularly March through September with July and August winning top prizes. October through February sees our precipitation increase and sunlight hours diminish. As a result, December and January see half the production of the top two summer months.

Addressing Concerns About Overcast Days

Realizing there’s a yearly variance in solar energy here, a lot of people express the same concern: “I’ve been thinking about a solar panel for my home, but what happens when it’s overcast for so much of the year?”

Fortunately, these yearly swings in available sunlight aren’t a problem for two reasons. First, any energy not needed right away in your home flows back to the grid. You will receive a credit from BC Hydro for later use. Secondly, if your home is off-grid, then your excess energy is stored in your battery bank for later use.

Summer is here and the best months for gathering solar energy are now! Contact a Victoria solar power company to get started generating free electricity in your residential home.