Do solar PV systems need full sun to work?
Contrary to common belief, solar power works even if it’s not a hot, sunny day. The sun’s photons pummel the earth constantly, and just because it may be a gloomy day in the northern hemisphere it doesn’t mean that solar PV cells in that region aren’t doing their thing. The reality is solar PV cells actually work best when ambient temperatures are moderate, say in the 70 degree range.
The system we have installed at our home starts generating when the sun comes up, and runs until the sun goes down. If there are clouds in the sky, the power is dimished, but the system still keeps producing at a lower level of output.
Sunny Solar