I Asked ChatGPT About UK Solar Panels

Here's some quick takeaways from my conversation with ChatGPT

Initially ChatGPT was consistent in saying that solar panel cleaning, and other maintenance procedures, are necessary to ensure continued efficiency.  I asked a lot about how much efficiency is lost through dirt, bird droppings, algae and lichen.  I couldn't get a clear answer, there's too many variables.

BUT, then I discovered that solar panels have something called Bypass Diodes, in short, panels are wired in series, so if one cell is obstructed, by shadows, dirt etc, then all the cells would operate at the reduced effiency of that cell, without a way of bypassing the cell that's having problems.

The solution is Bypass Diodes, which bypass the problem cell leaving the other cells to operate efficiently.  But that's not a perfect solution.  After asking more questions it came to light that panels only have 3 Bypass Diodes (usually but not always).  Which means each 1/3 rd of the panel (known as a section) is 'protected' by a bypass diode.  If any cell in that section gets dirty, or is in shadow, the whole section is bypassed.   causing a loss of 33% of the that panels energy production.  Worse still, if that shadow, dirt, bird dropping or organic growth crosses the intersection of two sections then both sections can be bypassed, a loss of 66% on that individual panel.  This is part of the chat with ChatGPT:

My Question: A bird dropping, or other dirt etc, could span two sections if it happens to be at the intersection, losing up to 66% efficiency?

ChatGPT Answer:  Yes, if a bird dropping or any other obstruction happens to be located at the intersection of two sections, it could indeed cause both sections to be bypassed, potentially resulting in up to a 66% loss in output from that panel. This highlights the importance of regular cleaning and maintenance, especially in environments where such obstructions are common, to ensure optimal panel performance.

My Question:  How are the sections usually formatted. For instance, if a panel has algae growth across the botton 10cm, for instance, if the sections are vertical all three sections could be affected, if horizontal only one section would be

ChatGPT Answer: The sections within a solar panel are often arranged horizontally, meaning that each bypass diode typically covers horizontal rows of cells. Therefore, if algae growth occurs across the bottom 10cm of the panel, it's likely to affect only one section of the panel. This layout helps minimize the potential impact of vertical obstructions like branches or bird droppings, which could span multiple sections if arranged vertically. However, the exact configuration can vary by manufacturer and panel model.

ChatGPT says the UK average is 14 panels per house,  if you have 14 panels, just divide 100 (for 100%) by 14, which shows each panel represents 7.14% of the total output.  If one panel has a single cell obstructed, that would lose 33% of the total output of that panel, equating to 2.4% of the total output of all 14 panels.  

In the simplest of terms, each shadow, or bird dropping, or algae growth, or even just dirt, will cost 2.4% of your total energy production.

Below is a chart showing the loss of efficiency in % terms for a total solar array.  It highlights that the UK average of 14 panels, which is 42 total sections, will lose 2.38% for each section which is in shadow or dirty.  If three sections are bypassed a total loss of 7.14%.  Bearing in mind the more panels you have the more likely some will be bypassed due to dirt, algae, shadows etc.

You will know how much energy you produce over a year, and you'll know how much of that you sell back to the grid.  If your panels are dirty you are losing energy production and therefore money.

Send us an enquiry, there's an option to add photos, easiest if you use a smartphone to fill out the enquiry.  We can get back to you with pricing for your particular panels.  There's also a guide so you can estimate what the cost will be.