Solar power thrives in sunny climates, but what happens when winter blankets panels in snow? That’s the question Michigan Technological University’s Keweenaw Research Center (KRC) is tackling in a new two-year research effort. The project aims to measure how snowfall influences photovoltaic output and to identify practical strategies to reduce snow-related energy losses.
To study the problem, international engineering firm DNV GL has installed a test bed of solar PV modules just behind KRC. The panels are mounted at a range of tilt angles—from completely flat (0°) up to 45°—so researchers can compare how orientation affects both snow accumulation and energy production. Steeper angles around 60° tend to shed snow more effectively, but they can also reduce energy yield when the panels aren’t optimally oriented toward the sky. The team’s measurements will help quantify that tradeoff.
KRC plans to put the findings to work on its own systems, applying the best-performing approaches to cut wintertime losses and keep panels generating through snowy conditions.
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