Yes, solar panels work in winter. Sunlight drives how much power your panels make, and cold air helps them run more efficiently. Winter output is lower because days are shorter and the sun sits lower in the sky. A well-designed system still produces power in every season and helps you save on your utility bills.
Clouds cut output more than freezing temperatures do, and snow matters only while it covers the panels. Neither condition shuts a system down.
A local, experienced installer knows how your region’s seasons affect sunlight and weather. A reliable one will visit your home, point out its strengths and weak spots (such as shade or an aging roof), and map out the best setup.
At Modernize, we talk with homeowners about their projects all the time. In our recent interviews, 90% of homeowners wanted a checklist to help them find and vet contractors. So we created a free, digital Contractor Checklist, a step-by-step guide for your solar project.
Solar Panels in Winter at a Glance
Short on time? These are the facts that matter most.
- Cold air doesn’t hurt solar panels; they run slightly more efficiently below their 77°F (25°C) rating.
- Snow typically costs a tilted rooftop system about 1%–5% of its annual output, and it usually slides off within a day or two.
- Clouds cut production more than cold does, but panels still make some power on overcast days.
- The 30% federal tax credit for homeowner-owned solar ended Dec. 31, 2025, so price your project with and without incentives.
- You can install solar in any season, so let your roof, your bills, and your quotes set the timing.
How Cold, Clouds, and Snow Affect Solar Panel Output
Each type of weather affects panels differently. Here’s what the research shows.
Cold temperatures
Panel makers rate output at 77°F (25°C). Solar cells lose efficiency as they heat up and gain it as they cool, so most panels produce roughly 0.3%–0.4% more power for every degree Celsius below that rating. Photovoltaic (PV) cells turn light into electricity, not heat, which is why how solar panels work has little to do with outdoor temperature. Most panels are rated to operate in temperatures as low as −40°F.
Cloudy days
Clouds have a bigger effect than cold. On overcast days, panels typically produce about 10%–30% of their rated capacity, depending on how thick the clouds are. Across a whole winter, industry analyses of PVWatts data show many systems making roughly 25%–55% of their summer output, depending on location.
Snow
The Department of Energy (DOE) runs Regional Test Centers that study solar in harsh weather, including sites in Vermont and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. DOE researchers report that solar can still generate electricity in snowy areas. A light dusting often blows off, and melting snow even rinses dirt from the glass. Read the DOE’s Let it Snow blog post for more.
Snow does reduce output while it covers the panels. Most estimates put the loss at about 1%–5% of annual production for tilted rooftop systems, and a five-year Northern Alberta Institute of Technology study found about 3%. Flat or low-tilt arrays in very snowy regions can lose more.
Your installer can limit those losses. They’ll choose the right pitch and direction for your roof, and they’ll mount the array high enough that snow can’t pile up against it. Homes in cold climates have plenty of solar success stories.
Pro tip:Don’t climb on the roof to clear snow. The lost power rarely justifies the fall risk, and scraping can scratch the glass.
Why Rising Electric Bills Keep Solar on Homeowners’ Radar
Higher utility bills are one of the top reasons homeowners start looking at solar. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that the average U.S. household paid 18.31 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) in July 2026, up 4.9% from a year earlier. Prices rose in 44 states. See the EIA’s Electric Power Monthly for current numbers.
Your own savings depend on how much power you use and what your utility charges. Production dips in winter and climbs in summer, so installers usually size a system around your whole-year usage. Ask for month-by-month estimates, and ask how your utility credits extra power you send to the grid. For a primer, see how solar changes your utility bill.
What Changed for Solar Costs and Incentives in 2026
Incentives affect your budget more than the season does, and the biggest change happened at the end of 2025.
The federal tax credit ended for homeowners
The 30% Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) covered solar and battery systems that homeowners bought with cash or a loan. Congress ended it for expenditures made after Dec. 31, 2025. The IRS counts an expenditure when installation is complete, so paying in 2025 for an install that finishes in 2026 doesn’t qualify. See the IRS FAQs for the details.
If your system was completed in 2025 or earlier, any credit you couldn’t use carries forward to future tax years. A tax professional can confirm your amount.
What you can still use
- Lease and power purchase agreement (PPA) installers can still claim a separate commercial credit (Section 48E), which may lower your monthly price.
- Some states have their own incentives (New York and Massachusetts, for example), so check state and local rebates for your area.
- Utility programs and net metering rules vary, so ask each installer how they apply to you.
Weigh solar leases carefully, since you won’t own the system. Our guide to power purchase agreements explains the trade-offs.
Costs and timing
Industry trackers put installed costs at roughly $2.50–$3.50 per watt before incentives. That puts a typical 7–8 kilowatt (kW) system at about $18,000–$28,000. Our guide to solar panel installation costs breaks down what drives the price, and a financing checklist can help you compare loan offers.
Installers are often busier in warmer months, when homeowners notice their cooling bills. Scheduling in fall or winter can mean shorter waits and more flexibility, though discounts aren’t guaranteed. With no federal credit deadline to chase, let your roof’s condition and your quotes drive the timing.
California’s rule for new homes
California has required solar on most new low-rise homes since Jan. 1, 2020. Its 2025 energy code, in effect for permits filed on or after Jan. 1, 2026, updates solar sizing and adds battery-readiness requirements. If you’re building in California, ask your builder how the rules apply to you.
How Many Solar Panels Do You Need?
The answer depends on your electricity use, your roof, and your local sunlight, not on the season. Start with your bills: your annual kWh usage tells you how much power you want to offset. Our guide to how many solar panels you need walks through the math.
Next, check your local sunlight. PVWatts, a free tool from the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR, formerly the National Renewable Energy Laboratory), estimates monthly and yearly production for your address, including the winter months. Enter your location, roof tilt, and system size to see what to expect. The DOE renamed the lab in December 2025, so you may see both names online.
Then ask each installer about how shade affects output on your roof, and compare solar panel quotes line by line. If winter storms and outages worry you, ask about solar batteries too. The federal credit no longer covers them for 2026 installs.
A local contractor can explain what energy to expect, which panels suit your home, and where to install them. They can also tell you how solar might affect the value of your home. To start your search, see our picks for the best solar companies.
Find the Right Contractor for Your Solar Project
Whether you’re ready to begin your project now or need some expert advice, our network of contractors are here to help. With a few simple questions, we’ll find the best local professionals for you
Sources
- IRS, FAQs on modifications to sections 25C, 25D, and others under Public Law 119-21
- Congressional Research Service, Expiration and Carryforward Rules for the Residential Clean Energy Credit
- U.S. Department of Energy, Let it Snow: How Solar Panels Can Thrive in Winter Weather
- U.S. Department of Energy, announcement renaming NREL the National Laboratory of the Rockies (December 2025)
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly
- Michigan Technological University, DOE Regional Test Center announcement
