Cloudy Deutschland on How Solar Roofs Can Work Even in Overcast Skies

Do solar panels work even when there's no direct sunlight? Try asking Germany, which produces 6.5 times more solar energy than the U.S., despite spending most of its year in overcast (a little over two months of sunlight a year). Now, Andrew Curry of Slate Magazine reports that Germany produces enough renewable energy to sustain 22 percent of its energy needs, a quarter of which is solar power. The further solar power technology advances, the more affordable solar panels get. So why is Germany, a really cloudy country, the current world leader in solar energy? If you'll look at Germany in solar irradiance maps, you can see that much of the country doesn't get as much sunlight as the entire United States. Apparently, most people think that solar panels won't work under cloudy weather since the clouds are blocking precious sunlight. As it turns out, it's one of the biggest myths surrounding solar roofing in Danville, CA and the rest of the world.

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