Yes, solar panels work in Canadian winters. Snow and cold aren’t the problem most people expect; short days are. Here’s how much a system actually produces each month in five Canadian cities, what snow really costs you, and how net metering carries summer’s surplus into winter.
Quick answer: Solar panels keep producing in winter as long as there’s daylight on them. A south-facing system in Toronto makes about 41% as much in December as in June, and Calgary about 54%, according to Natural Resources Canada. Snow costs less than you’d think: a five-year NAIT study in Edmonton measured about a 3% loss over a full year. With net metering, credits from surplus summer power can cover part of your winter bills.
Key takeaways
- Winter output is lower, not zero. December production ranges from about 34% of June’s in Vancouver to about 54% in Calgary (Natural Resources Canada).
- November to February is roughly a fifth of the year. Those four months make 17% to 24% of annual output in the five cities below.
- Snow is a small loss. NAIT measured about 3% a year, far below the 20% the industry had assumed, and found panel tilt mattered more than snowfall.
- Cold doesn’t hurt panels. Panels are rated at 25°C and lose a little output as they heat up, so cold, clear days are good days.
- Net metering evens out the year. In Ontario, credits can carry forward for up to 12 consecutive months (Hydro One).
- Panels alone go dark in an outage. Winter storm backup needs a home battery.
Want numbers for your own roof? Try the solar panel calculator.
Do solar panels work in winter?
Yes. Solar panels turn daylight into electricity, not heat, so they work whenever light reaches them, at -20°C as well as +20°C. What changes in winter is the amount of light: the days are shorter, the sun sits lower in the sky, and panels can be covered by snow after a storm.
Put together, that means a smaller winter harvest, and the size of the drop depends mostly on where you live and how sunny your winters are.
How much power do solar panels make in winter in Canada?
These are Natural Resources Canada’s estimates for 1 kW of solar panels facing south, tilted at the city’s latitude. A typical home system is several kW, so multiply by your system size.
| City | December (kWh per kW) | June (kWh per kW) | December vs June | Nov–Feb share of the year | Year (kWh per kW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto | 51 | 123 | 41% | 22% | 1,163 |
| Calgary | 66 | 123 | 54% | 24% | 1,291 |
| Edmonton | 58 | 120 | 48% | 23% | 1,244 |
| Halifax | 53 | 108 | 49% | 23% | 1,073 |
| Vancouver | 37 | 110 | 34% | 17% | 1,007 |
Source: Natural Resources Canada, Photovoltaic potential and solar resource maps of Canada (municipal data, south-facing at latitude tilt). NRCan describes monthly values as indicative.
Calgary keeps about half of its June output in December, and Edmonton and Halifax just under half; Vancouver has the biggest winter drop of the five. Your own roof angle, direction and shading matter as much as the city.
For a rough estimate for your home, see how many solar panels you need.
Does snow stop solar panels from working?
A thick layer of snow blocks the light, so a fully covered panel produces little until the snow clears. In practice that rarely lasts long. Panels are tilted, smooth and dark, so snow tends to slide off as soon as the sun warms them.
The best Canadian data comes from NAIT in Edmonton. Over five years, researchers compared panels that were cleared of snow every day with identical panels left alone, at tilts from 14° to 90°. The snow cost only about 3% of annual production, far less than the 20% the industry had assumed, and the angle of the panels had a bigger effect on output than snowfall did.
On the roof, snow guards keep sliding snow from dropping onto walkways, decks or gutters below.
Does cold weather hurt solar panels?
No. Solar panels are rated at a cell temperature of 25°C, and their datasheets list a negative temperature coefficient: output drops slightly as the cells get hotter and rises slightly as they cool. A cold, sunny winter day is a good day for a panel.
That small boost doesn’t make up for short days, which is why winter output is still lower overall. Panels are also built to last: across thousands of measurements, NREL found a median output loss of about 0.5% a year, and Xolar installs panels with a 25-year panel warranty.
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Should you clear snow off your solar panels?
Usually not. Given the roughly 3% annual loss NAIT measured, the risk of a fall or of scratching the glass is rarely worth it. If you do want to clear them:
- Stay off the roof. Work from the ground only.
- Use a soft foam roof rake made for solar panels, never a metal shovel or a scraper.
- Don’t pour hot water on the panels. A sudden temperature change can stress the glass, and the water refreezes as ice.
- Leave ice alone. It will release on its own once the sun hits the panels.
- Check your monitoring app afterwards; if one section stays low for days after the rest has cleared, call your installer.
How does net metering help in winter?
In summer, a solar system often makes more power than the home uses during the day. With net metering, that surplus goes to the grid and earns a credit on your bill. In winter, when the panels make less, those credits offset the power you buy.
In Ontario, Hydro One says excess generation credits can be carried forward for a consecutive 12-month period. Rules differ by province and utility; see net metering by province.
One catch in Ontario: homes that take the Home Renovation Savings Program solar rebate can’t sign a net-metering agreement. See Ontario solar rebates for how to choose between the two.
Do solar panels work during a winter power outage?
Not on their own. For the safety of utility crews, a standard grid-tied system shuts off when the grid goes down, even on a sunny day. To keep the furnace fan, fridge and lights running during a winter storm, you need a home battery with the right inverter, such as a Tesla Powerwall.
Is winter a good time to get solar?
Winter is a good time to plan. Quotes, design, permits and utility approval all take time, and rebate programs such as Ontario’s HRSP require written pre-approval before anything is bought or installed. Starting the paperwork in winter means the system can be producing before the long days of spring and summer, when it makes most of its power.
Solar panels in winter at a glance
| Question | Short answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Do panels work in winter? | Yes, whenever there’s daylight on them | |
| How much less in December? | About 34% to 54% of June, depending on the city | Natural Resources Canada |
| How much does snow cost? | About 3% a year in Edmonton | NAIT |
| Does cold hurt panels? | No; cooler cells produce slightly more | Panel datasheets (rated at 25°C) |
| Do summer credits help in winter? | Yes, with net metering (Ontario: up to 12 months) | Hydro One |
| Power during an outage? | Only with a battery |
Frequently asked questions
Do solar panels work in winter in Canada?
Yes. They produce less than in summer because days are shorter, but they keep working. December output is about 34% to 54% of June’s across Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax and Vancouver (Natural Resources Canada).
Do solar panels work when covered in snow?
A fully covered panel produces very little, but snow usually slides off tilted panels within a short time. NAIT’s five-year Edmonton study measured about a 3% loss in annual production from snow.
Do solar panels work on cloudy winter days?
Yes, at reduced output. Panels use diffuse light that comes through clouds, so they keep producing, just less than on a clear day.
Can cold weather damage solar panels?
Cold itself doesn’t damage panels; they’re rated at 25°C and produce slightly more as they cool. Panels lose about 0.5% of their output a year on average (NREL), and Xolar’s carry a 25-year panel warranty.
Should I remove snow from my solar panels?
Usually not. If you do, work from the ground with a soft foam roof rake, and never climb onto the roof, use metal tools or pour hot water on the panels.
Which Canadian city gets the most solar power in winter?
Of these five cities, Calgary produces the most in December, about 66 kWh per kW of panels (Natural Resources Canada).
Sources
- Natural Resources Canada, Photovoltaic potential and solar resource maps of Canada, municipal data, retrieved October 26, 2026.
- NAIT, Solar panels shine despite winter’s blast, July 12, 2018.
- Jordan, D. and Kurtz, S., Photovoltaic Degradation Rates: An Analytical Review, NREL.
- Hydro One, Net metering.
- Home Renovation Savings Program, Solar panels and battery storage.
Related: Solar energy pros and cons in Canada · What is a snow guard? · Net metering · Home backup batteries
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