When solar energy is directly taken from the sun during daytime, a solar panel is then able to convert it into usable energy to be used by a household or any other electricity-run appliance for that matter.
It is not necessary that the sun has to be blazing hot, shining at its extreme, for the solar panels to be functional, nevertheless the power of solar panel decreases with the decrease in sunlight.
So, the chances of producing more power are less in winter or rainy days.
Solar on cloudy days? With that said, let's move on to the cloudy days.
One wonders, of course, how a solar panel would work if it is supposed to work with sunrays, while all it witnesses during the day is clouds all over the sky! Do not worry, if you live in a city where people spend days and days without having the sun peep out of those dark fluffy clouds.
Although, these panels do produce energy efficiently during sun-drenched situations, especially in hours after noon, but that does not mean that it does not absorb sun radiation, if the sky is overcast.
Solar radiation absorption There are various cities in this world where people rarely observe even weak sunlight during winters because the skies are, most of the times, overcast and cloudy.
For instance, Seattle observes rain for more than half a year and considering that, one would think, 'solar' panels would be no use.
But even on those days, the panels are able to absorb about 5 to 50 percent of radiation emitted by sun.
The percentage, however, varies depending on the thickness of the clouds present.
If the clouds' layer is thin, there would be more absorption of the radiation helping in converting considerably more energy.
Therefore, if the panels are pointed and set correctly so that they face the sun, enough electricity could be produced to run a household.