The performance of solar panels can be significantly impacted by shading, even from partial coverage of individual cells within the panel, so any improvement in shade tolerance can make a real difference.
A recent video test by Alex Beale of a “revolutionary” active shade-tolerant panel by Renology reveals that in some circumstances it is able to maintain power output even when partially shaded.
However, the benefit only applies in specific circumstances, where the shading is deliberate and evenly applied, and so far the Renology model is the only panel to demonstrate this ability.
Other strategies for improving the performance of solar panels include cooling, effective MPPT, and keeping panels clean.
While this technology shows promise, the added cost of double normal panels may currently be difficult to justify in most real-world cases.
