# Solar panels in winter: what to expect in Birmingham > How much solar panels make in a Birmingham winter, why output drops, what's normal month by month, and four checks to make before the dark months set in. URL: https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/blog/solar-panels-winter-birmingham/ 1. [Home](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/) 2. [Blog](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/blog/) 3. Solar panels in winter: what to expect in Birmingham Seasonal # Solar panels in winter: what to expect in Birmingham [Eco Solar Panel Installation Company](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/) uses PVGIS figures for Birmingham to show what winter output really looks like, so a quiet December isn't mistaken for a fault. Published 29 September 2026 · By Eco Solar Panel Installation Company Every autumn, people with solar panels open their app and wonder whether something has gone wrong. Usually it hasn’t. Output in a Birmingham winter is a small fraction of what the same panels make in summer. ## How big the drop is [PVGIS](https://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvg_tools/en/), the European Commission’s solar model, gives a south-facing Birmingham roof about 119 kWh per kWp in July and 34 kWh in December. That is a drop of roughly 70%. For a 4 kWp system, it is the difference between about 476 kWh in July and about 136 kWh in December. The reasons are simple: shorter days, a lower sun that crosses the sky at a shallower angle, and more cloud. A lower sun also casts longer shadows, so a tree or chimney that doesn’t shade the panels in June may shade them in December. ## What’s normal, month by month For each kWp of panels on a south-facing roof, PVGIS gives Birmingham about 62 kWh in October, 43 in November, 34 in December, 37 in January and 51 in February. By March it is back to 85. The fair way to judge your system is to compare the same month with earlier years, not with the summer. ## Four checks before the dark months 1. **Note a reading now.** Write down the total from the inverter or app on the first of each month. It makes comparing years easy. 2. **Look at the inverter.** A green light or a power figure in daylight means it is working. A fault code or a blank screen in daylight means it needs looking at. The [Energy Saving Trust](https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/solar-panels/) says inverters need replacing after around 12 years. 3. **Check for new shade.** Trees and new extensions matter more when the sun is low. 4. **Leave the snow.** Snow slides off pitched panels once the sun gets on them. Don’t climb up or use hot water, which can crack cold glass. ## Making the most of winter output With less to go round, timing matters. Run the washing machine or dishwasher around the middle of the day when the panels are producing. If you have an EV, winter is when an overnight tariff does most of the charging. A battery set to charge on a cheaper overnight rate, where your tariff and any Feed-in Tariff rules allow, can also help. If your output is clearly lower than the same month last year, [why are my solar panels not working?](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/guide/solar-panels-not-working/) runs through the checks you can make safely. Output lower than last winter? Call with the inverter's reading and any error code. 0121 330 1151 (+441213301151) Sources - [PVGIS, European Commission Joint Research Centre](https://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvg_tools/en/) - [Energy Saving Trust: solar panels](https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/solar-panels/) ## Related guides - [Learn Why are my solar panels not working?](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/guide/solar-panels-not-working/) - [Decision Guide Are solar panels worth it in Birmingham?](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/guide/are-solar-panels-worth-it/) - [Learn Can you charge an electric car with solar panels?](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/guide/charge-electric-car-with-solar-panels/) Thinking about solar, or need a repair? Get a free quote. Lines open Monday to Sunday, 9am to 7pm. 0121 330 1151 (+441213301151) [Get a free quote](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/contact/)