What is the relationship between temperature and solar panel output?

• A. Direct relationship; hotter panels convert more energy.
• B. Inverse relationship; hotter panels have lower voltage, cooler panels yield higher voltage and more power
• C. Temperature has little impact on solar panels, AC voltage is more crucial, next is light intensity
• D. They increase power output when warmer due to less resistance

Answer: (B)

Temperature directly affects the electrical properties of PV cells. As the cell temperature rises, the silicon bandgap narrows, which causes the open-circuit voltage to drop. The short-circuit current does increase with temperature, but this increase is smaller and cannot compensate for the voltage loss. The net effect is that the maximum power output decreases as temperature goes up. In other words, hotter panels tend to produce less power, while cooler panels can produce more power for the same light conditions. This is why the best description is an inverse relationship: hotter panels have lower voltage (and often lower overall power), while cooler panels can yield higher voltage and more power.

Other options aren’t as accurate because they either imply that heat improves output or downplay temperature’s impact. Temperature changes are a real and significant factor alongside light intensity, and the dominant effect is the voltage drop with increasing temperature, not a simple resistance decrease that would boost power.