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Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice
So in theory I could have solar panels providing electricity with minimanal issues. Cool. I'm not so sure wind power would be an option due to the really harsh climate in the winter. Winters get really bad (like negatives in double digits bad).
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One thing to note is that even a single cm (about 1/3rd of an inch) of snow can almost completely block solar cells from generating energy, they will have to be cleared once it stops snowing before they can start producing energy again. And there's a risk of the panels breaking under the weight if a large amount of snow is left covering them for too long (but probably not a concern in a cinematic setting). The weight from ice formations is iirc more dangerous to the cells and should probably still be a concern in a cinematic setting, but in most locations this hazard would be a rare occurence.
Cloudy weather will also have a major impact on the amount of energy produced, rain will also have an impact even if the sun is shining directly on the cells through the clouds. Extreme circumstances can cut production down to 10-20% of normal during the midday. The lowered production (including that caused by snow) should still be a concern in a cinematic setting.
But cold itself does not noticably reduce the energy produced. The amount of sunny hours is the most important factor, and the number of daylight hours available to a location does not change due to an apocalypse.
You should be able to find averages for energy production for every season in whatever locations the party visits if you're that interested, but for a rough estimate a daily bell curve (with a peak at solar midday) adjusted for season is good enough for most purposes.
As far as the size of an installation goes, a Super Gadgeteered installation could probably provide double or even tripple the power output of a real world modern one. This makes powering a house is quite feasible if there's some sort of power storage system installed. Solar power becomes a lot less attractive without storage, since the cells won't generate power during night time.