Cold resistant solar panels?

[Fromage]

A buddy of mine is trying to come up with a power solution for a remote, high altitude camera setup for extended time-lapse photography. Is anyone familiar with a solar panel that can withstand sustained exposure to cold temperatures? The NPS rangers at 14 on Denali must be using something to recharge their technology that can handle prolonged cold. Suggestions appreciated, especially if accompanied by personal experience.

[Wallstein]

Somebody who worked on this movie https://chasingice.com/ might have some info. The had time lapses running for a really long time.

[Fromage]

Thanks, I've seen that movie and met the filmmaker. The setup used for their equipment was custom fabricated. I'm more interested in something that is commercially available off the shelf.

[keenwesh]

The Denali setup is like 4 or 5 six foot by 4 foot mega panels that they drop in with a helicopter (Wilderness rules apply to everyone but the NPS).

Most solar panels would charge a setup like that, but my guess is that the battery would drain unless it was unplugged every night.

[alpine et]

I think solar panel performance is actually degraded by heat more than anything... cold temperatures are likely to be more problematic for whatever storage system you have. Difference might be academic, but I think you ought to be thinking more about how to keep the batteries happy.

 

as an example - colder climates like the PNW do slightly better for PV on a per solar insolation basis than the SW because their panels get too hot and the performance degrades significantly.

 

what type of temperatures are we talking? hard wired into a larger system or just charging and rotating batteries?