Solar clipping: how much energy do you lose when panels outrun the inverter?
When panels could make more power than the inverter can pass, the extra is “clipped”. Usually a 0–3% annual loss at normal DC/AC ratios.
The inverter has a maximum output. On bright, cool days an oversized array can exceed it, and the peak of the production curve is flattened.
Because those moments are rare, annual losses are small at typical ratios. Solar Plan Builder models clipping hour by hour on an average day, which slightly understates it on clear days — treat it as a floor.
What this means for you: Clipping isn’t a defect; it’s a trade-off. Ask for the modelled clipping loss if the DC/AC ratio is unusually high.