East Lismore, located in New South Wales, Australia, offers a relatively favorable environment for solar PV energy generation throughout the year. This Southern Sub-Tropical location experiences varying levels of solar output across different seasons, providing opportunities for sustainable energy production.

Seasonal Solar Performance

The solar PV output at East Lismore fluctuates with the changing seasons. Summer stands out as the most productive period, generating an impressive 6.81 kWh per day for each kW of installed solar capacity. Spring follows closely, with a daily output of 5.96 kWh. Autumn sees a moderate decrease in production at 4.43 kWh per day, while winter experiences the lowest output at 3.93 kWh per day. These figures indicate that East Lismore enjoys substantial solar potential throughout the year, with peak performance during the warmer months. The region's location in the Southern Sub-Tropics contributes to its relatively consistent solar radiation, even during the cooler seasons.

Optimal Panel Installation

To maximize year-round solar energy production in East Lismore, fixed solar panels should be tilted at an angle of 26 degrees facing North. This optimal angle ensures the panels capture the most sunlight possible across all seasons, considering the location's latitude and the Earth's elliptical orbit.

Environmental Considerations

While East Lismore generally provides favorable conditions for solar energy production, there are some environmental factors to consider: 1. Rainfall: The region experiences significant rainfall, particularly during summer and autumn. This can temporarily reduce solar output and may require more frequent panel cleaning. 2. Cloud cover: Occasional cloudy days, especially during the wet season, can impact solar generation. To mitigate these factors, consider the following preventative measures:

• Install high-quality, weather-resistant solar panels
• Implement a regular cleaning schedule to remove dust and debris
• Use micro-inverters or power optimizers to minimize the impact of partial shading
• Consider a slight increase in system size to compensate for reduced output during cloudier periods

By addressing these environmental factors and optimizing panel installation, East Lismore residents can harness the location's considerable solar potential effectively, contributing to a more sustainable energy future.

Note: The Southern Sub Tropics extend from -23.5° latitude South down to -35° latitude.

So far, we have conducted calculations to evaluate the solar photovoltaic (PV) potential in 501 locations across Australia. This analysis provides insights into each city/location's potential for harnessing solar energy through PV installations.

Link: Solar PV potential in Australia by location

Solar output per kW of installed solar PV by season in East Lismore

Seasonal solar PV output for Latitude: -28.8219, Longitude: 153.2805 (East Lismore, Australia), based on our analysis of 8760 hourly intervals of solar and meteorological data (one whole year) retrieved for that set of coordinates/location from NASA POWER (The Prediction of Worldwide Energy Resources) API:

 

Ideally tilt fixed solar panels 26° North in East Lismore, Australia

To maximize your solar PV system's energy output in East Lismore, Australia (Lat/Long -28.8219, 153.2805) throughout the year, you should tilt your panels at an angle of 26° North for fixed panel installations.

As the Earth revolves around the Sun each year, the maximum angle of elevation of the Sun varies by +/- 23.45 degrees from its equinox elevation angle for a particular latitude. Finding the exact optimal angle to maximise solar PV production throughout the year can be challenging, but with careful consideration of historical solar energy and meteorological data for a certain location, it can be done precisely.

We use our own calculation, which incorporates NASA solar and meteorological data for the exact Lat/Long coordinates, to determine the ideal tilt angle of a solar panel that will yield maximum annual solar output. We calculate the optimal angle for each day of the year, taking into account its contribution to the yearly total PV potential at that specific location.

Seasonally adjusted solar panel tilt angles for East Lismore, Australia

If you can adjust the tilt angle of your solar PV panels, please refer to the seasonal tilt angles below for optimal solar energy production in East Lismore, Australia. As mentioned earlier, for fixed-panel solar PV installations, it is optimal to maintain a 26° North tilt angle throughout the year.

Overall Best Summer Angle	Overall Best Autumn Angle	Overall Best Winter Angle	Overall Best Spring Angle
13° North in Summer	35° North in Autumn	44° North in Winter	23° North in Spring

Our recommendations take into account more than just latitude and Earth's position in its elliptical orbit around the Sun. We also incorporate historical solar and meteorological data from NASA's Prediction of Worldwide Energy Resources (POWER) API to assign a weight to each ideal angle for each day based on its historical contribution to overall solar PV potential during a specific season.

This approach allows us to provide much more accurate recommendations than relying solely on latitude, as it considers unique weather conditions in different locations sharing the same latitude worldwide.

Calculate solar panel row spacing in East Lismore, Australia

We've added a feature to calculate minimum solar panel row spacing by location. Enter your panel size and orientation below to get the minimum spacing in East Lismore, Australia.

Our calculation method

1. Solar Position:
   We determine the Sun's position on the Winter solstice using the location's latitude and solar declination.
2. Shadow Projection:
   We calculate the shadow length cast by panels using trigonometry, considering panel tilt and the Sun's elevation angle.
3. Minimum Spacing:
   We add the shadow length to the horizontal space occupied by tilted panels.

This approach ensures maximum space efficiency while avoiding shading during critical times, as the Winter solstice represents the worst-case scenario for shadow length.

Topography for solar PV around East Lismore, Australia

The topography around East Lismore, Australia is characterized by a mix of gently rolling hills, river floodplains, and some steeper terrain. East Lismore itself is situated on the eastern side of the Lismore urban area, which lies in the heart of the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales.

The landscape is dominated by the Wilson River, which flows through the center of Lismore. The river valley creates a relatively flat floodplain in the immediate vicinity of the town. As you move away from the river, the terrain gradually becomes more undulating, with low hills and ridges rising up from the valley floor.

To the east and northeast of East Lismore, the land becomes more elevated, forming part of the eastern Australian escarpment. This area features more pronounced hills and some steeper slopes, covered in a mix of farmland and patches of subtropical rainforest.

For large-scale solar PV installations, the most suitable areas nearby would likely be found in the flatter, open spaces to the west and southwest of East Lismore. These areas offer several advantages:

1. They tend to have more expansive, level terrain, which is ideal for solar panel arrays.
2. There is less shading from hills or dense vegetation.
3. The land is often already cleared for agriculture, reducing the need for extensive site preparation.
4. These areas are generally closer to existing power infrastructure, potentially reducing connection costs.

Specific locations that might be worth investigating include the rural areas around the suburbs of Goonellabah and South Lismore, as well as the broader agricultural lands stretching towards Casino. These regions offer a good balance of flat terrain, open spaces, and proximity to existing infrastructure.

However, it's important to note that any large-scale solar development would require detailed site-specific assessments, including considerations of land ownership, zoning regulations, grid connection feasibility, and potential environmental impacts. The frequent flooding in the Lismore area would also need to be carefully considered when selecting sites for solar installations.

Australia solar PV Stats as a country

Australia ranks 7th in the world for cumulative solar PV capacity, with 19,076 total MW's of solar PV installed. This means that 10.70% of Australia's total energy as a country comes from solar PV (that's 2nd in the world). Each year Australia is generating 742 Watts from solar PV per capita (Australia ranks 2nd in the world for solar PV Watts generated per capita). [source]

Are there incentives for businesses to install solar in Australia?

Yes, there are a variety of incentives available in Australia to businesses wanting to install solar energy. These include:

1. Renewable Energy Target (RET): The RET provides businesses with financial assistance for installing and operating renewable energy systems such as solar panels. Businesses may be eligible to receive certificates that can be sold or traded on the open market for additional income.

2. Feed-in Tariffs: Some states offer feed-in tariffs which pay businesses for generating and exporting excess electricity from their solar panel system back into the grid during peak demand periods.

3. Solar Credits: The Solar Credits program provides households and small business owners with an upfront discount when purchasing a new solar system, based on the amount of renewable energy generated by the system over its lifetime.

4. Tax Breaks: Small business owners may be able to claim tax deductions on certain expenses associated with installing a solar power system, including installation costs, maintenance expenses and interest payments related to financing arrangements taken out specifically for this purpose.

Do you have more up to date information than this on incentives towards solar PV projects in Australia? Please reach out to us and help us keep this information current. Thanks!

Citation Guide

Article Details for Citation

Tell Us About Your Work

We love seeing how our research helps others! If you've cited this article in your work, we'd be delighted to hear about it. Drop us a line via our Contact Us page or on X, to share where you've used our information - we may feature a link to your work on our site. This helps create a network of valuable resources for others in the solar energy community and helps us understand how our research is contributing to the field. Plus, we occasionally highlight exceptional works that reference our research on our social media channels.

Feeling generous?

Share this with your friends!

Compare this location to others worldwide for solar PV potential

The solar PV analyses available on our website, including this one, are offered as a free service to the global community. Our aim is to provide education and aid informed decision-making regarding solar PV installations.

However, please note that these analyses are general guidance and may not meet specific project requirements. For in-depth, tailored forecasts and analysis crucial for feasibility studies or when pursuing maximum ROI from your solar projects, feel free to contact us; we offer comprehensive consulting services expressly for this purpose.

Helping you assess viability of solar PV for your site

Calculate Your Optimal Solar Panel Tilt Angle: A Comprehensive Guide

Enhance your solar panel's performance with our in-depth guide. Determine the best tilt angle using hard data, debunk common misunderstandings, and gain insight into how your specific location affects solar energy production.