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Solar PV Analysis of Snake Valley, Australia
Snake Valley in Victoria, Australia is a pretty decent location for generating solar energy all year round, but it's not the best. The amount of electricity you can generate from solar panels installed here varies throughout the year.
In summer, your solar panels will be most productive, giving you about 7.85 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per day for each kilowatt (kW) of solar panel capacity you have installed. This means that if you have a 1 kW system, it'll produce roughly 7.85 kWh each day during summer.
As we move into autumn and winter though, your panels won't be as efficient because there's less sunlight available. You'll get about 3.96 kWh/day in autumn and only around 2.51 kWh/day in winter per kW installed.
Spring sees an improvement again with around 5.78 kWh produced per day for every kW of solar panels installed.
So overall, the best times to generate solar at this location are spring and especially summer when days are longer and there's more sunlight available.
If you're installing fixed-panel systems here (panels that don't move to track the sun), they should ideally be tilted at an angle of 32 degrees towards north to maximise their exposure to the sun over the course of a year - this will give you more power output overall from your system.
Now let's talk about any potential issues which might affect how much power your panels can generate:
The main issue that could impact on power production is weather conditions such as cloud cover or dust storms which reduce sunlight reaching your panels; these aren't very common but they do occur occasionally so it would pay to keep them clean regularly so they can operate efficiently when light levels are lower than usual due to clouds or dust particles in air blocking some sun rays reaching them directly.
To help overcome these problems:
1) Regularly clean off any dust or debris that's collected on the panels - this will help ensure they're working as efficiently as possible.
2) Consider installing a tracking system which follows the sun's path across the sky, maximising exposure to sunlight throughout the day. This is more expensive than fixed panels but could increase your power output significantly in less sunny periods of year.
Remember though, even with these potential issues, Snake Valley can still be a good place for generating solar energy overall.
Note: The Southern Temperate Zone extends from -35° latitude South down to -66.5° 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 Snake Valley
Seasonal solar PV output for Latitude: -37.6224, Longitude: 143.5728 (Snake Valley, 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 32° North in Snake Valley, Australia
To maximize your solar PV system's energy output in Snake Valley, Australia (Lat/Long -37.6224, 143.5728) throughout the year, you should tilt your panels at an angle of 32° 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 Snake Valley, 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 Snake Valley, Australia. As mentioned earlier, for fixed-panel solar PV installations, it is optimal to maintain a 32° North tilt angle throughout the year.
| Overall Best Summer Angle | Overall Best Autumn Angle | Overall Best Winter Angle | Overall Best Spring Angle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21° North in Summer | 42° North in Autumn | 52° North in Winter | 30° 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 Snake Valley, 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 Snake Valley, Australia.
Our calculation method
- Solar Position:
We determine the Sun's position on the Winter solstice using the location's latitude and solar declination. - Shadow Projection:
We calculate the shadow length cast by panels using trigonometry, considering panel tilt and the Sun's elevation angle. - 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 Snake Valley, Australia
Snake Valley is located in the state of Victoria, Australia. The topography around Snake Valley is characterized by moderately hilly terrain with a mix of flat plains and forested areas. It falls within the Central Highlands region of Victoria.
The area has a mixture of agricultural land used for farming and grazing, as well as natural bushland. The climate can be described as temperate oceanic, with warm summers and cool winters.
For large-scale solar PV installations, flat open spaces are typically preferred due to ease of installation and maintenance, improved efficiency from reduced shading, and minimized environmental impact. Therefore, the flatter plains in this region would likely be more suitable for such projects than the hilly or heavily forested areas.
Moreover, any large-scale solar project needs to consider factors like proximity to transmission lines for feeding power into the grid, potential environmental impacts (such as on local wildlife or ecosystems), soil stability (for installing panels), access to water (for panel cleaning) etc. A detailed feasibility study considering all relevant factors should be conducted before deciding on any specific site(s).
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!
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Article Details for Citation
Author: Aaron Robinson
Publisher: profileSOLAR.com
First Published: Tuesday 14th of May 2024
Last Updated: Monday 21st of July 2025
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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.
