Solar Energy Potential in St Leonards, NSW

St Leonards, located in New South Wales, Australia, offers a promising environment for solar energy generation. Situated in the Southern Sub Tropics, this location experiences varying levels of solar potential throughout the year. The seasonal breakdown of electricity output per kilowatt of installed solar panels provides valuable insights into the area's solar energy capabilities.

Seasonal Solar Performance

Summer stands out as the most productive season, with an impressive daily output of 6.71 kWh per kW of installed solar capacity. Spring follows closely behind, generating 5.83 kWh per day. Autumn sees a moderate decrease in production, yielding 4.26 kWh daily. Winter, as expected, shows the lowest output at 3.37 kWh per day. This seasonal variation indicates that St Leonards is well-suited for solar energy production, particularly during the warmer months. The substantial difference between summer and winter outputs suggests that residents and businesses can expect significant energy savings during peak electricity demand periods in summer.

Optimal Panel Installation

For those considering a fixed panel installation in St Leonards, the ideal angle to maximize year-round solar production is 30 degrees facing North. This tilt angle has been calculated to optimize energy capture across all seasons, taking into account the location's latitude and the Earth's elliptical orbit.

Environmental and Local Factors

While St Leonards generally offers favorable conditions for solar energy production, there are some local factors that could potentially impact solar panel efficiency: 1. Urban development: The area's urban landscape may lead to shading issues from nearby buildings, potentially reducing solar exposure for some installations. 2. Coastal proximity: Being close to a large body of water can influence local weather patterns, possibly increasing humidity and salt exposure. 3. Varied topography: The mix of gentle slopes and steeper hills in the area may affect optimal panel placement and orientation. To mitigate these factors, several preventative measures can be taken during solar installation:

• Conduct thorough site assessments to identify potential shading issues from buildings or trees.
• Use high-quality, corrosion-resistant materials to combat potential salt exposure from the nearby coast.
• Implement micro-inverters or power optimizers to minimize the impact of partial shading on overall system performance.
• Consider adjustable mounting systems to fine-tune panel angles based on specific site conditions.

In conclusion, St Leonards presents a generally ideal location for solar PV installations, with strong potential for energy generation, particularly during summer and spring. While some local factors may pose challenges, these can be effectively addressed through proper planning and installation techniques, ensuring optimal solar energy production throughout the year.

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 491 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 St Leonards

Seasonal solar PV output for Latitude: -33.8174, Longitude: 151.1938 (St Leonards, 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 30° North in St Leonards, Australia

To maximize your solar PV system's energy output in St Leonards, Australia (Lat/Long -33.8174, 151.1938) throughout the year, you should tilt your panels at an angle of 30° 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 St Leonards, 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 St Leonards, Australia. As mentioned earlier, for fixed-panel solar PV installations, it is optimal to maintain a 30° North tilt angle throughout the year.

Overall Best Summer Angle	Overall Best Autumn Angle	Overall Best Winter Angle	Overall Best Spring Angle
18° North in Summer	39° North in Autumn	49° North in Winter	28° 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 St Leonards, 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 St Leonards, 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 St Leonards, Australia

St Leonards, Australia, located at latitude -33.8174 and longitude 151.1938, is situated in the Lower North Shore region of Sydney, New South Wales. The topography of the area is characterized by:

1. Hilly terrain: The area has a mix of gentle slopes and steeper hills.

2. Harbor proximity: St Leonards is close to Sydney Harbor, which influences the local topography.

3. Urban development: As part of the greater Sydney area, much of the land is developed with buildings and infrastructure.

4. Pockets of green spaces: There are some parks and reserves in the vicinity.

For large-scale solar PV installations, the most suitable areas nearby would likely be:

1. Western Sydney: The flatter, more open areas to the west of Sydney, such as parts of the Cumberland Plain, offer more space and potentially better solar exposure.

2. Rural areas outside Sydney: Locations further from the city center, particularly to the west and southwest, may have larger tracts of available land with fewer obstructions.

3. Industrial zones: Some industrial areas in the greater Sydney region might have large roof spaces suitable for solar installations.

4. Repurposed land: Former landfills or brownfield sites that have been remediated could be potential locations for solar farms.

It's important to note that the immediate area around St Leonards itself is not ideal for large-scale solar PV due to:

1. Limited open space: The urban nature of the area means there's little available land for large installations.

2. Shading from buildings: Tall structures in the area could cast shadows on potential solar sites.

3. Higher land values: The cost of land in this part of Sydney would likely make large-scale solar projects economically challenging.

4. Zoning restrictions: Local regulations may limit the ability to install large solar arrays in this predominantly residential and commercial area.

For the most suitable locations for large-scale solar PV, it would be best to look further out from the Sydney metropolitan area, where there is more open space, fewer obstructions, and potentially more favorable zoning for such projects.

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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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.