Solar PV Analysis of Manama, Bahrain
Manama, Bahrain, located in the Northern Sub Tropics, is a pretty good place for generating energy from solar panels throughout the year. The amount of energy you can get varies by season: in summer you can expect to get about 7.35 kilowatt-hours per day for each kilowatt of solar you have installed; in autumn it drops a bit to about 5.45 kWh/day; winter sees the lowest output at around 4.15 kWh/day; and spring bounces back up to around 6.69 kWh/day.
This means that summer and spring are the best times of year for generating solar power at this location because these seasons provide more sunlight hours and intensity compared to autumn and winter.
For fixed panel installations at this location, tilting your panels at an angle of 23 degrees towards the south will give you the most overall energy production throughout the year because it aligns with sun's path across sky.
As far as local factors that might affect your solar production, Manama is generally sunny but does experience some dust storms due to its desert climate which could cover your panels and reduce their effectiveness. You might want to think about installing a system that allows you to easily clean off any dust or sand that accumulates on your panels - regular cleaning will help ensure they're working as efficiently as possible.
Additionally, while Bahrain doesn't have much rainfall annually, when it does rain it can be heavy – potentially leading to flash floods which could be harmful for ground-mounted systems if not properly protected or positioned above potential flood levels.
Therefore preventative measures such as regular maintenance (cleaning), proper positioning (tilt angle), protection against potential flooding (elevation) should be taken into consideration when installing solar panels in Manama, Bahrain.
Note: The Northern Sub Tropics extend from 23.5° latitude North up to 35° latitude.
So far, we have conducted calculations to evaluate the solar photovoltaic (PV) potential in 9 locations across Bahrain. This analysis provides insights into each city/location's potential for harnessing solar energy through PV installations.
Link: Solar PV potential in Bahrain by location
Solar output per kW of installed solar PV by season in Manama
Seasonal solar PV output for Latitude: 26.241, Longitude: 50.5779 (Manama, Bahrain), 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 23° South in Manama, Bahrain
To maximize your solar PV system's energy output in Manama, Bahrain (Lat/Long 26.241, 50.5779) throughout the year, you should tilt your panels at an angle of 23° South 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 Manama, Bahrain
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 Manama, Bahrain. As mentioned earlier, for fixed-panel solar PV installations, it is optimal to maintain a 23° South tilt angle throughout the year.
| Overall Best Summer Angle | Overall Best Autumn Angle | Overall Best Winter Angle | Overall Best Spring Angle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10° South in Summer | 31° South in Autumn | 41° South in Winter | 19° South 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 Manama, Bahrain
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 Manama, Bahrain.
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 Manama, Bahrain
Manama, the capital city of Bahrain, is located in the northeastern part of the island nation. The topography around Manama is relatively flat and low-lying, with some small hills. The area is primarily urbanized with high-rise buildings, residential areas, and infrastructure facilities. It's surrounded by the Persian Gulf on its northern side.
The climate in Manama is arid and hot desert type with plenty of sunshine throughout the year which makes it an ideal location for solar PV installations.
Considering large-scale solar PV installations, there are a few factors to consider:
1) Availability of land: Large-scale solar plants require vast tracts of land. As Manama is heavily urbanized, it might be difficult to find suitable spaces within city limits. However, there are vast expanses of unused desert lands outside the city which could be suitable for such projects.
2) Sunlight exposure: Being in a region with high sun exposure almost all year round makes Bahrain highly suitable for solar energy production.
3) Proximity to grid connections: For utility-scale projects it's important that they're close to existing power grids or substations for easy integration and transmission efficiency.
Therefore, considering these factors - unused desert areas outside Manama but close enough to existing power grids would be most suited for large scale solar PV installations. Areas towards southern or western parts like Sakhir or Zallaq could potentially be considered given their proximity to open lands and relatively less dense population.
However, any specific site selection would require detailed feasibility studies including technical (solar irradiance levels), environmental (impact on local flora/fauna), social (impact on local communities), economic (costs involved vs potential returns) aspects among others.
In recent years Bahrain has been taking steps towards renewable energy sources including Solar PV as part of its national renewable energy action plan aiming at 5% renewable energy contribution by 2025 increasing further by 2035.
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Article Details for Citation
Author: Aaron Robinson
Publisher: profileSOLAR.com
First Published: Sunday 18th of February 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.
