Cururupu, Brazil offers a promising location for solar energy generation, situated in the tropics where sunlight remains relatively consistent throughout the year. This coastal municipality in Maranhão state experiences seasonal variations that are primarily defined by wet and dry periods rather than significant temperature fluctuations.

Solar Energy Potential by Season

The solar energy production potential in Cururupu shows interesting seasonal patterns. Winter and spring emerge as the most productive seasons, with winter yielding 6.10 kWh per day and spring delivering an impressive 6.74 kWh daily per kilowatt of installed capacity. Summer and autumn produce slightly less energy, with outputs of 5.83 kWh and 5.58 kWh per day respectively.

This pattern indicates that the dry season, which typically coincides with winter and spring in this region, offers the most favorable conditions for solar energy production. The spring months stand out as particularly ideal for solar generation, producing nearly 21% more energy than during the less productive autumn months.

Optimal Panel Installation

For fixed solar panel installations in Cururupu, the ideal tilt angle to maximize year-round energy production is 2 degrees facing North. This nearly horizontal orientation reflects the location's proximity to the equator, where the sun passes almost directly overhead throughout the year.

Environmental and Weather Considerations

Several factors may impact solar production in Cururupu:

• High humidity and seasonal heavy rainfall, particularly during the wet season, can reduce panel efficiency and increase maintenance needs
• Coastal location means potential exposure to salt spray, which can cause corrosion and degradation of solar equipment over time
• Tropical vegetation growth can rapidly create shading issues if not regularly managed

To mitigate these challenges, installations should incorporate corrosion-resistant components and frames specifically designed for coastal environments. Regular cleaning schedules should be implemented to remove salt deposits and prevent buildup that can reduce efficiency. Additionally, installing panels with sufficient elevation from surrounding vegetation and implementing a maintenance plan for vegetation management will help maximize energy production.

Despite these considerations, the consistent year-round solar radiation makes Cururupu a generally favorable location for solar PV installations, with only modest seasonal variations in energy production potential.

Note: The Tropics are located between 23.5° North and -23.5° South of the equator.

So far, we have conducted calculations to evaluate the solar photovoltaic (PV) potential in 3161 locations across Brazil. This analysis provides insights into each city/location's potential for harnessing solar energy through PV installations.

Link: Solar PV potential in Brazil by location

Solar output per kW of installed solar PV by season in Cururupu

Seasonal solar PV output for Latitude: -1.8079, Longitude: -44.7062 (Cururupu, Brazil), 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 2° North in Cururupu, Brazil

To maximize your solar PV system's energy output in Cururupu, Brazil (Lat/Long -1.8079, -44.7062) throughout the year, you should tilt your panels at an angle of 2° 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 Cururupu, Brazil

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 Cururupu, Brazil. As mentioned earlier, for fixed-panel solar PV installations, it is optimal to maintain a 2° North tilt angle throughout the year.

Overall Best Summer Angle	Overall Best Autumn Angle	Overall Best Winter Angle	Overall Best Spring Angle
14° South in Summer	8° North in Autumn	18° North in Winter	4° 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 Cururupu, Brazil

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 Cururupu, Brazil.

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 Cururupu, Brazil

The landscape surrounding Cururupu, Brazil, located in the northeastern state of Maranhão, presents a diverse topographical profile characteristic of Brazil's coastal transition zones. This region features a mix of gently rolling hills, low-lying wetlands, and coastal plains that gradually slope toward the Atlantic Ocean. The terrain is predominantly flat to moderately undulating, with elevation generally remaining below 100 meters above sea level throughout most of the area. Cururupu sits within what is known as the Amazonian Maranhense, a transitional ecosystem between the Amazon rainforest and the northeastern caatinga. The municipality encompasses numerous small islands and mangrove formations that fragment the coastal areas. These wetland ecosystems create a complex mosaic of land and water, particularly in the direction of the Bay of São Marcos to the east.

Hydrological Features

The region's topography is significantly influenced by its hydrological systems. Several rivers and streams traverse the landscape, creating natural divisions in the terrain. These waterways have carved shallow valleys throughout the area, contributing to the gently undulating character of the land. During rainy seasons, portions of the lowlands may experience temporary flooding, particularly in areas closer to the coast. The northern and northeastern areas toward the Atlantic feature extensive mangrove forests and tidal flats, where the elevation drops to near sea level. These coastal zones represent the lowest elevations in the region and experience regular tidal influences.

Vegetation and Land Cover

The natural vegetation reflects the transitional nature of this region's ecosystems. The landscape includes patches of secondary forest, palm stands (particularly babaçu palms), and areas of cerrado-like savanna vegetation on higher, better-drained soils. The distribution of vegetation types closely follows the topographical variations, with denser forest cover typically found along watercourses and on hillsides. Human activities have modified significant portions of the original landscape, with cleared areas for agriculture, livestock raising, and small settlements scattered throughout the region. These anthropogenic changes have created a patchwork of open spaces amid the natural vegetation.

Potential for Solar PV Development

For large-scale solar photovoltaic development, the most suitable areas near Cururupu would be found in the inland regions to the south and southwest of the municipality. These areas offer several advantageous characteristics: The inland terrain features more consistent, gently sloping plains with better drainage compared to the coastal lowlands. These higher elevation zones (though still modest in absolute terms) receive more consistent solar exposure without the coastal fog and higher humidity that can affect areas closer to the ocean. Specifically, the cleared agricultural lands and natural clearings in the cerrado-like vegetation zones provide ready spaces for solar array installation without requiring extensive forest clearing. These areas typically have good accessibility via existing road networks, facilitating construction and maintenance operations. The regions extending approximately 20-30 kilometers south of Cururupu's urban center offer the best balance of favorable topography, reduced flooding risk, and adequate land availability. These areas generally feature well-drained soils on slight inclines that help prevent water accumulation during rainy periods. It's worth noting that the eastward regions toward the Bay of São Marcos would be less suitable due to their extensive wetlands, mangrove ecosystems, and greater environmental sensitivity. Similarly, the immediate coastal areas to the north would present challenges related to tidal influences, higher humidity, and potential salt spray that could affect solar equipment durability and efficiency.

Brazil solar PV Stats as a country

Brazil ranks 13th in the world for cumulative solar PV capacity, with 13,708 total MW's of solar PV installed. This means that 2.50% of Brazil's total energy as a country comes from solar PV (that's 31st in the world). Each year Brazil is generating 64 Watts from solar PV per capita (Brazil ranks 47th in the world for solar PV Watts generated per capita). [source]

Are there incentives for businesses to install solar in Brazil?

Yes, there are several incentives for businesses wanting to install solar energy in Brazil. The Brazilian government offers a range of tax credits and other financial incentives to encourage the adoption of renewable energy sources such as solar power. These include reduced import taxes on solar equipment, accelerated depreciation of investments in renewable energy projects, and preferential financing from public banks. Additionally, some states offer additional incentives such as subsidies or grants for businesses that install solar systems.

Do you have more up to date information than this on incentives towards solar PV projects in Brazil? 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.