Solar Energy Potential in Água Branca, Brazil

Água Branca, located in Brazil at latitude -5.9025 and longitude -42.6092, presents a highly favorable location for solar energy generation throughout the year. This tropical location benefits from consistent sunlight patterns, making it an excellent candidate for photovoltaic (PV) installations. The solar energy production at this location shows impressive consistency across all seasons, with slight variations that actually favor the drier months. Looking at the electricity output per kilowatt of installed capacity, we can observe a pattern where production increases gradually from summer through winter and into spring.

Seasonal Solar Production

The seasonal breakdown of solar production in Água Branca shows:

• Summer: 5.59 kWh per day
• Autumn: 6.14 kWh per day
• Winter: 6.63 kWh per day
• Spring: 6.66 kWh per day

Interestingly, winter and spring show the highest production values, which is contrary to what many might expect. This pattern is explained by the tropical location of Água Branca, where the "winter" season typically corresponds to clearer skies and less cloud cover during the dry season.

Optimal Panel Installation

For maximum year-round energy production at this location, fixed solar panels should be tilted at 7 degrees facing North. This specific angle has been calculated to capture the optimal amount of solar radiation throughout the year, accounting for the Earth's elliptical orbit and the site's proximity to the equator.

Environmental and Weather Considerations

Despite the excellent solar potential, there are some environmental factors that could affect solar production in Água Branca. The region experiences a distinct wet season, which can bring increased cloud cover and potentially reduce solar output during these months. This explains the slightly lower production values seen in the summer months. Dust and pollen can also accumulate on panels, especially during the dry season, potentially reducing efficiency. To mitigate these issues, regular cleaning schedules should be implemented, with more frequent maintenance during transitions between wet and dry seasons. Installing panels with the recommended 7-degree tilt not only optimizes solar capture but also facilitates natural cleaning during rainfall events. Additionally, considering micro-inverters or power optimizers can help minimize production losses from partial shading that might occur during cloudy periods. The high temperatures in this tropical region can potentially reduce the efficiency of some PV panels, as most photovoltaic systems lose efficiency as they heat up. Selecting panels with good temperature coefficients and ensuring adequate airflow around the installation can help maintain higher efficiency levels even during the hottest periods.

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 Água Branca, Piauí

Seasonal solar PV output for Latitude: -5.9025, Longitude: -42.6092 (Água Branca, Piauí, 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 7° North in Água Branca, Piauí, Brazil

To maximize your solar PV system's energy output in Água Branca, Piauí, Brazil (Lat/Long -5.9025, -42.6092) throughout the year, you should tilt your panels at an angle of 7° 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 Água Branca, Piauí, 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 Água Branca, Piauí, Brazil. As mentioned earlier, for fixed-panel solar PV installations, it is optimal to maintain a 7° North 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	12° North in Autumn	22° North in Winter	0° 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 Água Branca, Piauí, 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 Água Branca, Piauí, 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 Água Branca, Piauí, Brazil

The topography around Água Branca, Brazil presents a fascinating landscape characterized by a mix of gently rolling hills and more pronounced elevations typical of the transition between Brazil's northeastern interior and the more mountainous regions to the south. Located in the state of Piauí, Água Branca sits in a region where the terrain gradually rises from the coastal plains toward the interior plateaus. The area features a semi-arid landscape with moderate elevation changes, typically ranging between 200 and 500 meters above sea level. The terrain consists primarily of undulating plains interspersed with occasional higher ridges and plateaus. These topographical features have been shaped over millennia by erosion processes, creating a landscape of rounded hills and shallow valleys.

Geological Features

The geological foundation around Água Branca consists mainly of sedimentary rocks, with some areas revealing older crystalline basement formations. This creates a varied terrain with differing soil compositions throughout the region. The weathering of these rocks has produced predominantly sandy and clay-rich soils that support the characteristic caatinga vegetation – a drought-adapted shrubland that dominates this semi-arid region. Water courses in the area tend to be seasonal, with intermittent streams that flow primarily during the rainy season. These watercourses have carved shallow valleys throughout the landscape, creating natural divisions in the topography.

Optimal Areas for Solar PV Development

For large-scale solar photovoltaic development, the most suitable areas near Água Branca would be the elevated plateaus and gently sloping hillsides that face northward (in the Southern Hemisphere, north-facing slopes receive more consistent sunlight throughout the year). These areas offer several advantages for solar installation: The higher elevation plateaus to the south and southwest of Água Branca present particularly promising locations. These areas typically have less vegetation coverage, reducing clearance requirements, and their elevated position minimizes shading from surrounding terrain features. The gently rolling plains extending to the east and northeast of the town also offer excellent potential for solar development. These areas feature relatively flat terrain that would require minimal grading for installation, reducing construction costs while still providing good solar exposure. Areas with lateritic soils, common in parts of this region, provide stable foundations for mounting structures with minimal preparation. These soils typically have good drainage properties, reducing concerns about erosion or instability during the occasional heavy rainfall events that occur in this otherwise dry climate. The semi-arid nature of the region means that cloud cover is generally minimal throughout most of the year, enhancing the potential electricity generation from any solar installation. The natural vegetation is also less dense than in more humid regions, potentially reducing land clearance requirements and associated environmental impacts. It's worth noting that areas immediately adjacent to the seasonal watercourses should generally be avoided for large-scale solar development. These locations may be subject to periodic flooding during intense rainfall events, which could damage infrastructure and interrupt operations.

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.