Surigao City, Caraga, Philippines, is a pretty good spot for solar energy production because it gets a lot of sunlight throughout the year. The city is located in the tropics where there's consistent sunlight most of the year and seasons are often characterized more by wet and dry periods rather than major temperature changes.

The amount of electricity you can generate with solar panels depends on how much sun they get. In Surigao City, Caraga, for every kilowatt (kW) of solar panels installed, you can expect to generate around 6.01 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per day in Summer, 5.05 kWh/day in Autumn, 4.20 kWh/day in Winter and 5.75 kWh/day in Spring.

If you're planning to install fixed panel solar system here, tilting your panels at an angle of about 8 degrees towards the South would give you the most energy over the course of a year.

However, there might be some local factors that could affect your solar energy production such as weather conditions or physical features like mountains or buildings that could block sunlight from reaching your panels.

In Surigao City's case - it has a tropical rainforest climate with high rainfall throughout most months which might decrease solar panel efficiency during heavy downpours or cloudy days. Also being coastal means potential issues with salt spray corrosion over time which can damage panels if not properly maintained.

To overcome these challenges:

1) Install durable PV modules designed to withstand high humidity and rainfall.
2) Regular cleaning and maintenance will help keep salt deposits from building up on your panels.
3) Consider installing trackers that follow the sun across its path during daytime ensuring maximum exposure even when clouds move across sky.
4) If possible choose an installation site away from tall buildings or trees that may cast shadows on your system especially during peak sunlight hours

Overall though given its location near equator where daylight hours remain fairly constant all year round, Surigao City is an ideal location for solar power generation.

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 257 locations across Philippines. This analysis provides insights into each city/location's potential for harnessing solar energy through PV installations.

Link: Solar PV potential in Philippines by location

Solar output per kW of installed solar PV by season in Surigao City

Seasonal solar PV output for Latitude: 9.7912, Longitude: 125.498 (Surigao City, Philippines), 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:

Average 6.01kWh/day in Summer.

Average 5.05kWh/day in Autumn.

Average 4.20kWh/day in Winter.

Average 5.75kWh/day in Spring.

Ideally tilt fixed solar panels 8° South in Surigao City, Philippines

To maximize your solar PV system's energy output in Surigao City, Philippines (Lat/Long 9.7912, 125.498) throughout the year, you should tilt your panels at an angle of 8° 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.

At Latitude: 9.7912, Longitude: 125.498, the ideal angle to tilt panels is 8° South

Seasonally adjusted solar panel tilt angles for Surigao City, Philippines

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 Surigao City, Philippines. As mentioned earlier, for fixed-panel solar PV installations, it is optimal to maintain a 8° South tilt angle throughout the year.

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 Surigao City, Philippines

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 Surigao City, Philippines.

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 Surigao City, Philippines

Surigao City is located in the northeastern part of Mindanao, an island in the Philippines. The city is situated on a relatively flat area and surrounded by rolling hills and mountains. The landscape around Surigao City includes coastal areas with beaches, rivers, and valleys.

For large-scale solar PV installations, flat or gently sloping lands are often preferable as they require less groundwork preparation and can maximize sun exposure for the panels. Considering this, areas near Surigao City that could be suitable for large-scale solar PV might include:

1. Flat coastal areas: These regions typically have good sun exposure due to lack of shading from mountains or tall buildings.

2. Valleys between hills: These can also provide ample space for large-scale installations while still being relatively flat.

3. Cleared agricultural lands: If available and permissible to use, these lands are usually levelled already which reduces installation costs.

However, it's important to note that feasibility of a solar PV project doesn't only depend on topography but also factors like local climate (amount of sunshine), land ownership rights, proximity to electricity grid infrastructure etc.


A detailed site assessment would be required to identify specific locations most suited for largescale solar PV around Surigao City.

Philippines solar PV Stats as a country

Philippines ranks 40th in the world for cumulative solar PV capacity, with 1,370 total MW's of solar PV installed. Each year Philippines is generating 13 Watts from solar PV per capita (Philippines ranks 71st in the world for solar PV Watts generated per capita). [source]

Are there incentives for businesses to install solar in Philippines?

Yes, there are several incentives for businesses wanting to install solar energy in the Philippines. These include:

1. The Feed-in Tariff (FiT) program, which provides a guaranteed rate of return on investments in renewable energy projects;

2. Tax credits and exemptions from certain taxes;

3. Net metering programs that allow businesses to sell excess electricity back to the grid;

4. Grants and loans from government agencies such as the Department of Energy and the Philippine Solar Power Alliance;

5. Technical assistance from organizations like USAID’s Clean Energy Program; and

6. Access to financing through banks, venture capital firms, or other sources of private capital.

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

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