Burgos, Castille and León, Spain presents a moderately favorable location for year-round solar PV energy generation, though with significant seasonal variations that potential installers should carefully consider.

Seasonal Solar Performance

The solar energy output at this Northern Temperate Zone location shows dramatic differences throughout the year. Summer delivers the strongest performance at 7.30 kWh per day per kW of installed capacity, making it an excellent time for solar generation. Spring follows as the second-best season with 5.36 kWh per day per kW, providing solid energy production during the growing season. Autumn sees a notable decline to 3.38 kWh per day per kW, while winter presents the most challenging conditions with only 1.96 kWh per day per kW. This winter figure represents less than 27% of summer production, highlighting the substantial seasonal challenge for consistent year-round energy generation.

Optimal Installation Configuration

For maximum year-round solar production at Burgos, Castille and León, fixed solar panels should be installed at a 36-degree tilt facing south. This angle has been calculated to optimize total annual energy output by accounting for the sun's changing position throughout the year and the Earth's elliptical orbit around the sun.

Environmental and Weather Challenges

Several local factors in Burgos can potentially impede solar energy production and require careful consideration during installation:

• Snow accumulation: Winter weather can deposit snow on panels, completely blocking solar generation until cleared
• Dust and debris: The continental climate and agricultural surroundings can lead to dust buildup on panel surfaces
• Hail storms: The region experiences occasional severe weather that could damage solar installations
• Temperature fluctuations: Extreme temperature variations between seasons can stress solar equipment

Preventative Installation Measures

To maximize energy production despite these challenges, several installation strategies prove effective. Installing panels at the recommended 36-degree angle naturally helps snow slide off more easily, reducing winter accumulation problems. Choosing panels with anti-reflective coatings and smooth surfaces minimizes dust adhesion and makes cleaning more effective. Proper mounting systems should be engineered to withstand local wind loads and potential hail impact. Installing panels with adequate spacing allows for air circulation, helping manage temperature stress on equipment. Regular maintenance schedules become particularly important, with panel cleaning recommended before peak production seasons in spring and summer. Consider installing monitoring systems to quickly identify performance drops that might indicate snow coverage, dust accumulation, or equipment issues. This allows for prompt corrective action to restore optimal energy generation.

Note: The Northern Temperate Zone extends from 35° latitude North up to 66.5° latitude.

So far, we have conducted calculations to evaluate the solar photovoltaic (PV) potential in 361 locations across Spain. This analysis provides insights into each city/location's potential for harnessing solar energy through PV installations.

Link: Solar PV potential in Spain by location

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

Seasonal solar PV output for Latitude: 42.3397, Longitude: -3.7022 (Burgos, Spain), 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 36° South in Burgos, Spain

To maximize your solar PV system's energy output in Burgos, Spain (Lat/Long 42.3397, -3.7022) throughout the year, you should tilt your panels at an angle of 36° 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 Burgos, Spain

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 Burgos, Spain. As mentioned earlier, for fixed-panel solar PV installations, it is optimal to maintain a 36° South tilt angle throughout the year.

Overall Best Summer Angle	Overall Best Autumn Angle	Overall Best Winter Angle	Overall Best Spring Angle
26° South in Summer	46° South in Autumn	57° South in Winter	35° 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 Burgos, Spain

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 Burgos, Spain.

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 Burgos, Spain

Topography Around Burgos

The city of Burgos sits in the heart of the northern Spanish plateau known as the Meseta Central, positioned at an elevation of approximately 860 meters above sea level. This ancient city is nestled within the Castilian plateau, characterized by gently rolling hills and broad, open plains that stretch across much of central Spain. The surrounding landscape is predominantly flat to moderately undulating, with occasional low ridges and shallow valleys carved by small tributaries of the Duero River system. The terrain immediately around Burgos consists of sedimentary rocks, primarily limestone and sandstone formations that have been weathered over millennia to create the characteristic gentle topography of the region. These geological foundations contribute to relatively stable ground conditions and gradual slopes that rarely exceed significant gradients. The area experiences a continental climate with distinct seasonal variations, and the landscape is dotted with agricultural fields, scattered oak groves, and areas of scrubland typical of the Spanish meseta. To the north of Burgos, the land begins a gradual ascent toward the Cantabrian Mountains, while southward the plateau continues with minimal elevation changes toward the Duero River valley. The eastern and western approaches to the city maintain the characteristic flat to gently rolling topography that defines much of the Castilian landscape.

Optimal Areas for Large-Scale Solar Development

The most promising locations for extensive solar photovoltaic installations lie primarily to the south and southwest of Burgos, where the terrain opens into broad, relatively flat expanses with minimal topographical obstacles. These areas benefit from the characteristic meseta landscape of gentle slopes and extensive open spaces that can accommodate large solar arrays without significant grading or terrain modification. The plains extending southward toward the municipalities of Lerma and Aranda de Duero present particularly favorable conditions for solar development. This region features vast agricultural areas with minimal tree cover and gentle topography that facilitates both construction access and optimal panel orientation. The sedimentary geology underlying these areas provides stable foundations for mounting systems while the open nature of the landscape minimizes shading concerns. Areas to the southwest, in the direction of Palencia province, also offer excellent potential for solar installations. The terrain in this direction maintains the flat to gently undulating character while providing extensive tracts of land suitable for utility-scale development. The agricultural nature of much of this land, combined with its relatively low population density, makes it particularly attractive for large solar projects. The eastern plains toward Salas de los Infantes similarly present good opportunities, though the terrain becomes slightly more varied with occasional low hills and ridges. However, the southern-facing slopes of these gentle elevations can actually enhance solar collection efficiency when properly utilized. Areas to the immediate north of Burgos are generally less suitable for large-scale solar development due to the gradually increasing elevation and more complex topography as the land rises toward the Cantabrian range. The northern areas also tend to have more tree coverage and smaller field sizes that would complicate large-scale installations.

Spain solar PV Stats as a country

Spain ranks 10th in the world for cumulative solar PV capacity, with 15,952 total MW's of solar PV installed. This means that 9.00% of Spain's total energy as a country comes from solar PV (that's 6th in the world). Each year Spain is generating 237 Watts from solar PV per capita (Spain ranks 20th in the world for solar PV Watts generated per capita). [source]

Are there incentives for businesses to install solar in Spain?

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



1. The Spanish government offers a feed-in tariff (FIT) for businesses that install solar energy systems. This FIT guarantees a fixed price per kWh of electricity generated by the system over a period of 20 years.



2. Businesses can also benefit from tax deductions and other financial incentives when installing solar energy systems in Spain.



3. Companies may be eligible for grants or subsidies from regional governments or local authorities to help cover the cost of installation and maintenance of their solar energy systems.



4. Businesses may also be able to take advantage of net metering, which allows them to sell excess electricity generated by their solar energy system back into the grid at market prices, thus reducing their overall electricity costs even further.

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