Sivas, Turkey presents a moderately favorable location for year-round solar PV energy generation, though with significant seasonal variations that potential solar installers should carefully consider.

Seasonal Solar Performance

The solar energy output at this Northern Temperate Zone location shows dramatic swings throughout the year. Summer delivers the strongest performance at 7.79 kWh per day per kW of installed capacity, making it an excellent time for solar generation. Spring follows as the second-best season with 5.57 kWh per day per kW, providing solid energy production as daylight hours increase. Autumn sees a notable decline to 4.18 kWh per day per kW, while winter presents the most challenging period with only 2.86 kWh per day per kW of installed solar capacity. This nearly three-fold difference between peak summer and winter production means energy storage or grid-tied systems become particularly important for consistent year-round power supply.

Optimal Installation Setup

For maximum year-round energy production at Sivas, solar panels should be installed at a fixed tilt angle of 34 degrees facing south. This angle has been calculated to optimize total annual solar output by accounting for the sun's changing position throughout the seasons and the Earth's elliptical orbit patterns.

Local Environmental Challenges

Several environmental and weather factors in the Sivas region can significantly impact solar panel performance:

• Snow accumulation: Sivas experiences substantial winter snowfall that can completely block solar panels, eliminating energy production for days or weeks
• Dust and sand storms: The semi-arid climate brings periodic dust storms that coat panels with fine particles, reducing light transmission
• Temperature extremes: Both intense summer heat and severe winter cold can reduce panel efficiency and stress electrical components
• Hail damage: Spring and summer thunderstorms occasionally produce hail that can crack or shatter solar panel surfaces

Preventative Installation Measures

To maximize solar energy production despite these challenges, several installation strategies prove effective:

• Steeper tilt angles: Installing panels at angles slightly steeper than the optimal 34 degrees helps snow slide off more easily
• Anti-soiling coatings: Special hydrophobic coatings reduce dust adhesion and make cleaning more effective
• Robust mounting systems: Heavy-duty mounting hardware designed for high wind and snow loads prevents structural damage
• Hail-resistant glass: Tempered glass panels rated for larger hail impacts provide better protection
• Regular maintenance access: Designing installations with safe cleaning access ensures panels can be cleared of snow and dust promptly

Despite these environmental challenges, Sivas offers reasonable solar potential, particularly during the six-month period from spring through early autumn when production levels remain strong to excellent.

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

Link: Solar PV potential in Turkey by location

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

Seasonal solar PV output for Latitude: 39.5942, Longitude: 36.9065 (Sivas, Turkey), 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 34° South in Sivas, Turkey

To maximize your solar PV system's energy output in Sivas, Turkey (Lat/Long 39.5942, 36.9065) throughout the year, you should tilt your panels at an angle of 34° 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 Sivas, Turkey

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 Sivas, Turkey. As mentioned earlier, for fixed-panel solar PV installations, it is optimal to maintain a 34° South tilt angle throughout the year.

Overall Best Summer Angle	Overall Best Autumn Angle	Overall Best Winter Angle	Overall Best Spring Angle
23° South in Summer	44° South in Autumn	54° South in Winter	31° 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 Sivas, Turkey

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 Sivas, Turkey.

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 Sivas, Turkey

Topographical Features Around Sivas

The city of Sivas sits in the heart of central Anatolia, positioned within a broad intermontane basin at an elevation of approximately 1,275 meters above sea level. This high plateau region is characterized by relatively flat to gently rolling terrain, surrounded by distant mountain ranges that form the boundaries of the Anatolian interior. The immediate landscape around Sivas consists of expansive plains and low hills, creating an open topography that extends for considerable distances in most directions.

The terrain gradually rises toward the northeast where the Pontus Mountains begin their ascent toward the Black Sea coast, while to the south and southeast, the land transitions into the foothills of the Anti-Taurus range. The western approaches remain relatively level as the plateau continues toward Ankara and the broader Central Anatolian steppe. This positioning within the Anatolian interior creates a landscape dominated by wide valleys and gentle slopes, with few significant topographical barriers in the immediate vicinity of the city.

The region experiences a continental climate typical of interior Anatolia, with the high elevation and distance from moderating maritime influences contributing to clear atmospheric conditions for much of the year. The sparse vegetation consists primarily of steppe grasslands and scattered agricultural fields, with limited forest cover except in the more mountainous areas at greater distances from the city center.

Optimal Areas for Large-Scale Solar Development

The most promising locations for large-scale solar photovoltaic installations lie to the south and southwest of Sivas, where the terrain remains consistently flat to gently undulating across extensive areas. These southern plains offer the ideal combination of minimal topographical constraints, excellent solar exposure due to southern orientation, and sufficient open space for major solar facilities. The land in this direction extends for many kilometers without significant elevation changes or obstacles that would complicate construction or create shading issues.

The western approaches to Sivas also present favorable conditions, particularly the broad valley floors that stretch toward the regional center of Kayseri. These areas benefit from relatively level terrain and good accessibility via existing transportation infrastructure. The consistent elevation and open landscape in this direction would facilitate the installation of large solar arrays while minimizing grading and site preparation costs.

Areas to the immediate east and northeast of the city become less suitable as the terrain begins to rise toward the Pontus Mountains. While these locations might still receive adequate solar radiation, the increasing slopes and more varied topography would present greater challenges for large-scale development. The northern sectors, while relatively flat in places, tend to have less favorable solar orientation and may experience more frequent cloud cover due to their position relative to prevailing weather patterns from the Black Sea region.

The high elevation of the entire region works to the advantage of solar installations, as the thinner atmosphere at this altitude allows for more direct solar radiation to reach ground level. Combined with the generally arid climate and low humidity typical of central Anatolia, these conditions create an environment well-suited to photovoltaic energy generation across much of the surrounding landscape.

Turkey solar PV Stats as a country

Turkey ranks 16th in the world for cumulative solar PV capacity, with 7,817 total MW's of solar PV installed. This means that 5.90% of Turkey's total energy as a country comes from solar PV (that's 14th in the world). Each year Turkey is generating 92 Watts from solar PV per capita (Turkey ranks 41st in the world for solar PV Watts generated per capita). [source]

Are there incentives for businesses to install solar in Turkey?

Yes, there are incentives for businesses wanting to install solar energy in Turkey. The Turkish government offers a number of financial incentives and tax breaks for businesses that invest in renewable energy sources such as solar power. These include grants, loans, and tax credits. Additionally, the government has set up a feed-in tariff system which guarantees a certain price per kilowatt hour of electricity generated from solar panels. This helps to make investing in solar energy more attractive to businesses.

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