Skegness, England, a coastal town in Lincolnshire, United Kingdom, presents a mixed picture for solar energy generation throughout the year. Located in the Northern Temperate Zone, this seaside resort experiences significant seasonal variations in solar output.

Seasonal Solar Performance

Summer stands out as the most productive season for solar energy in Skegness, England, with an impressive daily output of 5.39kWh per kW of installed solar capacity. Spring follows closely behind, generating 4.53kWh/day. These warmer months, particularly from May to August, offer the best conditions for solar power production. However, the picture changes dramatically during the colder months. Autumn sees a substantial drop in solar output, with only 2.09kWh/day generated. Winter performance is even more limited, producing a mere 0.91kWh/day. This stark contrast highlights the challenges of relying solely on solar power in Skegness year-round.

Optimal Panel Installation

To maximize year-round solar energy production in Skegness, England, fixed solar panels should be installed at a 45-degree angle facing south. This tilt angle has been calculated to capture the most sunlight throughout the year, considering the town's latitude and the Earth's elliptical orbit.

Environmental and Weather Factors

Several factors can impact solar energy production in Skegness: 1. Coastal Location: Being a seaside town, Skegness is prone to salt spray, which can accumulate on solar panels and reduce their efficiency. Regular cleaning and maintenance are essential to mitigate this issue. 2. Cloud Cover: The UK is known for its cloudy weather, and Skegness is no exception. Frequent overcast conditions, especially during autumn and winter, can significantly reduce solar output. 3. Short Winter Days: Skegness experiences short daylight hours in winter, further limiting solar energy production during this season. To address these challenges, consider the following preventative measures:

• Use high-quality, corrosion-resistant solar panels designed for coastal environments
• Implement an automated cleaning system or schedule regular manual cleaning to remove salt deposits
• Consider a hybrid system that combines solar with other renewable energy sources to ensure consistent power supply year-round
• Install micro-inverters or power optimizers to improve performance during partially shaded or cloudy conditions

While Skegness may not be ideal for year-round solar energy production, proper planning and maintenance can still make solar PV a valuable part of the local energy mix, particularly during the sunnier months.

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

Link: Solar PV potential in United Kingdom by location

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

Seasonal solar PV output for Latitude: 53.1915, Longitude: 0.3286 (Skegness, United Kingdom), 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 45° South in Skegness, United Kingdom

To maximize your solar PV system's energy output in Skegness, United Kingdom (Lat/Long 53.1915, 0.3286) throughout the year, you should tilt your panels at an angle of 45° 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 Skegness, United Kingdom

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 Skegness, United Kingdom. As mentioned earlier, for fixed-panel solar PV installations, it is optimal to maintain a 45° South tilt angle throughout the year.

Overall Best Summer Angle	Overall Best Autumn Angle	Overall Best Winter Angle	Overall Best Spring Angle
37° South in Summer	56° South in Autumn	66° South in Winter	45° 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 Skegness, United Kingdom

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 Skegness, United Kingdom.

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 Skegness, United Kingdom

The topography around Skegness, United Kingdom, is predominantly flat and low-lying. This coastal town is situated on the North Sea coast of Lincolnshire, in an area known as the Lincolnshire Coast. The landscape is characterized by its expansive sandy beaches, coastal dunes, and vast stretches of level agricultural land extending inland.

Skegness itself sits at a very low elevation, with much of the town being only a few meters above sea level. As you move inland from the coast, the terrain remains remarkably flat for many miles. This area is part of a larger region called the Lincolnshire Fens, which is known for its extremely flat and low-lying landscape. The Fens were once marshland but have been drained over centuries for agricultural use.

The surrounding countryside is primarily composed of arable farmland, with fields separated by drainage ditches rather than hedgerows or walls. This open, unobstructed landscape is a result of both natural geography and human intervention through drainage and land management practices.

Areas Suitable for Large-Scale Solar PV

When considering areas near Skegness for large-scale solar PV installations, several factors make the surrounding region potentially suitable:

1. The flat terrain of the Lincolnshire Fens provides ample space for solar arrays without the need for significant land preparation or the challenges posed by hilly landscapes.

2. Agricultural land slightly inland from the coast could be ideal for solar farms. These areas are already cleared, have good access to roads, and are less likely to face coastal erosion concerns.

3. The open landscape means there are fewer obstructions that could cast shadows on solar panels, maximizing potential sunlight exposure throughout the day.

4. Areas to the south and west of Skegness might be particularly suitable, as they are further from the immediate coastal zone and its associated environmental protections while still maintaining the advantageous flat topography.

However, it's important to note that while the topography is favorable, other factors such as grid connection capacity, local planning regulations, and environmental considerations would need to be carefully assessed before determining the most suitable locations for large-scale solar PV projects in the area.

United Kingdom solar PV Stats as a country

United Kingdom ranks 14th in the world for cumulative solar PV capacity, with 13,689 total MW's of solar PV installed. This means that 4.00% of United Kingdom's total energy as a country comes from solar PV (that's 20th in the world). Each year United Kingdom is generating 203 Watts from solar PV per capita (United Kingdom ranks 25th in the world for solar PV Watts generated per capita). [source]

Are there incentives for businesses to install solar in United Kingdom?

Yes, there are several incentives for businesses wanting to install solar energy in the United Kingdom. The UK government offers a Feed-in Tariff (FiT) scheme which pays businesses for every unit of electricity they generate from their solar panels. Additionally, businesses may be eligible for tax reliefs such as Enhanced Capital Allowances and Renewable Heat Incentives. Finally, some local authorities offer grants or other financial support to help businesses with the cost of installing solar energy systems.

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