Solar PV Analysis of Avon Lake, United States
Avon Lake in Ohio, United States, is a reasonable location for producing solar energy all year round. However, the amount of electricity you can generate from solar varies throughout the year. During summer and spring, when there's more sunlight available, you can expect to produce quite a bit of power - about 6.12 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per day in the summer and 5.47 kWh/day in the spring for each kilowatt (kW) of installed solar panels.
In autumn and winter though, when days are shorter and less sunlight is available, your panels will produce less power - around 3.40 kWh/day in autumn and just 1.78 kWh/day during winter for each kW of installed solar.
To make sure your panels are working as efficiently as possible throughout the year at this location, they should be tilted at an angle that faces south by 36 degrees. This position helps capture as much sunlight as possible over the course of a day.
Now let's talk about things that could affect how well your panels work here: Avon Lake has typical Midwest weather which means it experiences all four seasons with varying intensity including snowfall during winters which may cover up your panels reducing their efficiency temporarily until cleared off; also cloudy or overcast days can reduce output but modern PV systems still function albeit at reduced capacity under such conditions.
One way to handle these issues is by installing a system to automatically clear snow from your panels or manually doing so yourself if safe to do so; regarding cloudy days there isn't much one can do but remember even on those days some production still occurs due to diffused light reaching the panel surface through cloud cover.
So overall while not ideal like say desert areas where sun exposure is constant almost all year round; Avon Lake does offer decent potential for harnessing solar energy especially during Spring/Summer months with Autumn/Winter being less productive periods due to environmental factors.
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 4253 locations across the United States. This analysis provides insights into each city/location's potential for harnessing solar energy through PV installations.
Link: Solar PV potential in the United States by location
Solar output per kW of installed solar PV by season in Avon Lake
Seasonal solar PV output for Latitude: 41.502, Longitude: -82.0091 (Avon Lake, United States), 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 Avon Lake, United States
To maximize your solar PV system's energy output in Avon Lake, United States (Lat/Long 41.502, -82.0091) 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 Avon Lake, United States
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 Avon Lake, United States. 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 | 45° South in Autumn | 56° South in Winter | 34° 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 Avon Lake, United States
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 Avon Lake, United States.
Our calculation method
- Solar Position:
We determine the Sun's position on the Winter solstice using the location's latitude and solar declination. - Shadow Projection:
We calculate the shadow length cast by panels using trigonometry, considering panel tilt and the Sun's elevation angle. - 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 Avon Lake, United States
Avon Lake, located in Ohio, United States, has a largely flat topography with some gentle slopes. It is situated near the shore of Lake Erie and the land is predominantly urban or suburban residential with some industrial areas.
For large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) installations, open and flat terrains are ideal as they allow for easier installation and maintenance, as well as more efficient collection of sunlight. In Avon Lake's case, underutilized or brownfield lands such as former industrial sites could be suitable for solar PV projects due to their size and location within an already developed area.
Additionally, nearby rural or agricultural lands could also be potential sites for large-scale solar PV given their typically flat terrain and open skies. However, this would require careful consideration of land use conflicts and potential impacts on local agriculture.
Lastly, rooftops of commercial buildings or warehouses in the area can also serve as viable locations for deploying smaller scale but collectively significant solar PV systems. These not only make use of otherwise unused space but also provide electricity directly where it's needed thereby reducing transmission losses.
Please note that all these suggestions need proper site-specific assessment considering factors like sun exposure levels (solar irradiance), soil conditions for ground-mounted systems etc., before proceeding with any installation.
United States solar PV Stats as a country
United States ranks 2nd in the world for cumulative solar PV capacity, with 95,209 total MW's of solar PV installed. This means that 3.40% of United States's total energy as a country comes from solar PV (that's 26th in the world). Each year United States is generating 289 Watts from solar PV per capita (United States ranks 15th in the world for solar PV Watts generated per capita). [source]
Are there incentives for businesses to install solar in United States?
Yes, there are several incentives for businesses wanting to install solar energy in the United States. These include federal tax credits, state and local rebates, net metering policies, and renewable energy certificates (RECs). Additionally, many states have enacted legislation that requires utilities to purchase a certain amount of electricity from renewable sources such as solar.
Do you have more up to date information than this on incentives towards solar PV projects in United States? Please reach out to us and help us keep this information current. Thanks!
Citation Guide
Article Details for Citation
Author: Aaron Robinson
Publisher: profileSOLAR.com
First Published: Friday 5th of July 2024
Last Updated: Monday 21st of July 2025
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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.
