Solar Energy Potential in Blytheville, Arkansas

Blytheville, Arkansas, United States offers a moderately favorable location for solar PV energy generation throughout the year. Located in the Northern Temperate Zone, this specific location experiences significant seasonal variations in solar energy production. The solar energy output at this location follows a predictable seasonal pattern. During summer months, solar panels can produce an impressive 6.66 kWh per day for each kilowatt of installed capacity. Spring follows as the second most productive season with 5.74 kWh/day, while autumn generates 4.32 kWh/day. Winter, as expected, provides the lowest output at 2.50 kWh/day per kilowatt installed.

Optimal Installation Angle

For fixed solar panel installations in Blytheville, the ideal tilt angle to maximize year-round energy production is 31 degrees facing South. This carefully calculated angle optimizes the capture of solar energy across all seasons, accounting for the location's position in the Northern Hemisphere and the Earth's elliptical orbit.

Seasonal Considerations

The substantial difference between summer and winter production (more than 2.5 times higher in summer) indicates that Blytheville's solar potential is highly seasonal. This suggests that solar installations here would be most productive from late spring through early fall, with summer being the peak production period.

Environmental and Weather Factors

Several environmental factors could potentially impact solar production in Blytheville:

• Humidity and precipitation: The Mississippi River valley location means Blytheville experiences relatively high humidity and rainfall, which can reduce panel efficiency through cloud cover.
• Severe weather: The region falls within "Tornado Alley" and experiences thunderstorms that can bring hail, potentially damaging panels if not properly protected.
• Seasonal flooding: Being in a river valley, seasonal flooding could affect ground-mounted systems if not elevated sufficiently.
• Dust and pollen: Agricultural activities in the surrounding area may generate dust and pollen that can accumulate on panels.

Preventative Measures

To maximize solar production despite these challenges, consider these preventative measures:

• Install hail-resistant panels with strong tempered glass and proper certification for severe weather conditions.
• Implement automated cleaning systems or regular maintenance schedules to remove dust, pollen, and other debris.
• For ground-mounted systems, ensure proper elevation above potential flood levels and secure foundations.
• Consider microinverters or power optimizers that can minimize production losses when some panels are shaded or affected by debris.
• Install lightning protection systems given the region's thunderstorm frequency.

Despite these challenges, Blytheville's annual solar production potential remains reasonable for residential and commercial applications, especially with properly designed systems that account for local conditions.

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 Blytheville

Seasonal solar PV output for Latitude: 35.9274, Longitude: -89.9189 (Blytheville, 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 31° South in Blytheville, United States

To maximize your solar PV system's energy output in Blytheville, United States (Lat/Long 35.9274, -89.9189) throughout the year, you should tilt your panels at an angle of 31° 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 Blytheville, 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 Blytheville, United States. As mentioned earlier, for fixed-panel solar PV installations, it is optimal to maintain a 31° South tilt angle throughout the year.

Overall Best Summer Angle	Overall Best Autumn Angle	Overall Best Winter Angle	Overall Best Spring Angle
20° South in Summer	41° South in Autumn	51° South in Winter	29° 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 Blytheville, 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 Blytheville, United States.

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 Blytheville, United States

Blytheville, Arkansas is situated in the northeastern part of the state, in what's known as the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. This region is characterized by exceptionally flat terrain that was formed over millennia by the Mississippi River's flooding patterns. The landscape around Blytheville presents a striking uniformity with minimal elevation changes, typically ranging just a few feet across vast distances. The topography is predominantly level agricultural land, with elevations averaging approximately 250-260 feet above sea level throughout the area. This flat expanse stretches for miles in all directions, creating an open horizon that's occasionally interrupted by scattered tree lines, drainage ditches, and rural roadways. The Mississippi River flows about 15 miles to the east of Blytheville, marking the border between Arkansas and Tennessee. The river's historical meandering has shaped this entire region, depositing rich alluvial soil that has made the area agriculturally productive.

Solar Potential in the Blytheville Region

The topographical characteristics of the Blytheville region offer several advantages for large-scale solar photovoltaic development. The flat terrain minimizes site preparation costs and simplifies construction logistics compared to more varied landscapes. Additionally, the open nature of the agricultural lands provides minimal natural shading, allowing for optimal panel placement and arrangement. The most suitable areas for large-scale solar PV development near Blytheville would be the extensive agricultural fields that surround the city in all directions. These areas offer: 1. Minimal grading requirements due to the naturally level terrain 2. Abundant open space with few obstructions 3. Existing access to transportation infrastructure via highways and rural roads 4. Proximity to existing electrical transmission infrastructure Particularly promising are the agricultural lands to the west and southwest of Blytheville, where large contiguous parcels of flat, open farmland provide ideal conditions for solar arrays. These areas offer the scale necessary for utility-sized installations while remaining reasonably close to existing electrical infrastructure. The lands immediately east of Blytheville toward the Mississippi River floodplain, while similarly flat, may face periodic flooding concerns that could complicate solar development. Areas further north and northwest of the city maintain the favorable flat topography while potentially offering slightly higher elevation that might reduce flooding risk. The remarkable flatness of this region means that nearly any non-developed area around Blytheville could technically support solar PV from a purely topographical perspective. The primary limiting factors would likely be land availability, existing land use (primarily agricultural), proximity to transmission infrastructure, and specific local zoning regulations rather than topographical constraints.

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

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.