Cedarville, Ohio, located in the United States at coordinates 39.7465, -83.7998, presents varying conditions for solar PV energy generation throughout the year. This small town in the Northern Temperate Zone experiences significant seasonal fluctuations in potential solar electricity production.

Seasonal Solar Production

Solar panels in Cedarville demonstrate strong performance during summer months, generating approximately 6.21kWh per day for each kilowatt of installed capacity. Spring follows as the second most productive season with 5.50kWh/day per kW installed. Production decreases substantially during autumn to 3.66kWh/day, while winter shows the lowest output at just 2.14kWh/day per kW of installed capacity.

This pattern reveals that Cedarville's solar potential more than triples from winter to summer, making the warm months particularly valuable for energy generation. The substantial difference between seasons indicates that annual production will be heavily weighted toward the spring and summer months.

Optimal Panel Installation

For fixed solar panel installations in Cedarville, the ideal tilt angle to maximize year-round energy production is 34 degrees facing South. This angle has been carefully calculated to optimize the capture of available sunlight throughout the year, accounting for the Earth's elliptical orbit and Cedarville's specific latitude.

Environmental and Weather Considerations

Several factors could potentially impact solar production in Cedarville:

• Snow accumulation during winter months can significantly reduce output by covering panels, contributing to the already low winter production figures
• Moderate cloud cover throughout the year, particularly during winter and spring when Ohio often experiences overcast conditions
• Potential shading from deciduous trees, which is more problematic when leaves are present during the productive summer months

Preventative Measures

To maximize solar energy production in Cedarville, several practical steps can be taken during installation and maintenance:

Installing panels at the recommended 34-degree tilt helps facilitate natural snow shedding. Additional measures like snow removal systems or occasional manual clearing may be necessary during heavy snowfall periods. Strategic placement away from trees or selective pruning can minimize shading issues, especially important during high-production months.

Regular cleaning to remove dust, pollen, and debris will help maintain optimal performance, particularly important in rural areas like Cedarville where agricultural activity may create airborne particles. Finally, considering a slight oversizing of the system can help compensate for the significant winter production deficit.

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 Cedarville

Seasonal solar PV output for Latitude: 39.7465, Longitude: -83.7998 (Cedarville, 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 34° South in Cedarville, United States

To maximize your solar PV system's energy output in Cedarville, United States (Lat/Long 39.7465, -83.7998) 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 Cedarville, 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 Cedarville, United States. 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
24° South in Summer	44° South in Autumn	54° South in Winter	33° 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 Cedarville, 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 Cedarville, 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 Cedarville, United States

The landscape surrounding Cedarville, Ohio presents a gently rolling topography typical of the western Ohio region. Situated in Greene County in the southwestern portion of the state, Cedarville sits in what geographers classify as the Till Plains section of the Central Lowlands province. The terrain features subtle elevation changes rather than dramatic hills or valleys, with elevations generally ranging between 1,000 and 1,100 feet above sea level. This area was heavily influenced by glacial activity during the Pleistocene epoch, resulting in the deposition of glacial till that created the current undulating landscape. The retreat of these glaciers left behind a terrain characterized by fertile soils and modest hills interspersed with flat stretches of land. Massie Creek and its tributaries have carved shallow valleys through this glacial till, creating some of the more noticeable elevation changes in the immediate vicinity.

Surrounding Landscape Features

To the east of Cedarville lies the Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve and Glen Helen Nature Preserve, where the Little Miami River has cut a more dramatic limestone gorge - one of the few areas of significant relief near Cedarville. This eastern region transitions toward the more dissected Allegheny Plateau. However, the immediate surroundings of Cedarville maintain the gentler Till Plains character. The western and northern areas around Cedarville feature more consistently flat to gently rolling agricultural lands with few obstructions. These open expanses extend toward Xenia and Springfield. Small woodlots and stream corridors punctuate the predominantly agricultural landscape, but large continuous stretches of open land are common.

Solar PV Suitability

For large-scale solar photovoltaic installations, the areas to the west and northwest of Cedarville offer particularly favorable conditions. These locations combine several advantageous characteristics for solar development: The relatively flat terrain west of Cedarville toward Xenia provides extensive areas where minimal grading would be required for solar array installation. These agricultural plains offer the large contiguous parcels necessary for utility-scale solar development without significant topographical barriers. The slightly elevated and gently sloping areas northwest of Cedarville present opportunities for southern-facing installations that can maximize solar capture throughout the day. These subtle south-facing inclines can improve energy production efficiency compared to perfectly flat terrain. The agricultural nature of much of this land means there are fewer forested areas requiring clearing, reducing both environmental impact and development costs. The open character of the landscape also minimizes shading concerns from natural features. Areas along major transmission corridors running through Greene County offer additional advantages for solar development due to reduced interconnection costs. The existing infrastructure west of Cedarville toward Dayton provides potential connection points for feeding solar-generated electricity into the regional grid. While the entire region receives comparable solar radiation, the combination of suitable topography, existing land use patterns, and infrastructure access makes the western and northwestern sectors particularly attractive for large-scale solar development. The minimal elevation changes in these areas simplify construction and maintenance while maximizing the consistency of solar exposure across expansive installations.

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!

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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.