Fort Smith, Arkansas is a moderately good location for year-round solar energy generation, though it experiences significant seasonal variation typical of the Northern Temperate Zone climate.

Seasonal Solar Performance

The solar energy output at Fort Smith varies considerably throughout the year. Summer provides the best conditions with 6.86 kWh per day per kW of installed solar capacity, making it the peak season for solar generation. Spring follows as the second-best season at 5.22 kWh per day, offering strong solar production as daylight hours increase and weather conditions improve. Autumn sees a notable decline to 4.49 kWh per day as the sun angle decreases and cloud cover typically increases. Winter presents the most challenging conditions with only 2.64 kWh per day, representing less than 40% of summer production levels. For optimal year-round performance, solar panels should be installed at a fixed tilt angle of 31 degrees facing south. This angle maximizes total annual energy production by accounting for the sun's changing position throughout the seasons.

Local Factors Affecting Solar Production

Several environmental and weather factors in Fort Smith can impact solar energy generation:

• Severe thunderstorms and hail during spring and summer months
• High humidity levels that can reduce panel efficiency
• Occasional ice storms in winter
• Dust and pollen accumulation, particularly in spring
• Tornado activity in the region

Preventative Measures for Better Performance

To maximize solar production despite these challenges, several installation strategies can help. Installing panels with impact-resistant glass and robust mounting systems protects against hail damage and severe weather. Ensuring adequate ventilation behind panels helps combat efficiency losses from high humidity and heat. Regular cleaning schedules become particularly important during pollen season and after dust storms. Installing monitoring systems allows for quick identification of performance issues. Choosing panels rated for extreme weather conditions and using secure mounting systems designed for high wind loads provides additional protection against severe storms. Proper electrical grounding and surge protection equipment helps safeguard the system during frequent thunderstorms. While winter ice can temporarily reduce output, steep panel angles help ice and snow slide off more easily, though the recommended 31-degree angle provides a good compromise between winter shedding and year-round optimization.

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 Fort Smith

Seasonal solar PV output for Latitude: 35.3461, Longitude: -94.3773 (Fort Smith, 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 Fort Smith, United States

To maximize your solar PV system's energy output in Fort Smith, United States (Lat/Long 35.3461, -94.3773) 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 Fort Smith, 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 Fort Smith, 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
19° South in Summer	40° 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 Fort Smith, 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 Fort Smith, 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 Fort Smith, United States

Topography Around Fort Smith

Fort Smith sits in the Arkansas River Valley of west-central Arkansas, positioned along the border with Oklahoma. The city occupies relatively flat terrain at an elevation of approximately 460 feet above sea level, nestled between two significant mountain ranges. To the north lie the Boston Mountains, which form part of the larger Ozark Plateau system, while the Ouachita Mountains extend to the south and southwest. The Arkansas River flows directly through Fort Smith, creating a natural corridor of level floodplain that extends both east and west of the city. This river valley provides a broad expanse of relatively flat land that contrasts sharply with the more rugged terrain found in the surrounding highlands. The immediate area around Fort Smith features gently rolling hills and agricultural fields, with elevations gradually increasing as one moves away from the river corridor toward either mountain range. The Boston Mountains to the north rise to elevations exceeding 2,000 feet, creating a dramatic backdrop to the city. These mountains are characterized by steep-sided ridges, deep valleys, and dense forest cover. Similarly, the Ouachita Mountains to the south present a landscape of parallel ridges and valleys running in an east-west orientation, with peaks reaching similar elevations.

Optimal Areas for Large-Scale Solar Development

The most suitable locations for large-scale solar photovoltaic installations around Fort Smith would be the expansive flat to gently rolling agricultural lands found throughout the Arkansas River Valley. These areas offer several key advantages for solar development, including minimal topographic constraints that would require expensive grading or specialized mounting systems. The river valley extends for many miles both upstream and downstream from Fort Smith, providing ample space for utility-scale solar farms. The relatively level terrain in these areas means that solar panels can be installed using standard ground-mounting systems without the need for complex engineering solutions to accommodate steep slopes or irregular topography. Agricultural areas south and east of Fort Smith, particularly in the direction of the Arkansas River's floodplain, present ideal conditions. These locations feature open fields with minimal tree coverage, gentle slopes that facilitate proper drainage while maintaining optimal panel orientation, and existing infrastructure access through rural road networks. The areas immediately north and south of the city, where the terrain begins transitioning toward the mountain foothills, would be less suitable due to increasing slope angles and more fragmented land parcels. Additionally, the heavily forested mountainous regions would require extensive clearing and present significant installation challenges due to steep grades and rocky terrain. Former agricultural lands and open pastures within a 20-mile radius of Fort Smith represent the prime candidates for solar development. These areas combine the necessary flat topography with proximity to existing electrical transmission infrastructure, making them both technically feasible and economically viable for large-scale solar 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.