Solar PV Analysis of Garden Grove, United States
Garden Grove, California is a good location for year-round solar energy production. This place gets a lot of sunlight throughout the year which can be converted into electricity using solar panels.
During summer and spring, you can expect to generate more energy because these seasons have longer daylight hours. Specifically, in summer you can produce about 7.85kWh per day for every kW of installed solar power, while in spring it's slightly less at around 7.07kWh/day.
In autumn and winter, the amount of electricity produced drops because there are fewer daylight hours and the sun isn't as strong. In autumn you could generate around 5.26 kWh/day per kW of installed solar power and in winter it would decrease further to about 3.88 kWh/day.
To maximize your total yearly output from your solar panels at this location, they should be installed with a tilt angle facing 30 degrees South.
As far as local factors that might interfere with your ability to generate solar energy here - Garden Grove has an overall pleasant climate but does experience some foggy days which could reduce sunlight exposure on those days; however this is not significant enough to greatly impact overall performance.
While installing your panels make sure they are placed where they will get maximum sun exposure throughout the day without being blocked by buildings or trees etc., clean them regularly so dust or debris doesn't block sunlight either and if possible consider getting a system that allows adjusting panel angles according to season changes for optimal performance all year round.
Overall though given its sunny climate most part of the year Garden Grove is quite ideal for generating energy via Solar PV systems.
Note: The Northern Sub Tropics extend from 23.5° latitude North up to 35° latitude.
So far, we have conducted calculations to evaluate the solar photovoltaic (PV) potential in 3033 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 Garden Grove
Seasonal solar PV output for Latitude: 33.7873, Longitude: -117.9231 (Garden Grove, 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 30° South in Garden Grove, United States
To maximize your solar PV system's energy output in Garden Grove, United States (Lat/Long 33.7873, -117.9231) throughout the year, you should tilt your panels at an angle of 30° 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 Garden Grove, 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 Garden Grove, United States. As mentioned earlier, for fixed-panel solar PV installations, it is optimal to maintain a 30° South tilt angle throughout the year.
| Overall Best Summer Angle | Overall Best Autumn Angle | Overall Best Winter Angle | Overall Best Spring Angle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18° South in Summer | 39° South in Autumn | 48° South in Winter | 27° 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 Garden Grove, 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 Garden Grove, 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 Garden Grove, United States
Garden Grove, located in Orange County, California, is characterized by a relatively flat topography with slight undulations. The region sits at an average elevation of 43 feet above sea level. It is surrounded by suburban areas and cities such as Anaheim, Santa Ana, Westminster and Cypress.
Given the sunny climate in Southern California and the flat topography of the region around Garden Grove, large-scale solar PV installations would be quite feasible here. However, due to urban development and population density in this area (which includes residential areas, commercial properties and infrastructure), finding large open spaces for such projects could potentially be challenging.
Areas that might be suitable for large-scale solar PV installations include:
1) Unused land or brownfield sites within or near Garden Grove.
2) Large rooftops like those on warehouses or other commercial buildings.
3) Nearby less developed regions with ample sunlight exposure where land may not be under heavy use.
In terms of specific nearby locations:
1) The eastern parts of Riverside County have vast stretches of desert-like terrain which could potentially accommodate large scale solar PV installation.
2) Similarly some parts of San Bernardino County also offer open lands suitable for such projects.
However any project would need to consider environmental impacts as well as access to power grids for transmission purposes.
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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Article Details for Citation
Author: Aaron Robinson
Publisher: profileSOLAR.com
First Published: Thursday 11th of July 2024
Last Updated: Thursday 11th of July 2024
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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.
