Hawthorne, California, located in the Northern Sub Tropics, offers a favorable environment for solar energy generation throughout the year. With its geographical coordinates at 33.9168° N latitude and 118.3432° W longitude, this location benefits from abundant sunshine and mild temperatures, making it well-suited for solar photovoltaic (PV) installations.

Seasonal Solar Performance

Solar energy production in Hawthorne varies across the seasons, with summer being the most productive period. During the summer months, solar panels can generate an impressive 7.11 kWh per day for each kilowatt of installed capacity. Spring follows closely behind, with a daily output of 6.84 kWh/kW. Autumn sees a moderate decrease in production, yielding 4.85 kWh/day per kW. Winter, while less productive, still manages to produce a respectable 3.72 kWh/day per kW.

Optimal Panel Placement

To maximize year-round solar energy production in Hawthorne, fixed solar panels should be tilted at a 30-degree angle facing south. This optimal angle ensures that the panels capture the most sunlight throughout the year, accounting for the sun's changing position in the sky across seasons.

Ideal Generation Periods

The most ideal times for solar energy generation in Hawthorne are during the summer and spring months. These seasons offer longer daylight hours and more direct sunlight, resulting in peak energy production. However, the relatively high output during autumn and even winter demonstrates that solar PV systems can be effective year-round in this location.

Environmental Considerations

While Hawthorne's climate is generally conducive to solar energy production, there are a few factors to consider:

• Coastal fog: Being close to the Pacific Ocean, Hawthorne can experience morning fog, which may slightly reduce early-day solar output.
• Urban air pollution: As part of the Greater Los Angeles area, air quality issues could occasionally impact solar efficiency.

To mitigate these factors, consider installing panels at a slightly steeper angle to allow morning dew or fog to run off more easily. Regular cleaning of the panels can also help maintain optimal performance by removing any accumulated pollutants or debris.

Overall, Hawthorne's location provides excellent conditions for solar energy generation, with minimal significant impediments to production. The combination of abundant sunshine and moderate temperatures makes it an ideal spot for harnessing solar power throughout the year.

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 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 Hawthorne

Seasonal solar PV output for Latitude: 33.9168, Longitude: -118.3432 (Hawthorne, 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 Hawthorne, United States

To maximize your solar PV system's energy output in Hawthorne, United States (Lat/Long 33.9168, -118.3432) 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 Hawthorne, 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 Hawthorne, 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	38° 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 Hawthorne, 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 Hawthorne, 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 Hawthorne, United States

The topography around Hawthorne, California, is primarily characterized by flat, urban terrain. Located in the southwestern part of Los Angeles County, Hawthorne sits in the South Bay region of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The city and its surrounding areas are part of the Los Angeles Basin, a broad coastal plain that extends from the Pacific Ocean to the San Gabriel Mountains. The landscape in and around Hawthorne is predominantly level, with very little variation in elevation. This flat topography is a result of the area's geological history, having been shaped by ancient river systems and coastal processes. The city itself has an average elevation of about 72 feet (22 meters) above sea level, with minimal changes in altitude throughout the immediate vicinity. To the west of Hawthorne, the terrain gradually slopes towards the Pacific Ocean, which is approximately 3 miles away. The coastline in this area features sandy beaches and low bluffs. To the east, the land remains relatively flat for several miles before beginning to rise towards the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, which are visible on clear days but are quite distant from Hawthorne itself.

Potential Areas for Large-Scale Solar PV

When considering areas nearby that would be most suited to large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) installations, it's important to look beyond the immediate urban environment of Hawthorne. The dense urban development in and around the city limits the availability of suitable large open spaces for solar farms. However, there are potential areas in the broader region that could be more appropriate: The Mojave Desert, located to the north and northeast of Los Angeles, offers vast expanses of flat, sun-drenched land that could be ideal for large-scale solar PV projects. This area already hosts several significant solar installations due to its abundant sunshine and available land. The Antelope Valley, situated in the western Mojave Desert about 60 miles north of Hawthorne, presents another promising location. Its combination of flat terrain, minimal cloud cover, and lower population density makes it well-suited for solar energy development. Areas east of Los Angeles in the Inland Empire region, particularly in San Bernardino and Riverside counties, could also offer potential sites for solar farms. These areas have more available open space compared to the densely populated coastal regions. While these locations are not in the immediate vicinity of Hawthorne, they represent the most practical options for large-scale solar PV installations in the broader Southern California region. The flat, urban nature of Hawthorne and its surrounding areas makes it more suitable for smaller-scale rooftop solar installations rather than expansive solar farms.

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.