Solar PV Analysis of La Mirada, United States
La Mirada, California, located in the Northern Sub Tropics, offers a favorable environment for solar energy production throughout the year. This location, with coordinates 33.9154, -118.0089, experiences varying levels of solar potential across different seasons.
Seasonal Solar Performance
Summer stands out as the peak season for solar energy generation, with an impressive output of 7.11 kWh per day for each kilowatt of installed solar capacity. Spring follows closely behind, producing 6.84 kWh/day. Autumn sees a moderate decrease in production at 4.85 kWh/day, while winter experiences the lowest output at 3.72 kWh/day per kW installed.
The substantial difference between summer and winter production highlights the impact of seasonal variations on solar energy generation in La Mirada. However, even during the least productive winter months, the system still generates a significant amount of electricity, making year-round solar production viable in this location.
Optimal Panel Installation
For fixed panel installations in La Mirada, the ideal tilt angle to maximize year-round solar production is 30 degrees facing South. This angle optimizes the panels' exposure to sunlight throughout the year, accounting for the Earth's elliptical orbit and the location's specific latitude.
Environmental Considerations
La Mirada's climate is generally conducive to solar energy production, with abundant sunshine and mild temperatures. However, there are a few environmental factors to consider:
- Coastal fog: Being relatively close to the Pacific coast, La Mirada may occasionally experience marine layer fog, particularly in the morning hours. This can temporarily reduce solar output, but typically clears by midday.
- Air pollution: The Los Angeles metropolitan area, of which La Mirada is a part, can experience air quality issues that may slightly reduce solar irradiance reaching the panels.
To mitigate these factors, consider installing panels at a slightly steeper angle than the optimal 30 degrees to help with self-cleaning and reduce the impact of morning fog. Additionally, regular cleaning and maintenance of the panels can help offset any reduction in efficiency due to air pollution deposits.
Overall, La Mirada presents an excellent location for solar PV installations, with strong potential for energy generation throughout the year and only minor environmental challenges to overcome.
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 La Mirada
Seasonal solar PV output for Latitude: 33.9154, Longitude: -118.0089 (La Mirada, 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 La Mirada, United States
To maximize your solar PV system's energy output in La Mirada, United States (Lat/Long 33.9154, -118.0089) 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 La Mirada, 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 La Mirada, 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 La Mirada, 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 La Mirada, 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 La Mirada, United States
La Mirada, located in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, is situated in a relatively flat area with subtle topographical features. The city itself lies on a gently sloping plain that gradually rises from west to east. This area is part of the larger Los Angeles Basin, which is characterized by its generally level terrain.
To the north and east of La Mirada, the terrain becomes slightly more varied. The Puente Hills, a low mountain range, begin to rise just a few miles northeast of the city. These hills provide some modest elevation changes in the nearby landscape, with gentle slopes and rounded peaks. However, they are not particularly high or steep compared to more mountainous regions in California.
South and west of La Mirada, the land remains predominantly flat, extending towards the Pacific coast. This area is part of the coastal plain that characterizes much of the Los Angeles metropolitan area.
Regarding areas suitable for large-scale solar PV (photovoltaic) installations, the regions to the east and northeast of La Mirada offer the most promise. The gently sloping areas leading up to the Puente Hills provide several advantages for solar energy production:
- These areas receive ample sunlight throughout the year, with fewer obstructions from tall buildings or dense urban development.
- The slight elevation changes can allow for optimal panel positioning to maximize sun exposure.
- There is more open space available compared to the densely populated urban areas closer to Los Angeles.
Specifically, the less developed areas in and around the cities of Brea, Rowland Heights, and Diamond Bar could potentially accommodate large-scale solar installations. These locations offer a balance of suitable terrain, good sun exposure, and relative proximity to urban centers that would benefit from the generated power.
However, it's important to note that any large-scale solar project would need to carefully consider environmental impacts, local zoning regulations, and the interests of nearby communities. The relatively dense population of the greater Los Angeles area means that finding extensive, unoccupied land for solar farms may be challenging, and smaller, distributed solar installations might be more feasible in many cases.
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
Author: Aaron Robinson
Publisher: profileSOLAR.com
First Published: Thursday 12th of September 2024
Last Updated: Monday 21st of July 2025
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.
