Solar PV Analysis of Pacific Palisades, United States
The location at Pacific Palisades, California is generally good for generating energy through solar photovoltaic (PV) systems all year round. This is because it's in the Northern Sub Tropics, which means it gets a lot of sunlight throughout the year.
In terms of specific seasons, summer and spring are the best times to generate solar power at this location. In summer, you can expect about 8.42 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity output per day for each kilowatt (kW) of installed solar PV system. In spring, this figure is slightly lower but still substantial at 7.54 kWh/day per kW.
Autumn and winter see a decrease in potential solar energy production due to shorter daylight hours and less intense sunlight. You can expect about 5.40 kWh/day per kW in autumn and around 3.82 kWh/day per kW in winter.
If you're installing a fixed panel system here, tilting your panels at an angle of 29 degrees towards the south would help maximize total year-round production from your solar PV system.
As for potential impediments to solar production at this location, there could be some environmental or weather factors that might affect how much energy you can generate from your panels:
1) Foggy or overcast weather: Pacific Palisades sometimes experiences foggy conditions which could reduce the amount of direct sunlight reaching your panels.
2) Dust or debris: Dust particles or debris such as leaves falling onto your panels could block some sunlight.
3) Shading: Buildings or trees nearby might cast shadows on your panels during certain times of day or year.
To mitigate these issues:
1) Regularly clean dust or debris off your panels so they can absorb as much sunlight as possible.
2) If shading is an issue, consider trimming any obstructing trees if possible; otherwise try to position your installation where it will get maximum sun exposure.
3) While you can't control the weather, having your panels tilted at the correct angle will ensure they capture as much sunlight as possible even on less sunny days.
Overall, Pacific Palisades is a good spot for solar energy generation, but like any location it has its challenges that need to be managed correctly.
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 Pacific Palisades
Seasonal solar PV output for Latitude: 34.0502, Longitude: -118.5297 (Pacific Palisades, 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 29° South in Pacific Palisades, United States
To maximize your solar PV system's energy output in Pacific Palisades, United States (Lat/Long 34.0502, -118.5297) throughout the year, you should tilt your panels at an angle of 29° 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 Pacific Palisades, 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 Pacific Palisades, United States. As mentioned earlier, for fixed-panel solar PV installations, it is optimal to maintain a 29° 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 | 49° 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 Pacific Palisades, 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 Pacific Palisades, 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 Pacific Palisades, United States
Pacific Palisades is a coastal neighborhood in the Westside of the city of Los Angeles, California. It is located among Brentwood to the east, Malibu and Topanga to the west, Santa Monica to the southeast, and the Santa Monica Bay to the southwest. The area is primarily hilly with steep cliffs along its western boundary along Pacific Coast Highway.
The topography of Pacific Palisades includes a mix of flat areas at sea level near its coastline and rugged hills rising inland towards Santa Monica Mountains. These hills are part of a range that runs across much of Southern California.
For large-scale solar PV installations, flat and open areas are typically preferred as they allow for easier installation and maintenance while maximizing exposure to sunlight throughout day. However, solar panels can also be installed on sloped surfaces like hill sides if properly designed.
Given this landscape around Pacific Palisades:
1) Flat regions closer towards coast: While these may seem ideal due their flatness, they might not be best suited due proximity to ocean which could lead increased cloud cover or fog reducing sunlight availability.
2) Hilltops in inland region: These could potentially offer good locations for solar PV given higher elevation above any potential fog/cloud cover from ocean while still receiving plenty sunlight throughout day. However installation here would need careful design considerations due sloping terrain.
3) Rooftops: Given urbanized nature of this part LA with many residential/commercial buildings having flat rooftops which receive ample sunshine through year; rooftop installations can prove quite beneficial without need for additional land use changes or environmental impacts associated with ground-based systems.
4) Open spaces/unused lands further east towards Brentwood or north into mountains (away from dense urbanization): If such lands exist where there's less shadowing from nearby structures/trees & away from marine layer influence then those could potentially serve well too.
However it's important note that actual suitability any site will depend on detailed site-specific assessments considering various factors such as local solar irradiance levels, land use restrictions, environmental considerations etc.
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 6th of June 2024
Last Updated: Monday 21st of July 2025
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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.
