Pinetops, North Carolina, located in the Northern Temperate Zone, offers varying potential for solar energy production throughout the year. This small town experiences seasonal fluctuations in solar electricity generation that are worth understanding for anyone considering a solar installation.

Seasonal Solar Production

Solar panels in Pinetops demonstrate significant seasonal variation in energy output. Summer provides the highest production at 6.56 kWh per day for each kilowatt installed, while winter drops to just 2.78 kWh per day. Spring performs strongly at 6.07 kWh daily, and autumn generates a moderate 4.46 kWh daily per installed kilowatt.

The most productive period spans from late spring through early fall, with peak generation occurring during the summer months. Winter production decreases substantially, producing less than half the energy of summer days.

Optimal Panel Installation

For fixed solar panel installations in Pinetops, the ideal tilt angle is 31 degrees facing South. This specific angle maximizes year-round solar energy production by optimizing the panel's exposure to the sun's path throughout the seasons.

Environmental Considerations

Several factors could potentially impact solar production in Pinetops:

• Hurricane and severe storm risk, as North Carolina experiences Atlantic hurricane season from June through November, potentially causing panel damage or extended cloudy periods
• Tree coverage and shading issues common in the wooded areas of eastern North Carolina
• Occasional snow and ice during winter months that can temporarily cover panels
• Humidity and haze during summer months that might slightly reduce optimal performance

Preventative Measures

To maximize solar production in Pinetops, consider these installation recommendations:

• Use hurricane-rated mounting systems with enhanced wind resistance
• Install panels in locations with minimal tree shading, particularly from the south
• Consider slightly steeper panel angles than the optimal 31 degrees if winter snow accumulation is a concern
• Implement regular cleaning schedules to address pollen buildup common in spring
• Use microinverters or power optimizers to minimize production losses when partial shading occurs

While Pinetops experiences seasonal variation, its overall solar potential remains good, especially during the extended warm season. With proper installation considerations, solar PV systems can effectively generate renewable energy throughout the year despite the winter production dip.

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 Pinetops

Seasonal solar PV output for Latitude: 35.784, Longitude: -77.6307 (Pinetops, 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 Pinetops, United States

To maximize your solar PV system's energy output in Pinetops, United States (Lat/Long 35.784, -77.6307) 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 Pinetops, 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 Pinetops, 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
20° South in Summer	41° South in Autumn	51° South in Winter	28° 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 Pinetops, 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 Pinetops, 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 Pinetops, United States

The topography around Pinetops, North Carolina, is characterized by its gentle, rolling terrain. Situated in Edgecombe County in the eastern part of the state, this area lies within the Coastal Plain region, which features predominantly flat to slightly undulating landscapes. The elevation in and around Pinetops is relatively consistent, averaging approximately 100-120 feet above sea level, with minimal significant variations across the immediate vicinity. The landscape surrounding Pinetops is typical of the Inner Coastal Plain, with subtle changes in elevation that are barely perceptible to the casual observer. This region represents the transition between the even flatter Outer Coastal Plain to the east and the more pronounced Piedmont region to the west. The gradual nature of these topographic changes creates wide, open spaces with excellent horizons and minimal shadowing from natural features.

Hydrological Features

The area contains numerous small creeks and streams that flow generally eastward and southeastward, eventually joining the Tar River basin. These waterways have carved subtle valleys into the otherwise level terrain, creating minor variations in the topography. The presence of these watercourses does not significantly impact the overall flatness of the region but does create some localized lower areas that may experience occasional flooding.

Soil and Ground Conditions

The soils around Pinetops are predominantly well-drained sandy loams and loamy sands, reflecting the region's geological history as an ancient seabed. These soil types typically provide stable foundations for large-scale construction projects, including solar installations, with good drainage characteristics and moderate load-bearing capacity.

Vegetation and Land Use

The natural vegetation of the area consists primarily of mixed pine and hardwood forests, though much of the land has been cleared for agricultural use. Agricultural fields, particularly for crops like tobacco, cotton, and soybeans, dominate the landscape, interspersed with wooded areas and small rural communities. This agricultural prevalence means there are substantial areas of cleared, relatively flat land potentially available for alternative uses.

Optimal Areas for Solar PV Development

For large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) development, the most suitable areas near Pinetops would be the existing agricultural lands, particularly those with these characteristics: The flat, open farmland to the south and southeast of Pinetops offers ideal conditions for solar PV installations. These areas benefit from minimal topographic variation, which reduces construction costs associated with grading and site preparation. The lack of significant slopes also minimizes erosion concerns during both construction and operation phases. Agricultural lands to the west and northwest of Pinetops, where the terrain maintains its level character before beginning to rise toward the Piedmont region, also present excellent opportunities. These areas typically feature large, contiguous parcels of land that could accommodate substantial solar arrays without requiring extensive fragmentation or complex design solutions. Former tobacco fields, which are abundant in the region and may be less economically viable for agricultural production than in previous decades, represent particularly promising conversion opportunities. These sites typically have established access roads, are already cleared of vegetation, and have minimal environmental sensitivities. Areas adjacent to existing electrical infrastructure, particularly along the major transmission corridors that run through Edgecombe County, offer significant advantages for solar development by reducing interconnection costs and complications. The relatively flat terrain throughout this region has facilitated the development of a fairly robust electrical grid, providing multiple potential connection points for new generation sources. The consistent elevation and minimal shadowing from natural features across most of the region mean that site selection can focus more on practical considerations like grid access, land availability, and local zoning rather than being constrained by topographic limitations that might affect solar exposure.

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

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.