Solar PV Analysis of Salt Lake City, United States
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States (latitude: 40.6487, longitude: -111.9682) is a suitable location for generating solar power year-round due to its consistent energy production rates across different seasons. The average daily energy output per kilowatt of installed solar capacity in this area is as follows: 7.86 kWh in summer, 4.18 kWh in autumn, 2.65 kWh in winter, and 6.74 kWh in spring.
The higher production rates during the summer and spring months indicate that these seasons receive more sunlight compared to autumn and winter when there is less sunlight available for solar power generation.
While weather conditions such as snow or heavy rain may occasionally impact the efficiency of solar panels at this location, Salt Lake City remains an excellent choice for harnessing solar energy due to its overall consistent output throughout the year.
To optimize energy production at this location, it is recommended that fixed-panel installations be tilted at an angle of 35 degrees facing south. This orientation will maximize exposure to sunlight and ensure greater energy generation from the installed solar panels.
In order to mitigate potential issues caused by local environmental factors such as snow accumulation on panels during winter months or dust buildup affecting panel efficiency, regular maintenance should be performed on the installation site. This includes clearing any debris from the surface of the panels and ensuring they are properly aligned with their optimal tilt angle.
By taking these preventative measures into account during installation and ongoing maintenance processes, one can help ensure maximum energy production from their solar system while minimizing potential disruptions caused by local environmental factors at this Salt Lake City location.
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 Salt Lake City
Seasonal solar PV output for Latitude: 40.6487, Longitude: -111.9682 (Salt Lake City, 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 35° South in Salt Lake City, United States
To maximize your solar PV system's energy output in Salt Lake City, United States (Lat/Long 40.6487, -111.9682) throughout the year, you should tilt your panels at an angle of 35° 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 Salt Lake City, 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 Salt Lake City, United States. As mentioned earlier, for fixed-panel solar PV installations, it is optimal to maintain a 35° South tilt angle throughout the year.
| Overall Best Summer Angle | Overall Best Autumn Angle | Overall Best Winter Angle | Overall Best Spring Angle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24° South in Summer | 45° South in Autumn | 55° South in Winter | 33° 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 Salt Lake City, 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 Salt Lake City, 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 Salt Lake City, United States
The topography around Salt Lake City is generally flat with some rolling hills. The nearby areas that would be most suited to large-scale solar PV are the wide open spaces in the desert and mountain regions, such as Tooele County, Juab County and Utah County. These locations have plenty of open space and relatively high levels of direct sunlight which make them ideal for large-scale solar PV installations.
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: Sunday 25th of September 2022
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.
